Constance: ‘Huge appetite for community involvement’

100

An overwhelming number of Scots – 96% – think that local people should be involved in making decisions about the design and delivery of their public services. The 2015 Scottish Social Attitudes (SSA) survey, published yesterday, also shows that 35% of people had either volunteered at, or help set up, a local community organisation, and well over half (61%) think improvements can be made. Continue reading Constance: ‘Huge appetite for community involvement’

Voluntary Sector Forum to meet on Tuesday

EVOClogo

Hi 

Please find attached Agenda for the next Forth and Inverleith Forum scheduled to take place next Tuesday 12th April from 1 – 3pm at Pilton Community Health Project, Boswall Parkway. 

Forth & Inverleith Agenda – 12th April 2016

The Agenda is deliberately short to ensure there is sufficient time for AOB – this is to ensure members have an opportunity to discuss challenges organisations are facing through funding cuts and also the shift to Localities both by the CEC and Health and Social Care Partnership.

june details

LOCALITIES Thinkspace Events

• South East – 20th April 2016, 9.30-12.00 – City of Edinburgh Methodist Church – 25 Nicolson Square, Edinburgh EH8 9BX

• South West – 21st April 2016, 9.30-12.00 – WHALEARTS – 30 Westburn Grove, Edinburgh EH14 2SA

North West – 27th April 2016, 9.30-12.00 – West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre – 19 W Pilton Grove

• North East – 28th April 2016, 9.30-12.00 South Leith Parish Church Halls – 6 Henderson St, Edinburgh EH6 6BS

The City of Edinburgh Council, Health and Social Care Partnership, Police Scotland and the Fire and Rescue Service are moving to a locality model.  How the Third Sector engages with this needs to be considered and  EVOC would like to invite you to Localities ThinkSpaces taking place in each Locality area in April.

Find further information and booking details here.

The Prentice Centre needs YOU

PrenticeCentre

NEDAC, Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, Pilton Retreat, Granton Youth Centre … and now The Prentice Centre is the latest community organisation fighting for survival.

PUBLIC MEETING 

THE PRENTICE CENTRE

1 GRANTON MAINS AVENUE 

WEDNESDAY 9 MARCH, 7pm

The Prentice Centre is under threat of closure. Please come along to the public meeting and let local politicians know how you feel. All welcome.

West Granton Community Trust really needs community support – get along to the meeting if you can. See poster (below) for details.

PUBLIC MEETING

 

Stay of execution for Ratho?

One year’s funding gives hope to Pilton Retreat

forthview kids at ratho

 A statement from Pilton Retreat (issued 22 February)

The Education, Children & Families Committee did not change their decision at the meeting on 11 February 2016 so the Retreat has not been awarded a 3-year grant.

They have however proposed giving us a 1-year contract extension (95% of the 2015-1016 contract value). This still needs to be approved by the Finance & Resources Committee which meets on 17 March 2016.

If this extension is granted, it will give us time to investigate what other sources of funding may be available to allow the Retreat to remain open after March 2017.

A further update will be posted once we have heard the outcome of the meeting on 17 March.

A heartfelt thank you for all your support.

Pilton Retreat

ratho

Still time to have your say on state of voluntary sector

Edinburgh Compact wants to hear from city’s third sector

DEADLINE Friday 29 January

CaltonHill

Voluntary Organisations and Community Groups in Edinburgh: help us get a picture of the Third Sector in Edinburgh. Fill in our Compact Voice 2015 Survey.
Continue reading Still time to have your say on state of voluntary sector

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre facing closure

Time running out for award-winning Centre

DrylawNC1

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre seems set to close following confirmation that funding to run the Centre is to be slashed. Five members of staff will lose their jobs if the Centre – the only purpose-built community centre in the Inverleith ward – closes after having served the local community for twenty years. Continue reading Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre facing closure

Letters: False economy of funding cuts

NEDAC to close (2)

Dear Editor

Cuts in funding local authority services are happening again this year and will affect every person in varying degrees and add to the contraction in public services: services that are necessary and needed.

There are also other services provided daily by other organisations, mostly run by volunteers with some financial help from the council: these too are facing drastic cuts. Day Care clubs, lifelong learning and literacy classes, mentla health support,, befriending, support and information services, classes of all kinds and -very importantly – community transport to and from activities.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of people are helped out of isolation every week with all the benefit – both mental and physical – stemming from these services. Curtailing existing funding to these organisations is not only false economy but will see a deterioration in the health of those people affected, causing a far greater expenditure in other health and care costs.

The councils must rethink their attitude to these services – and, above all, their attitude to PEOPLE.

A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens