Tag: resources

Resources created by young people in Scotland will help make online world safer

New educational tools to help children and young people understand the risks of the online world including artificial intelligence, online bullying and misinformation have been launched.

The resources have been developed by a group of young people from across Scotland to help keep children safe online. It is part of a project called ‘Amplifying Child Safety Online’, being delivered by the NSPCC in partnership with the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP).

The work is being led by 10 young people, including Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs), who have called themselves Digital Safety Ambassadors.

They have created a set of videos, posters and an educational session plan to support children and young people and professionals who work with them, with child safety online.

To produce these tools, they led workshops with groups of young people from regions across Scotland over the past 12 months, to explore their experiences of being online and the challenges they face in staying safe.

Other topics the groups have discussed include social media and body image, grooming and talking with strangers, hate speech, scams, and keeping personal information private.

The Digital Safety Ambassadors also worked with the NSPCC’s Voice of Online Youth, a group of 14 young people aged 13-17 from across the UK, and youth engagement groups in Northern Ireland and Wales to identify common issues across the devolved nations and ensure that young people’s voices and their views about online safety are heard and considered.

They hosted an online event last November to showcase the child online safety tools they have developed. This marked an important step in connecting young people’s lived experiences with those in positions of power. With the project now available to the wider public, the co-designed materials will be used to raise awareness of the risks young people face online, and support influencing opportunities with decision-makers.  

Catriona, MSYP for Falkirk East, said: “I got involved in this project because young people are online so much and social media is such a core part of our lives, so it’s an important topic to target.

“Young people should be safe online, but this isn’t the case. The online world and social media can be a great thing, and I don’t think we should stop young people from using it, but more needs to be done by tech companies and politicians to make sure children don’t see inappropriate content.

“I hope this project can make people more aware of the issues that children face online and they are vulnerable to harm.”

Arianna Gagnon, MSYP for Clydebank and Milngavie and Digital Safety Ambassador, said: “Online safety is such an important issue because young people get exposed to inappropriate content.

“We need to be aware of risks because we’ve grown up with the digital world and it’s a significant part of our lives.

“I hope this project helps to create a safer space online for young people. We’d like to make decision makers more aware of what young people are experiencing online and to realise that online safety is a big issue. I don’t think it’s a big enough priority just now.”

Joanna Barrett, NSPCC Associate Head of Policy for the Nations, said: “Children have a right to be safe online and to have their voices heard on the issues that matter most to them. 

“This project has provided an opportunity for the young people to make their views and insights on tackling online harms and improving digital safety heard by decision-makers and those with responsibility for child safety online.

“We hope this will empower decision-makers to shape policy and practice that reflects the realities facing young people online.”

Mary-Martha Dickie, MSYP for Girlguiding Scotland and Digital Safety Ambassador, said: “I first got involved in the project because I noticed how reliant we are towards social media and the potential risks it creates.

“It’s been great to meet with a wide range of young people and work together to find out how we can enjoy the online environment whilst ensuring our safety is guaranteed.”

Nathi, Digital Safety Ambassador, said: “I got involved in this project because I saw how social media really impacts young people – it’s part of our everyday lives.

“This project has helped me to see social media in a better light and recognise some of the risks. It’s been great to use our experiences to help other people.

“Hearing young people’s views from different regions of Scotland was so interesting. I was surprised by how knowledgeable they were on so many topics such as artificial intelligence, misinformation and body image.

“Young people aren’t safe online just now, especially younger audiences. We need to make it safer so they can still access it because it’s not all bad. It can also be useful for learning and studying.”

Sonia said: “A lot of young people aren’t aware of how to stay safe online.

“I think young people’s safety online needs to be more of a priority. Children are our future and it’s our duty to keep them safe.

“I’ve learned about the importance of taking responsibility by being part of this project and the value of participation. It’s great to get the chance to have an impact and I feel very grateful for the opportunity to do such valuable work.

“I hope decision makers listen to and take us seriously and that they introduce measures to make sure children are safer online in future.”

For more information about this project visit: NSPCC Child Safety Online

Amplifying-Child-Safety-Online-Supporting-ResourcesDownload

Charity urges Edinburgh schools and youth groups to use resources encouraging young Scots to live tobacco-free lives

ASH Scotland is urging high school teachers and youth workers in Edinburgh to use the health charity’s updated resource packs to inspire young people to make confident, informed decisions to protect their long-term health by not taking up smoking or vaping.

The Tobacco-free School and Youth packs, which each feature 30 engaging activities that can be used in lessons and group sessions, are being published by the health charity as the major public health issues of youth smoking and vaping are causing ongoing concern for teachers, parents and people working with children.

