participation – Page 2 – The NEN

Help shape the future of the Community Grant Fund

We need your help to shape the future of the Community Grant Fund – you have until 4^th May to have your say.

You may be aware that the Community Empowerment and Engagement Team are in the process of making changes to the Community Grants Fund (CGF).

This began with an evaluation of the current funding model in 2024, then in 2025 we worked with CGF volunteers, applicants and grant experts to develop three options for a refreshed funding model for the CGF.

As we enter the next phase of the process, we’d like your views on which funding model option meets the following aims:

reduces barriers to accessing the fund
creates opportunities for wider community participation in decision-making
improves the efficiency of the fund

Your feedback will directly influence how the fund operates, making it more accessible and impactful for communities across Edinburgh. The survey takes just a few minutes to complete:

👉 Complete our survey by 4 May 2026

Please also share the link to complete the survey with anyone who lives or works in Edinburgh, who might benefit from the community grant fund.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team. Thank you for helping us create a stronger, more inclusive community grants process.

Best wishes,

The Community Empowerment and Engagement Team

Dementia-friendly Mamma Mia at North Edinburgh Arts

THURSDAY 23 APRIL at 1.30pm – FREE EVENT

It’s time for another dementia-friendly film club, and this month we’re heading to a Greek island!

Join us for a free screening of Mamma Mia! – the feel-good 2008 musical packed with romance, laughter, and those irresistible ABBA tunes. Singing along? Getting up to dance? Absolutely encouraged

Thursday 23 April

Doors open 1.15pm | Screening starts 1.30pm

North Edinburgh Arts

Free entry

Our dementia-friendly screenings are open to everyone, with low lighting throughout, a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, a short interval, and light refreshments.

To book or to let us know about any accessible seating requirements, get in touch:

Call or text: 07493 876130

Email: fiona@northedinburgharts.co.uk

EVOC: Strength of the Sector Survey

We need your help to build a picture of Edinburgh’s third sector for a new report. Your feedback will help identify trends, the needs and the challenges facing groups and organisations across the city.

Please complete this survey (7 questions):

https://tinyurl.com/4wj9r2u3

Welcome to Your Vote Week

YouthLink Scotland

@YouthLinkSco It’s Welcome to Your Vote Week! Use the @ElectoralCommUK‘s impartial resources to explore why voting is important to your young people and to discuss the impact their vote can have on their everyday life.

More info https://bit.ly/4rUcmdX

This year’s theme is ‘why voting matters’ – supporting young people to discover the difference voting makes and how they can have their voices heard.

Use the Electoral Commission’s impartial resources to explore why voting is important to your young people and to discuss the impact their vote can have on their everyday life.

Every year The Electoral Commission invite schools, youth groups, and local elections teams to join them in celebrating democracy by running activities that help young people understand how it works and how to get involved.

The Electoral Commission aim to support young people to develop the knowledge and confidence they need to cast their vote and discover other ways to get involved in democracy.

With thanks to the brilliant ideas of their youth voice network, the theme for Welcome to Your Vote Week 2026 will be ‘Why Voting Matters’.

Discover the difference voting makes and how young people can have their voices heard. With your young people, use the impartial resources to explore why voting is important to them and discuss the impact their vote can have on their everyday life.

Welcome to Your Vote Week is an opportunity to discuss the importance of voting and democracy in your area. Explore questions like ‘What issues are important to you?’, ‘What are different levels of government responsible for?’ and ‘How could your vote make a change?’.

How to get involved

More than half a million young people took part in Welcome to Your Vote Week 2025. We want even more young people to learn about democracy and voting this Welcome to Your Vote Week.

Everyone is welcome to get involved. Feel free to be creative, ask your students and young people for their ideas, and deliver activities which best suit you and your group.

You could:

Hold a vote in your school or youth group on an issue young people can have a say in.
Run a voter registration drive for young people.
Deliver lesson plans or short activities about voting and democracy.
Support young people to engage with their local representatives.

Welcome to Your Vote Week is an opportunity for those who work with young people to start a conversation about democracy and voting.

Drylaw Telford Community Council meets on Monday

“Is Community Council only for older people?”

Absolutely NOT! We need voices from ALL ages and backgrounds:

Parents (school safety, play areas, youth services)

Young professionals (transport, local businesses)

Older residents (accessibility, community safety)

Students (affordable housing, local amenities)

New residents (welcome to our community!)

Different perspectives = better decisions for EVERYONE

Join us Monday, 23rd February, 6:30 PM – Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre

Leith Chooses 2026 sees ten new community projects get the go-ahead

Community projects have been given the green light after another successful public vote at the annual Leith Chooses event.

