Goodbye, Total Craigroyston; hello, Localities

checking-out

It’s been part of our community for four years, but on the day Total Craigroyston bows out with a final event: what next for community planning in North Edinburgh?

The city council is introducing a new Localities framework from 1 April. What are Localities? EVOC’s JUNE DICKSON provides at least some of the answers in document below:

NW-LOCALITY-INFORMATION

The city council and community planning – see below for an update on the Capital Coalition pledge:

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EVOC to host BIG Lottery session

BIG Lottery Fund Information WorkshopEVOClogo

Thursday 4 February – 10:00am – 12.30pm
EVOC, Ashley Place

In November 2015, The Big Lottery Fund (Scotland) launched their new five-year £250 million funding scheme to applications. With a focus on helping people and communities most in need, groups across the country can now share these life changing funds.

If you are applying for The Big Lottery Fund (Scotland) funding, you will be asked how you plan to include these three approaches in your activities:

  • People-led
  • Strengths-based
  • Connected

The Big Lottery Fund (Scotland) aim to fund activities that embrace these three approaches. This will be hugely important when your application is being considered.

EVOC and The Big Lottery Fund (Scotland) are hosting a workshop which will help to explain what is meant by each of these three approaches, as well as outline the Big Lottery Scotland funding application process. There will further be short funding ‘surgeries’ in which you can have a one-to-one with Big Lottery Fund (Scotland) funding advisors.

This an ideal opportunity to ask any questions regarding funding and to help ensure your application is considered.

Book your place here

Your Voluntary Sector Forum: let’s talk

What with ongoing funding uncertainty and major council reorganisation, there’s lots to talk about. The local Voluntary Sector Forum offers third sectors groups a chance to join together to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead (writes EVOC’s June Dickson):EVOClogo

EVOC works directly with Voluntary Sector Forums. These groups link to the Neighbourhood Partnerships, & facilitate communication and planning among the voluntary sector organisations that operate within each local area. They fit within and feed back into the Neighbourhood Partnership structure.

However, the Forums are invaluable to third Sector representatives as they also:

  • Provide a Forum for Peer Support
  • Share issues of concern, information and knowledge
  • Take a collective approach to challenges and opportunities
  • Promote Third Sector Engagement with Neighbourhood Partnerships

and Community Planning

An example of how the Forums are a vehicle to work co-productively with partners, especially in terms of Community Planning, has been the schedule of meetings through the various Forums in Edinburgh where the CEC Transformation Team have attended and presented the Plans for Transformation and Localities to Third Sector organisations within each Locality.  These meetings have proved invaluable in terms of informing the Third Sector and other partners, as to the changes being planned whilst also providing a consultation opportunity with Third Sector and a line of communication providing feedback on concerns and challenges as well as opportunities.

The Agendas of each Forum are driven and decided by Forum members to ensure topics pertinent to a particular area are being addressed and discussed.

Find upcoming meeting dates and meeting papers for the Forth and Inverleith Voluntary Sector Forum page:

If you require any further information please contact June Dickson: june.dickson@evoc.org.uk or call 0131 555 9114.

EVOC looks for answers on third sector grants

Anger and anxiety over funding debacle

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Third sector umbrella organisation EVOC is to seek answers to funding queries following the uncertainty caused by Tuesday’s Education, Children and Families committee meeting.

The meeting was expected to recommend that organisations that had received funding in 2015/16 would be given the same amount as last year, while successful new applicants would receive 50% of their bid. However the key report was withdrawn on the eve of the meeting, leaving scores of community organisations in the dark over their futures.

Following the decision to withdraw the grant recommendations paper before Tuesday’s meeting, EVOC approached the Executive Director of Communities and Families for clarification and she has agreed to respond to questions collected by EVOC on behalf of organisations affected. 

EVOC’s Children, Young People and Families Network development worker Sarah Wade said: “If you wish to raise a question please email me at sarah.wade@evoc.org.uk by 10am on Monday 14 December.

