Increasing opportunities across Scotland’s communities
People, places and communities are at the heart of a new Volunteering Action Plan, launched in Glasgow yesterday at The Gathering, SCVO’s celebration of Scotland’s voluntary sector.
The plan aims to create an environment where everyone can volunteer, more often, and throughout their lives, with a specific focus on tackling inequality within volunteering, so that those who would traditionally experience barriers to volunteering can benefit and contribute.
Led by Volunteer Scotland and the Scottish Government, the plan was developed with over 100 participants, who have brought integral themes to the action plan including building knowledge and developing skills, supporting local communities and promoting the value of volunteers.
It will be boosted by £100,000 investment from the Scottish Government in the Make Your Mark Heritage volunteering campaign, which will help develop training and guidance to support inclusive volunteering.
Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: “The value of volunteering has hit a high over the last two years, when nearly three million people stepped up during the pandemic to help in our communities. Volunteers continue to be critical to Scotland’s Covid recovery and renewal.
“Across Scotland, volunteers make absolutely vital contributions every day to their families, communities and society as a whole. They do it because they care and want to help and support others. Throughout Scotland, people are volunteering and contributing on the issues that matter to them.
“Scotland’s Volunteering Action Plan will increase awareness of the vital role of volunteers in the delivery of services across Scotland from health and social care, children and families and sport. Volunteering is powerful and it matters.”
Alan Stevenson, CEO of Volunteer Scotland, said: “Volunteering is the heartbeat of our communities. ‘Everyday’ volunteering touches all of our lives, in our local places and spaces. Volunteering is good for you; with proven health and wellbeing benefits, greater social connections, providing skills, confidence, experience, and enjoyment!
“Volunteering should be available to anyone from any background, throughout their lives. This Action Plan will maximise the impact of volunteering and with co-production at its core, it’ll create an environment and a community of practice in which volunteering is truly ‘for all’. It’ll establish accountability for ensuring that the needs of volunteers are at the heart of future decision-making.”
Craig, who is registered disabled, volunteers with Easthall Residents’ Association in Glasgow, organising discos every Friday.He said: “I love the feeling of being part of a team I am made to feel so welcome and I have a purpose. It gives me such a lift when I’m volunteering and helping others. I feel ten feet tall.”
Charley and Anna were matched through the befriending project Mearns Kirk Helping Hands in March 2021.Charley said: “Without the volunteering programme many older people would suffer from much greater loneliness and be far less stimulated.
“Anna allows me to learn from her every time we chat, has a passion for life and is great company. I think she really looks forward to our calls and meetings as she is such an enthusiastic person.”
Rathbones will support the development of the SCVO Trustee Network, which provides invaluable support and guidance to the Scottish charity sector
The Network will host up to six ‘Good Governance’ seminars for trustees and boards
Rathbone Investment Management (Rathbones) has announced a new partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations’ (SCVO) Trustee Network to help develop good governance across charities in Scotland.
SCVO is a registered charity and the national body for voluntary organisations in Scotland. Its Trustee Network provides charity trustees and boards with invaluable support, guidance, and toolkits, with the aim of driving crucial good governance across the Scottish voluntary sector.
The Network provides a wide range of content for trustees and boards to help them with all areas of governance – including useful support and learning materials to help them get to grips with the Scottish Governance Code and understand their roles and responsibilities.
The Network also produces a quarterly Trustee Bulletin to over 815 people, which offers practical information, guidance, and useful event signposting to its subscribers. In addition, it runs a platform that provides entry-level information and learning to help trustees, volunteers, and staff run their voluntary organisations.
As part of the new partnership, Rathbones will provide relevant content for the Bulletin and will occasionally speak at events. The SCVO Trustee Network will host up to six ‘Good Governance’ webinars and in person events, which will be held bi-monthly and cover the challenges facing Scottish charity trustees.
Rathbones will host an event at the 2022 Trustee Week, which takes place in November, and will also speak at The Gathering 2022. Rathbones will support the Scottish Charity Awards by sponsoring the Trustee of The Year Award.
Fiona Gillespie, Head of Charities at Rathbone Investment Management in Scotland, comments:“Being a charity trustee is a demanding but very rewarding role. Trustees play a significant role in overseeing and taking responsibility for everything their charity does.
“For many who become trustees, they join with the best intentions, but are often faced with time restraints and a lack of necessary training, making the role more challenging.
“Rathbones is very supportive of the SCVO’s great work in helping charity trustees understand their role and responsibilities, as well as the practical support they offer in helping trustees develop their skills for their positions so they can exercise good governance.
“We look forward to our new partnership with the SCVO Trustee Network and getting more people involved with becoming a trustee.”
SCVO are pleased to announce this year’s Scottish Charity Awards finalists. The shortlist includes 44 inspirational individuals and organisations from voluntary sector organisations across the country. Our judging panel will determine the winners across our nine categories.