Thanks to the decisions of people in the Leith (ward 13) and Leith Walk (ward 12) areas of the city, the following organisations have received Community Grant Funding to progress projects that seek to improve wellbeing in Leith:

Dr Bell’s Family Centre – ‘Wellbeing in Leith’
Milan Senior Welfare Organisation – ‘Leith Connections’
Leith Community Growers – ‘Dùthchas – Growing an Orchard for the People’
Edinburgh Community Food – ‘Tasty Tales of Leith’
Water of Leith Conservation Trust – ‘Coalie Coalition Resources’
Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council – ‘Efficient and Healthy Cooking’
Pilmeny Development Project – ‘Wellbeing in Leith: Supporting Older People Out of Isolation’
Living Memory Association – ‘The Wee Hub’
Mustard Seed Edinburgh – ‘Roots and Routes: Conversations on Easter Road’
Kin Collective Family Wellbeing – ‘Kin Begins: Community Wellbeing Pregnancy Support’

From a community orchard to activity programmes tackling social isolation, this year will see the start of a variety of exciting new experiences in the area.

A full description of each project can be found on the Leith Chooses website.

PIC: Tim Duffin

Culture and Communities Convener Margaret Graham said: “It’s great to see so many fantastic local projects benefitting through the Leith Chooses scheme. I look forward to seeing the difference this investment will make over the coming months.

“Participatory budgeting gives residents a genuine voice and real influence over how public funds are allocated, and it has been delivering meaningful results in Leith for more than a decade.

“I’m delighted that nearly £2million of income generated from the visitor levy is now going to use participatory budgeting to support activity that makes a difference for communities right across Edinburgh.”

Steering Group Chair Councillor Susan Rae said: “Thank you to everyone who took part in another successful Leith Chooses. I’m really looking forward to seeing these new projects develop.

“There’s a big push for Participatory Budgeting across the city of Edinburgh, and I’m just delighted to see it continue in Leith, well over a decade since it was first conceived.”

Steering group volunteer member and Harbour Homes’ Placemaking & Employability Officer Rachel Hutton said: “I was truly impressed and inspired to be part of my first Leith Chooses event.

“The passion of local people and the commitment shown by fund applicants are remarkable — qualities that would make anyone who lives, works or volunteers in Leith proud. This is what community involvement looks like in action.”

Steering Group Member Councillor Jack Caldwell said: “Once again, hundreds of people turned out to support wellbeing in Leith.

“Community Grant Funding continues to be vitally important for residents of all ages, and it’s great to see so many people across our neighbourhoods share so much enthusiasm for community wellbeing, and we’ll no doubt see some great projects take shape.”

Reforming social care

Carers to help shape local services

Unpaid carers, disabled people and people with lived experience of social care will have a say on local services after Scottish Parliament regulations come into force.

Social Care Minister Tom Arthur tabled an order giving service users and third sector organisations a vote during integration joint board decision making. This ensures their perspectives carry equal weight in shaping decisions about services, such as care in the community to enable people with disabilities or long term conditions to remain at home.

The 31 boards bring together the NHS and local councils with key community and service representatives to oversee planning and delivery of social care and community health services. Until now only members appointed by the NHS health board and local councils can vote.

The draft regulations will come into force in September after the Scottish Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee’s scrutiny of the legislation concluded yesterday.

Mr Arthur said: “I am determined to ensure those who access and support community health and social care services have an equal say in making decisions that affect their communities.

“These regulations extend voting rights to unpaid carers, service users and third sector representatives, collectively representing the voice of lived experience. It is only fair that these voices carry equal weight alongside other members – to help ensure local services are funded properly to meet the needs of people.

“People with lived experience provide valuable insight into challenges and opportunities which should be considered during planning. This change will bring decision making closer to the people we all serve. We expect to see more inclusive, collaborative and improved choices as a result.”

Fears over future of North Edinburgh Community Festival

SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY FESTIVAL – REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!!!

As many of you know, we run this event on passion, community spirit, and a shoestring but this year the funding challenges have been extreme. So much so that, for the first time, we’re facing the very real possibility that the festival might not be able to go ahead.

To give us the best chance of keeping it alive, we’ve introduced a tiered cost for stalls, ranging from a heavily discounted £80 up to £250 depending on the size of your organisation.

This structure lets smaller groups stay involved while asking those with more resources to chip in a little extra to support the wider community.

If you’re taking a trading or community stall, we’re encouraging everyone who can to select the £150 payment. That contribution genuinely makes a difference to whether the festival can run. But if £80 is what’s manageable for you, please know that it’s still hugely appreciated, your presence matters just as much.

We’re doing everything we can to protect this festival and the space it creates for local makers, groups, and neighbours.

Your support, in whatever form you can offer it, means the world.

Thank you for sticking with us and for being part of what makes this festival special.

Find your registration form here – https://forms.office.com/r/jMTLzXQUds

NOTE: DEADLINE FOR REGISTERING AND PAYMENT IS 30TH MARCH 2026

Free webinar for Community Councils

Community Councils, have you signed up for our next free webinar yet?

On 25th February at 6pm we welcome Scottish Government Local Governance Review team who will be providing an update on Democracy Matters policy development.

There will be an opportunity to ask questions on the process and next steps.

Community Councils can register for this free event using the link below:

https://tinyurl.com/42chvaxt