Tag: Mela

MELA looking for volunteers

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The Edinburgh Mela Festival 2014 is looking for volunteers

Friday 29 – Sunday 31 August

A carnival atmosphere with a vibrant and exciting mix of dance, music, street art and theatre, The Edinburgh Mela Festival is a lively, colourful event for all the family.

We are looking for enthusiastic and friendly volunteers to join the Festival team, so if you are looking for a fun, summer experience then this is the opportunity for you…

We are looking for volunteers in the following areas:

Artist Liaison, Audience Services, Market Stalls, Kids and family area, Green Recycling Team and Marketing.

We provide:

Ø A volunteer training session, which will give you a chance to meet your volunteer colleagues

Ø Travel expenses to and from the Festival

Ø A meal per shift plus refreshments from our hospitality area

Ø 2 complimentary day tickets

Ø A limited edition Mela t-shirt

Ø You will be able to ask for a reference on successful completion of your volunteer post

You will be asked to attend a short, informal interview and training session.

To find out more, please contact Antonia Dickson on 07870621086 or email volunteer@edinburgh-mela.co.uk; alternatively write to The Edinburgh Mela, Unit 14, Abbeymount Techbase, 2 Easter Road, Edinburgh, EH7 5AN

The deadline for all opportunities is Sunday 10 August.

http://www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk/

MELA

Council seeks more BME foster carers

The city council has launched the second wave of a campaign to increase the number of carers from black and minority ethnic backgrounds in Edinburgh. 

The launch follows a very succesful campaign that saw a doubling in the number of people enquiring about fostering last year, and the city council now hopes to further increase awareness during this recruitment drive.

Carers from all backgrounds are needed but there are very few black and ethnic minority carers in Edinburgh, and the aim is to try and increase numbers so that children from different cultural, religious and ethnic groups can live with foster carers who share similar backgrounds. Matching children with carers from the same background isn’t always essential but, in some cases, it can help a child to cope with their situation.

Children & Families Convener Cllr Paul Godzik said: “We are always looking for new carers to come and work with us to help give our children a safe environment to learn and grow in. We hope to build on the success of last year’s campaign and encourage even more people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds to consider becoming a foster carer. We can help provide the support and advice needed to make this decision, so please, if you are thinking of fostering get in touch or come along to one of the drop-in sessions to learn more about it.”

The drop-in sessions start this week at McDonald Road Library on Thursday (30  August) with another one next Thursday (6 September) – both sessions run from 10am to 1pm.  Foster care recruitment staff and carers will also be on hand at the Edinburgh MELA this weekend (Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 September) at Leith Links.

The BME recruitment campaign is part of a wider ongoing campaign to promote foster care in Edinburgh called ‘Foster Me Foster Us’.  Edinburgh has a shortage of foster carers and more are needed to provide children with safe and caring homes while they are unable to live with their own families.