Members of the public can have their say by voting for their favourite overall entry in the People’s Choice Award sponsored by WorkFlo Solutions, voting closes at 5pm on Friday 20 May. You only have ONE vote, so choose your favourite carefully!
If you would like to find out the winners of all our Awards categories, you can now book to attend our glittering awards ceremony which will be held on Wednesday 15 June!
Data shows scale of crucial voluntary sector impact in Lothian and beyond
Figures collated by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) using data from OSCR, Volunteer Scotland, the TSI Network Scotland, and the Social Enterprise in Scotland Census have highlighted the crucial role of charities, social enterprises, and community groups in Scotland.
The data reveals that across Lothian alone there are currently 3,729 registered charities, generating a combined annual income of £4,342,612,905, and 1,125 social enterprises operating across the TSI area.
Along with employing 64,190 paid staff, an amazing 234,336 people from across the area also support organisations by volunteering their time and skills to help people, communities and groups, making an invaluable contribution to their local community in the process.
Nationally, Scotland enjoys the benefits of over 40,000 voluntary sector organisations, employing over 100,000 paid staff – a similar number to the Scottish digital and technology sector.
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and TSI Scotland Network believe that sharing this data will further highlight the indispensable contribution of the voluntary sector, particularly over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, during which charities and voluntary organisations, both local and national, have played a vital role across Scotland.
Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive for the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) said: “We know that the voluntary sector is a major player in Scotland in terms of economic impact and employment.
“Our recent #NeverMoreNeeded campaign highlighted how crucial the sector has been during the pandemic across the country, and continues to be essential in recovery.
“These findings highlight not only how vital charities, social enterprises and community groups are in Lothian, but also the level of local support provided to these organisations through volunteering, which is really encouraging.”
A spokesperson for Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council (EVOC) said: “Scotland’s vibrant voluntary sector is a key asset in our communities, even more so over the last two years, but it is one which is often underestimated and overlooked.
“We hope that this data, which shows the size and scale of the sector, can emphasise just how vital the sector is and how much it supports us all, both locally and nationally.”
Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, said: “I welcome the figures produced by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), particularly those that highlight the invaluable contribution that charities and voluntary organisations make in Lothian.
“The voluntary sector has been crucial throughout this pandemic, both in the local area and nationwide, and it’s important that we not just recognise that incredible contribution, but also explore how the Scottish Parliament can work better with the sector to maximise these efforts.”
Scotland’s national membership organisation for the voluntary sector SCVO has warned the Scottish Government’s flagship economic plan has ignored the importance of the sector.
Earlier this week Economy Secretary Kate Forbes unveiled Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation. The plans, as well as a debate in Holyrood on the subject on Wednesday, failed to recognise the importance of the voluntary sector and its role in the economy.
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has raised concerns about the lack of plans outlined to invest in the sector, warning Scotland is in danger of missing a genuine opportunity to transform its economy.
SCVO warned the sector’s exclusion from the Advisory Council that developed the strategy means important issues for many organisations in Scotland – including areas like its role as a significant employer and multi-year funding – remain underappreciated.
Commenting on Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation and yesterday’s Scottish Parliament debate, Chief Executive of SCVO, Anna Fowlie said:“Though I recognise the positive elements in this strategy, I’m deeply disappointed that it fails to recognise Scotland’s voluntary sector’s role in achieving the aspiration to become a wellbeing economy built on the principles of prosperity for all, equality, sustainability, and resilience.
“Through supporting the employment prospects of those furthest from the labour market, tackling digital exclusion, providing social care and housing, undertaking vital medical and environmental research, or running most of our theatres, museums, galleries, and sports clubs, Scotland’s voluntary organisations are integral to Scotland’s economic and social fabric.
“With an annual turnover of £6bn and more than 100,000 paid staff, the Scottish Government needs to invest in a skilled and engaged voluntary sector workforce that can innovate and enhance successful programmes that are crucial to Scotland’s foundational economy.
“Many of us called for the strategy to invest in voluntary organisations as significant employers, partners, and agents for change in Scotland’s recovery, alongside the public and private sectors, yet this strategy overlooks the intrinsic role of Scotland’s voluntary sector role in addressing systemic issues in our economy, and is stubbornly, ‘focused on business.’
“While the Scottish Government pledges to ensure the voice of business is heard, with ‘robust governance’ structures ‘co-led by business,’ there is no such commitment to the voluntary sector. This is not an inclusive strategy, and there is little evidence of the Scottish Government respecting the strengths or drawing on the expertise of Scotland’s voluntary sector.