“This will enable us to collate questions from the Sector and submit them to Gillian Tee as soon as possible. Please include the name of the organisation you represent when you contact me – this will not be included with your question. For those organisations who have already been in touch with me, I will include the questions you have already raised.”

Email sarah.wade@evoc.org.uk or call 555 9133 for further info

Continue reading EVOC looks for answers on third sector grants

EVOC thinkSpace event: A Fairer Scotland

Friday 9 October, 9.30am – 12.30pm, EVOC OfficeEVOClogo

We would be delighted if you join EVOC’s Fairer Scotland thinkSpace and hear speakers from the Scottish Government and the Third Sector consider the questions in the current consultation:

  • What are the main issues that matter to you?
  • What do you think needs to be done to create a fairer Scotland?
  • How can you and your community play a role in helping to shape our future?

We invite you to bring two other stakeholders from your organisation, e.g. service users and/or trustees.

Robin McAlpine of the Common Weal will be speaking on People Power plus we have facilitators confirmed from Citizens Advice Scotland, Crisis Edinburgh and One Parent Family Scotland.  Ella Simpson, EVOC’s Director will be leading the discussions on what we can do in Edinburgh and how we can feed back into the consultation process. 

You can book places at: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/evoc-thinkspace-fairer-scotland-tickets-18434528170

View the Fairer Scotland thinkSpace Programme.

june details

REMINDER: Voluntary Sector Forum

The October meeting of Forth and Inverleith VSF was brought forward as the meeting was scheduled to take place during the school holidays.

The new date is Tuesday 6 October 1-3pm, at Pilton Community Health Project.

Compact 10: planning the way ahead for Edinburgh’s third sector

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Many thanks to those of you who attended one of Compact 10’s events or took part in Compact Voice over the last year. The extensive consultation carried out with 120 Third Sector and Public Sector partners through Compact 10 culminated in the launch of the Edinburgh Compact Partnership’s new Strategic Framework and Action Plan on 24 June at Edinburgh City Chambers.

The new Strategic Framework and Action Plan is ambitious, optimistic and forward thinking. Ten years since the launch of the Edinburgh Compact Partnership times have changed, however the foundation values of the Edinburgh Compact Partnership are of no less relevance today. They are:

  • Transparency
  • Accountability
  • Good communication
  • Equity
  • Respect and fairness across partners
  • Co-operation with partners, communities and citizens

There are four strands to the Strategic Framework:

  • Future Thinking
  • Resourcing and Investment
  • Community Planning and Reach
  • Thriving Third Sector

Each strand has an associated Action Plan. These strands aim to deliver Compact’s Vision of

A City of active resilient communities where a vibrant Third Sector works in partnership with others to build social value and reduce inequalities.” 

This is the third Compact Partnership Strategy which continues to embrace a vision for the City where all sectors work together towards a shared goal of improving the quality of life for all citizens and communities.

The Third Sector Call to Action (see below) outlines just some of the ways the unique reach of Edinburgh’s Third Sector can drive achievement of the outcomes in the framework.

Third Sector Call to Action

See this work in action in our short film Getting it Right for Edinburgh: The Power of Partnerships

For further information about Edinburgh’s Compact Partnership please visit our website

 Sarah Wade
Development Worker, Compact 10 Project

Voluntary Sector Forum coming up

PCHPoffice

Forth and Inverleith Voluntary Sector Forum will meet next Wednesday (22 April) at 10am in Pilton Community Health Project on Boswall Parkway.

See below for Agenda and the minutes from the last meeting.

Forth & Inverleith Agenda – 22nd April 2015

FORTH & INVERLEITH MINUTES – 21st January 2015

Can you please let me know if you can attend.

june details

Feedback, Engage and Create

Inviting Edinburgh’s Third Sector to help shape the Integrated Joint Board’s Strategic Plan

We want to feedback to everyone in the Third Sector interested in shaping the future of health and social care services on how the Strategic Plan is being developed, update people on integration itself and invite you to share your aspirations and thoughts on what we can feed into the planning process.

Find more information and event booking details here.​