The packs provide facts and statistics covering a range of topics such as ‘Smoking and mental health’, ‘Smoking, vaping and peer pressure’, ‘Being confidently nicotine-free’ and features new exercises on nicotine pouches to support the delivery of personal and social education classes or for youth group activities across various subjects.

Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive for ASH Scotland, said: “As concerned teachers and youth workers across Scotland regularly contact us for information about tobacco and nicotine products such as vapes and pouches, we have produced updated resource packs with robust, evidence-based content to engage and empower young people in Edinburgh to make informed decisions about protecting their health and wellbeing.

“Our Tobacco-free School and Youth packs are especially designed to be effective learning aids to facilitate classwork and activities to help equip children to increase their knowledge about the health risks associated with smoking, vaping and using nicotine pouches.”

To download the packs, visit https://ashscotland.org.uk/tobacco-free-schools-pack/

and https://ashscotland.org.uk/tobacco-free-youth-pack/

MSP Calls for Greater Support and Funding Clarity for Local Community Organisations

Foysol Choudhury MSP Stands with Unsung Community Heroes in Edinburgh

Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, calls for greater support and funding for local community organisations in Edinburgh, such as the Polish Family Support Centre, following a series of ruthless budget cuts from the Scottish Government.

Foysol Choudhury MSP has issued a heartfelt and urgent appeal for greater support and funding for local community organisations in Edinburgh. During a recent visit to the Polish Family Support Centre, Mr. Choudhury emphasised the critical role these organisations play in encouraging community cohesion and providing essential services to underrepresented groups.

This comes after the Scottish voluntary sector was struck with further budget cuts. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) have revealed that real-term cuts to public funding have surmounted to over £177m since 2021, where more than 76% of third-sector organisations report financial challenges because of inflation and rising costs.

These cuts are not just numbers; they represent the struggles of countless individuals and families who rely on these vital services.

This situation may only worsen with changes to employers’ National Insurance contributions, imposed by Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves, which could leave the sector with another £75m to find each year.

In his recent visit to the Polish Family Support Centre, Mr. Choudhury witnessed significant challenges due to limited funding and resources.

As a one-stop-shop for all, the Polish Family Support Centre provides a wide range of services, including professional counselling, workshops, and support groups, all aimed at helping Polish families and individuals navigate the complex nature of life in Scotland.

However, the Centre’s ability to expand its reach and impact has been drastically obstructed by financial constraints. According to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, the Polish Family Support Centre has lost hundreds of thousands in funding, and with over 4,040 yearly sessions in 2023 – an increase of 2,000 from 2018 – it is clear that the Polish Family Support Centre needs further backing.

Other community organisations such as the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, Milan SWO, Edinburgh Diwali, the Bihari Community of Scotland, and other third sector organisations are also crying out for support.

Mr. Choudhury’s call to action comes at a time when many third-sector community organisations struggle to secure funding and resources. He has been a vocal advocate for these groups, hosting roundtable discussions at the Scottish Parliament to address the current funding model and barriers to access.

Here, the Scottish Government and other public bodies need to take a fair funding approach, moving to inflation-based settlements of three years or more, which consider costs such as uplifts in the real living wage.

Community organisations, such as the Polish Family Support Centre, continue to exist as a symbol of hope for the people of Edinburgh, driven by a mission to support and empower individuals and families.

Commenting, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “Community organisations exist as the backbone of our society. They offer vital services, from psychological support to advocacy, yet they remain overlooked and underfunded.

“It is crucial that we recognise their contributions to our community and provide them with the necessary support to continue their work.

“Edinburgh and the rest of Scotland must address the barriers to funding and ensure that smaller community-based organisations have access to the resources they need, as their work is crucial in promoting social inclusion and supporting minority groups.

“I urge everyone from policymakers to residents, to recognise the invaluable work these organisations do. They are not just service providers; they are the heart and soul of our communities.

“By supporting them, we are investing in a more inclusive, compassionate, and resilient society. Let’s come together to ensure that nobody is left behind.”

NSPCC and Signalong create new resources to help protect children with communication barriers from abuse

New resources created for children who face communication barriers will share crucial messages to help keep them safe from sexual abuse.

The national initiative from the NSPCC and communication charity Signalong was developed as part of the Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign to make important messaging on preventing child sexual abuse more accessible to children and families in the city and beyond.

The Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign, which is being delivered by NSPCC Scotland and the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and partners, launched last year and ends next month.

Dozens of events at libraries and public buildings across the country have seen thousands of families receiving the campaign materials which contain advice for parents, carers and professionals on how to have simple, age-appropriate conversations with children to help keep them safe from sexual abuse.

