Democracy Matters: sign up for discussion event

Working together, Community Development Alliance Scotland, The Scottish Community Development Centre and the Poverty Alliance invite you to discuss the next phase of the Local Governance Review and share your ideas about how local democracy could change.

Join us for the morning, chat to us over lunch and learn how you can help others have their voice and make a difference.

The Studio, 67 Hope Street , Glasgow
10 am til 2pm
9th August 2018

Register here >>

Democracy Matters

The Scottish Government has launched the next phase of its Local Governance Review, inviting people to join a conversation called ‘Democracy Matters’.

The campaign asks five key questions about how decisions should be made at a more local level. It asks whether communities, of place or identity, should have more control of decisions and what those might be. It also asks how this should look and what new or existing decision-making processes could be used.

The Local Governance Review was launched earlier in the year aims to find out what changes are needed to encourage a more local, participatory and inclusive democracy in Scotland.

A short animation summaries the review and the five questions being asked:

“In modern Scotland power must work in a way that involves and benefits everyone. To get this right, we will review how responsibilities and resources can be shared across national and local government in a way that delivers the greatest benefit to Scotland’s different places. However, the starting point must be with our citizens and the power and potential within our communities themselves.”

The review encourages people to hold conversations in their communities to discuss Democracy Matters and includes a community engagement fund where groups can apply for £100 – £300 to help make conversations happen. They have also published guidance about how the discussion might work and how it could be facilitated.

The review of local governance was set out in the Scottish Government’s 2017-18 programme for government and will be part of the forthcoming Local Democracy Bill

You can download the report and view more information on the Scottish Government website here.

New plans to make Scotland a Living Wage nation

Plans to increase the number of people benefitting from the real Living Wage have been outlined by Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work Keith Brown. Over the next three years the Scottish Government will work with the Poverty Alliance to build a ‘Living Wage Nation’, boosting the wages of those on low pay and supporting inclusive growth.

Measures being announced include:

At least 25,000 more people over the next three years to benefit from their employer becoming Living Wage accredited
Launch a regionally-focussed accreditation scheme to create the UK’s first Living Wage towns, cities and regions
Increase the proportion of accredited organisations in low-paid sectors, such as hospitality and tourism

Mr Brown said: “We are serious about supporting fair work and putting equality at the heart of our labour market. That is why Scotland punches well above its weight in terms of the proportion of people paid at least the Living Wage.

“However we cannot become complacent. We now need to build on this success to ensure even more organisations and individuals benefit in the future.

“Our commitment to create a Living Wage Nation is challenging, but achievable, and it will help those in low-paid sectors who need it most.

“By using the Living Wage to make pay fairer and jobs more sustainable, we will support our commitments to build a more resilient economy, a more equal labour market, and foster inclusive growth.”

Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, added: “It is now just over three years since the Poverty Alliance launched the drive to increase the number of accredited Living Wage employers in Scotland. Working in partnership with the Living Wage Foundation and thanks to support from the Scottish Government we have seen real change.

“We have seen employers from all sectors, in companies large and small, adopt the Living Wage and do their bit to help make the economy fairer. However, despite the progress that has been made, we know there is still much to be done.

“Scotland faces real challenges in some important sectors . If we are to deliver a fair economy for all then we must begin to address these head on. We are grateful for the Scottish Government support that will allow us to take the positive message for the Living Wage to employers in all parts of Scotland and into key sectors.”

Last week Stoats was confirmed as Scotland’s 1,000^th Living Wage-accredited employer. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visited the company’s Edinburgh HQ where she met staff and congratulated the company on gaining accreditation.

Edinburgh College is Living Wage employer

Edinburgh College receives Living Wage accreditation

The Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative has granted Living Wage employer status to Edinburgh College. Edinburgh College already paid staff the real Living Wage but receiving formal accreditation for this strengthens its commitment to fair pay for all staff. Continue reading Edinburgh College is Living Wage employer

Arts & Business Scotland becomes Living Wage employer

Scottish charity Arts & Business Scotland has been officially accredited as a Living Wage employer by the Living Wage Foundation and Scottish accreditation body, the Poverty Alliance, joining organisations in Scotland who have committed to paying their staff at least the Living Wage rate of £8.45 an hour. Continue reading Arts & Business Scotland becomes Living Wage employer

Poppy Factory becomes Living Wage Employer

It’s dedicated team of 41 Armed Forces veterans hand assemble more than five million poppies and 12,000 wreaths every year – but now Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory (LHPF) can add another feather to its cap after becoming an accredited Living Wage Employer. Continue reading Poppy Factory becomes Living Wage Employer

Film & Discussion: I, Daniel Blake

Hello,
You are invited to the following event:

I DANIEL BLAKE + Q&A

Event to be held at the following time, date and location:

Saturday, 26 November 2016 from 10:00 to 13:00 (GMT)

Cineworld Fountainpark
30/3 Dundee Street,
EH11 1AF Edinburgh
United Kingdom

View Map

Attend Event

Share this event:

You are invited to a private screening of the film I Daniel Blake with a Q and A on Saturday 26th November at Cineworld Fountainpark Edinburgh. The film will be followed by a Q&A session which will begin immediately after the film screening.

On the panel will be Peter Kelly, Director of Poverty Alliance, Bill Scott from Inclusion Scotland, Paul Laverty, script writer for IDB, Jack Munro National campaigner around IDB, Sacha Callaghan, Disability History Group, a spokesperson for the STUC and a representative of the Scottish Parliament.

We hope you can join us and participate in this event.

Share this event on Facebook and Twitter

We hope you can make it.

Best,
Action Against Austerity

Living Wage set at £8.45

The First Minister has welcomed the new Living Wage rate of £8.45 an hour and urged more Scottish organisations to sign up as Accredited Living Wage Employers. The rise of 20 pence will benefit thousands of employees at Living Wage-accredited organisations in Scotland. Continue reading Living Wage set at £8.45

Living Wage accreditation for city council

The City of Edinburgh Council introduced the Living Wage for its employees in 2013 and has now gained accreditation through the Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative. Continue reading Living Wage accreditation for city council

Scots on benefits to help shape our welfare system

At least 2,000 people who have direct experience of receiving benefits are to help shape Scotland’s first ever social security system. People from across the country who currently receive a benefit which will be devolved to Scotland, or who have received it in the last year, will be recruited to help to design and test the new system to ensure it works for them.

The Experience Groups will be set up from spring 2017, and will build on the feedback which is already being gathered through the Scottish Government’s current social security consultation.

Announcing the project, Cabinet Secretary for Social Security, Angela Constance said: “We want to build a fairer social security system that treats people with dignity and respect. When we set out our guiding principles for social security, we said that we would put the user experience first, and that our system would be designed with and for the people of Scotland.

“As part of that process we are already consulting with a wide range of people from across Scotland to gather their feedback on how the current system works.

“We have listened to what goes well, but have also heard many reports of the problems so many people face when accessing benefits. We want to make sure that does not happen in our new system – therefore we will recruit at least 2,000 people from across Scotland, who are in receipt of benefits, to help us shape and test our new system.

“We are determined that our new social security system is built to support those people who need it most. This crucial involvement from people with direct experience of receiving social security payments will help make sure that we get it right.”

Once fully devolved, Scotland will take control of around £2.7 billion, or 15% of the total Scottish social security bill. The remainder of spending in Scotland will remain under control of the UK Government.

The Scottish Government is currently consulting on Scotland’s first ever social security consultation. You can give you views at https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/social-security/social-security-in-scotland

You can also get involved in the consultation by email at socialsecurityconsultation@gov.scot or telephone on 0131 244 7763 or in writing at Social Security Consultation, 5th Floor, 5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw, Glasgow, G2 8LU.

LOCAL EVENT: ROYSTON WARDIEBURN COMMUNITY CENTRE

Wednesday 26 October 10am – 12.30pm

We inivte you/your group to take part in a local consultation event about Social Security in Scotland. The event will take place in Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre on Wednesday 26th October from 10 – 12.30. The event has been organised in conjunction with the Poverty Alliance who have been running these sessions throughout Scotland during the last couple of months. We are keen to ensure that people from North Edinburgh who have experience of the current system are able to take part in the process and have their voices heard.

Continue reading Scots on benefits to help shape our welfare system