With the help of a colourful animated dinosaur, called Pantosaurus, Talk PANTS helps children understand that their body belongs to them, they have a right to say no and they should tell a safe adult they trust if anything makes them feel upset or worried. 

The Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign promotes the PANTS rule, which teaches children five key messages to help them understand their rights regarding their bodies.

These principles empower children to recognise inappropriate behaviour, affirm their rights to personal safety, and understand that they can speak out if something does not feel right.

The Signalong charity provides training and resources to assist children with communication difficulties and when English is an additional language.

Signalong is based on British sign language and uses speech, body language, facial expression and voice tones.

Lillian Cringles, Chair of Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “Inclusion and hearing what matters to children with additional support needs is of vital importance.

“We are very proud that dedicated materials for families using Signalong to aid communication were the inception of our local campaign. It is impressive that the NSPCC and Signalong have formalised a set of national resources in such a timely fashion and demonstrates a real commitment to partnership working.

“I have no doubt these new materials will continue to be of use in our Edinburgh education, community and family settings to aid prevention of sexual harm to children.”

Carla Malseed, Local Campaigns Manager for NSPCC Scotland, added: “The Talk PANTS resources are an important step in equipping families and professionals with the knowledge and tools they need to have open discussions about body safety.

“They will make difficult conversations around sex and consent easier to have with children from more diverse backgrounds.”

Tracy Goode, Signalong Chief Executive, said: “Talk PANTS is a wonderful resource to help keep children safe, available in English, Welsh, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Scottish Gaelic, BSL and Makaton.

“Signalong recognise that not all children speak the same language and those with communication difficulties do not use the same signing system across the UK.

“Signalong are delighted to partner with the NSPCC to ensure that the PANTS message is available to those who rely on Signalong to communicate. The colourful PANTS Rules incorporate realistic drawings and signs which are readily available to those who currently use Signalong.”

Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and Families Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The Talk PANTS campaign has already supported parents, carers and professionals with the resources they need to have important conversations with thousands of children and young people in Edinburgh.

“With an increasing number of children in the city recorded as having an additional support need, this new set of materials is a welcome addition to the existing campaign and goes a step further in ensuring that children experiencing challenges around communication can access important information about boundaries and body safety.”

While the resources were developed as part of the Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign they are available online to professionals from across the United Kingdom.

The Signalong materials are available online and will be launched at an online event on Wednesday, November 20 with speakers from Signalong, NSPCC Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council.

For additional inquiries or to access more information about the Talk PANTS campaign, please visit the NSPCC website, where the Signalong materials are also available.

Letters: RNIB offers free books for children with vision impairments this World Book Day

Dear Editor,

Children across the UK will be exploring the wonderful world of reading on World Book Day®, Thursday 7 March.

World Book Day® aims to encourage reading for pleasure, especially because it is the biggest indicator of a child’s future success in life. It also aims to make sure every child can have a book of their own to read.

For 2024, the theme is ‘Read Your Way’, and children are being encouraged to read any way they like to, whether it be out loud, in their heads, a sentence, a chapter or a page.

Here at the Royal National Institute of Blind people (RNIB), we want to make sure that children with vision impairments can celebrate the power of reading alongside their sighted peers. This means giving them access to the same books and reading opportunities at school and at home.

That’s why we have accessible versions of all of this year’s World Book Day UK titles available in audio and braille as part of our RNIB Library.

This year’s range of books provides adventure, mystery and laughter and titles include Elmer And The Patchwork Story by David McKee, Loki: Tales Of A Bad God by Louie Stowell and The Doomsday Date by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.

There’s something to suit beginner readers right through to confident book lovers.

Children can have their very own World Book Day® copy to keep, in either braille or CD! The books can be ordered in their preferred format from RNIB’s Helpline on 0303 123 9999.

They are also all available to download in audio and braille from RNIB Reading services at https://readingservices.rnib.org.uk

On behalf of all at RNIB, we wish you an amazing, book-filled World Book Day!

James Bartlett

Senior Manager Reading Services at RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People)

All Change? Chief Constable announces plans for ‘service transformation’

Chief Constable Jo Farrell gave a wide ranging update on how Police Scotland is delivering for the public during a meeting of the Scottish Police Authority Board yesterday (Thursday 22 February).

The Chief outlined the implications of policing’s budget allocation and discussed necessary criminal justice reform and the need to reset the parameters around Police Scotland’s role in responding to mental health incidents.

CC Farrell also shone a light on policing’s response to serious offences and securing important court outcomes; seizing illegal drugs; road traffic enforcement or picking out the unsung proactive community policing and prevention we know the public values.

The Chief also discussed joint work with the Authority to progress a programme of change across policing in Scotland.

CC Farrell said: “Change can be unsettling but we are building Police Scotland from a position of strength and we must clearly explain the changes to the public – and our officers and staff – so they can be confident in their police service.

“I have asked Deputy Chief Constable Jane Connors to lead our programme of change, focused on delivering service transformation at pace, prioritising the frontline, removing back-office duplication, and creating capacity to deal with new and increasing threats.

“The change programme will inform how we shape, train, enable, equip and deploy our greatest asset – that is our workforce, our officers and staff – to best meet the evolving needs and complexities of our diverse communities at best value.

“Our primary investment will always be in police officers. As Chief Constable, entrusted with significant public funding, I have a duty to ensure I maximise the number of experienced officers available to the frontline through the right investment in non-warranted support.

“So we will carefully examine which roles can and should be done by police staff, enabling a wider range of people access to a policing career and allowing even more of our officers to return to frontline and operational policing roles.

“Our aim is – must be – to bring the frontline of Scottish policing to the strongest position possible within the resources available.

“I think that’s my duty as Chief Constable, I think it is what the Authority would expect and demand. Providing the highest possible level of safety and security with the funding available is what the people and communities of Scotland deserve and would expect.”

WATCH the meeting here

Community Councils Scheme Review: Important dates coming up

MEETING DATES: TWO drop-in consultation sessions on Monday 7 August and Tuesday 15 August and the Teams meeting set for Thursday 17 August.**

Community Councillors are invited to ‘make initial contributions and suggestions regarding the existing Community Council scheme and boundaries and to ‘provide feedback and recommendations for any proposed changes that you believe would be beneficial’.

This invitation was discussed at the Members’ Board last Thursday. Here are some issues we think are worth your attention:

A] Community Council Boundaries

1. New community council wards:

  • How many and where?
  • On the basis of what growth projections for city expansion?
  • What data sources are to be used?

2. Size of community council wards:

  • On what basis will the size of community council areas be reviewed and targeted?
  • What data sources are to be used?
  • What intentions are there to reduce a wide dispersion (imbalance) in community council area ‘size’ (number of residents) across the city?
  • What could be done to ‘rebalance’?

3. Boundaries:

  • Boundary changes should be fully explained and justified to residents.
  • What will be done to reshape boundaries, in order to reduce the incidence of community council ‘crossover’ into two (or even three) City Councillor electoral wards, so that the ‘mapping’ of a community council to one and only one (four-strong) group of City Councillors is tightened up? (A community council area perimeter should be bounded within a single electoral ward.)
  • What measures will then be introduced to improve liaison and coordination across electoral wards and in turn across Localities?

B] Scheme for Community Councils

1. Minimum number of ‘elected community council members’ (2019 Scheme, Para 6.24):

  • There is evident current strain on a number of community councils, stemming from a fall-away in the participation of active elected members towards or below the critical level of ‘half of the maximum permitted elected membership’.
  • In light of that, what new flexible support measures can CEC Governance introduce to the Scheme rules in order to avoid (in such circumstances) the undue lapse of community councils into an ‘inactive state’ (whereby residents are then ‘disenfranchised’)?

2. Resourcing of a community council (2019 Scheme, Paras 11.9 and 11.11):

  • Contemporary ‘support needs’ for a well-functioning community council nowadays centre on IT, on website maintenance and repair, on technical assistance with AV equipment for hybrid meetings, all alongside the minuting and reporting of community council proceedings.
  • The absence of such support blunts a community council’s effectiveness in its core role and its ambition, especially when ‘something goes wrong’.
  • The need for CEC operational support now goes well beyond ‘additional support services/resourcing, such as photocopying and distribution of community council minutes and agendas and (also) free lets of halls for community council meetings’, as offered in the 2019 Scheme Review.
  • There is a case for a (much) stronger CEC commitment to dependable, core operational back-up of community councils’ governance and administration work.
  • What new avenues of operational (and financial) assistance can CEC look to introduce in this current Scheme Review?

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/30693/scheme-for-community-councils

**Here are the dates, and the opportunity to put some meaningful questions to CEC.

Monday 7 August 2023
17.00-19.30
Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, EH8 8BG, Ground Floor, Room 15

Tuesday 15 August 2023
13.00-16.00
Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, EH8 8BG, Ground Floor, Room 15

Thursday 17 August 2023
17.00-19.30
Virtual meeting held via Microsoft Teams – if you would like to attend please make contact with CEC (by email to community.councils@edinburgh.gov.uk) no later than 14.00 on 17 August 2023 to confirm your attendance and request the link to join the session. 

The EACC website homepage is:

Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (edinburghcommunitycouncils.org.uk)

_______________________________________________

Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC)

EACC Secretary; Ken Robertson

secretary@edinburghcommunitycouncils.org.uk

Shapps to convene Downing Street energy summit

  • Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps meets with industry leaders to discuss the Government’s energy security and business plans to invest over £100bn, including to accelerate renewables, to help grow our economy
  • Discussions include new powers to protect critical energy infrastructure from disruptive protest groups and maintain energy supply
  • Summit hosted at No10 Downing Street as part of Government push to strengthen energy security, support jobs and attract investment in the UK’s energy industry

Leaders of the UK’s energy industry will meet in Downing Street today to discuss their plans to collectively invest over £100bn and create jobs around the country, working with Government to boost energy security.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps will meet a wide range of energy companies – including EDF, SSE, Shell and BP, who collectively have multi-billion pound plans to invest in low and zero-carbon projects.

Each of these will support thousands of jobs across the country, which could help reduce household energy bills while delivering cleaner, more secure sources of energy, to deliver on the ambition to have the lowest wholesale electricity prices in Europe by 2035.

Mr Shapps will outline Government measures to protect UK energy supplies from disruption both at home and abroad. He will highlight decisions to invest in home-grown energy sources – including renewables, a revival in nuclear power, and backing North Sea oil and gas.

But he will also highlight measures to protect critical energy infrastructure from disruptive protests. This follows in the wake of protests such as those at the Kingsbury and Thurrock clusters of oil terminals and Grangemouth refinery.

The Public Order Act now includes a new criminal offence of interfering with key national infrastructure – including oil refineries – aimed at preventing protests from causing or threatening public safety or serious disruption.

It particularly addresses tactics that these protesters have used such as locking on and tunneling.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said: “We need to send the message loud and clear to the likes of Putin that we will never again be held to ransom with energy supply.  The companies I am meeting in Downing Street today will be at the heart of that.

“Energy industry leaders can see that this Government will back home-grown, secure energy – whether that’s renewables, our revival in nuclear, or our support for our vital oil and gas industry in the North Sea.

“But it is a sad reality that we also need to protect our critical national infrastructure from disruptive protests.  Today I’ll be setting out what we are doing to achieve this and want to hear from the energy companies the vital work they are doing in this area.”

Energy firms have demonstrated their confidence to invest in the UK, and collectively the firms meeting at 10 Downing Street plan to invest tens of billions over the next decade in energy projects across the country.

Some of these investment commitments include:

  • Shell UK aims to invest £20-25 billion in the UK energy system over the next 10 years. More than 75% of this is intended for low and zero-carbon products and services.
  • BP intends to invest up to £18bn in the UK to the end of 2030.
  • SSE plc have announced plans to invest £18bn up to 2027 in low carbon infrastructure creating 1,000 new jobs every year to 2025. SSE’s plans could see it invest up to £40bn across the decade to 2031/32.
  • National Grid plc will be investing over £16bn in the five-year period to 2026.
  • EDF have outlined plans to invest £13bn to 2025.
  • RWE have an ambition to invest up to £15bn in clean energy infrastructure in the UK by 2030.

To provide greater reassurance and support to industry, the Energy Security Secretary will outline the range of measures the Government is taking to protect energy infrastructure from intentional disruption, as well as maintaining the network’s strong resilience. 

This includes:

  • The Public Order Act, with specific powers coming into effect in July to protect critical infrastructure;
  • Working with the Police to ensure protestors cannot gain unauthorised access to sites;
  • The work of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, whose 1,300 officers and 300 support staff operate to protect nuclear sites across England, Scotland and Wales

The Energy Security Secretary will also discuss progress on major UK energy investment projects across renewable projects, oil and gas, new nuclear, and new technologies such as carbon capture.

They include:

  • Carbon capture – earlier this week, the Prime Minister announced two further projects in Humber and the North East of Scotland, which can move towards becoming clusters for this new technology – alongside eight already being considered, and two existing clusters in the North East, and in the North West and Wales.
  • Oil and gas – The Prime Minister has also confirmed future licensing rounds will continue for the extraction of oil and gas in the North Sea – while the North Sea Transition Authority reports they have received over 115 bids from 76 companies in the latest licensing round.
  • Nuclear – companies can now register their interest with the UK’s new organisation, Great British Nuclear, to secure funding support to develop new technologies including Small Modular Reactors.
  • Offshore wind – the UK has the world’s largest operational wind farms off its shores, with plans for further development off the East Anglia Coast and at Dogger Bank in the North East which could collectively provide enough clean energy for over 6.5million homes.