“The sector was not represented on the Advisory Council that developed the strategy; key sector policies including the Social Renewal Advisory Board, the Social Enterprise Action Plan, and Volunteering Action Plan, all of which can play have a vital role in transforming the economy, are forgotten within the alignment of existing plans; and the sector’s role supporting work, innovation, and investment is unappreciated, even in relation to areas like fair work and multi-year funding, which are of key importance to the sector.
“Given that the strategy will underpin Scotland’s first spending review in 11 years, it needed to go further in detailing how the Scottish Government plans to work alongside the voluntary sector to achieve our National Outcomes and how it will build upon and invest in the capacity of this vital sector.”
What do we know about the real economic value of charities and social enterprises?
Join us at this webinar session with Strathclyde University’s Fraser of Allander Institute, part of the #SCVOeconomy series, to hear more.
Congratulations to Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), who received not one but TWO top awards at last night’s SCVO Scottish Charity Awards event!
The charity explained on Facebook: ‘Something pretty AMAZING happened tonight … ECHC won the PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD at SCVO Scottish Charity Awards 2021!
‘And then, just as we were gathering our thoughts and getting our emotions in check … we were announced as WINNERS of CHARITY OF THE YEAR too!
‘This is truly incredible. THANK YOU to everyone who voted for us and to our wonderful supporters, partners, volunteers and staff for your dedication in helping children and families in hospital.
‘This past year has been one of the toughest and we could not have done it without you all. So, this one’s for you…THANK YOU! ‘
ECHC’s Victoria Buchanan said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be named Charity of the Year and People’s Choice winner at the Scottish Charity Awards 2021! Through the tightest Covid restrictions and a hospital move; ECHC was privileged to stand alongside those ill, injured and shielding at home.
” From emergency care packs, silent discos, giant inflatable octopuses and record-breaking fundraising appeals, we pulled out all the stops to continue to bring fun, comfort and friendship to wards and waiting rooms and ease worries during one of the toughest years families have faced.
“None of this would have been possible without the incredible dedication of our supporters, partners, staff and volunteers. This award is recognition of their phenomenal efforts to ensure children in hospital could be children first, patients second, even in a global pandemic.”
https://youtu.be/C8chri-SO_o
You can watch the whole SCVO Scottish Charity Awards 2021 event on YouTube (above).
The winners of the annual awards ceremony dedicated to recognising Scotland’s voluntary sector were announced last night (1 October) in a glittering online event hosted by Sally Magnusson live from the EICC.
Run annually by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the Scottish Charity Awards celebrates the best of the voluntary sector and this year’s shortlist included 47 individuals and organisations from charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups across the country.
The winner of each of the nine categories was decided by a judging panel, with the tenth People’s Choice category winner decided by the public, with over 12,000 votes cast. As a result this year one finalist received both the Charity of the Year and People’s Choice Awards!
The winners for 2021 are:
Campaign of the year – Stop It Now! Scotland – Get Help or Get Caught
Child Sexual Abuse impacts one in six children in Scotland and targeting offenders is one of the most important ways of tackling abuse before it happens. As a result of the ‘Get Help or Get Caught’ campaign over 79,000 people visited the team’s website and 185 people accessed specialist self-help resources designed for people who are worried about their own online behaviour towards children and young people.
Stuart Allardyce, Director Stop It Now! Scotland said: “We’re thrilled to have won Campaign of the Year for our #GetHelporGetCaught campaign – thank you so much. As a child protection charity, our aim at Stop It Now! Scotland is to prevent children from being sexually abused, whether that’s online or offline.
“Child sexual abuse affects one in six children across the UK, and the number of adults posing a threat to children is growing. Our campaign is one way to tackle that problem, by telling adults who are offending or who might offend about the harm they cause, the consequences, and the support our helpline and website provide to stop their illegal behaviour.”
A special commendation was given to Aberlour Children’s Charity – Aberlour Urgent Assistance Fund.
Volunteer of the year–Central and West Integration Network – Shawn Nicholas Fernandez
Shawn wants to be a role model for both BAME and disadvantaged communities. He successfully made an impact in communities across Glasgow by delivering Cyber Crime Prevention Awareness Workshops and also creating a space through a community gardening project to help refugees by encouraging them to spend more time in nature to benefit their mental health and wellbeing.
Sean said: “I am extremely overwhelmed and proud to be part of Central and West Integration Network and a special thanks goes to all the Staffs and the beautiful volunteers who are always working unconditionally without expectations.
“By winning this award, I hope it will be an eye opener and encouragement for other volunteers especially those that are socially excluded. Nothing is impossible if we put our minds to it. Every organisation should recognise their volunteers and their contributions to the community because they are the cornerstone and should be rewarded.
“Circumstances in life may not always turn out the way we want it to be. Life may not be as smooth as we want it to be. But hard work, dedication and perseverance goes a long way. Thank you.”
A special commendation was given to Bob MacKenzie from CACE (Cumbernauld Action on Care of the Elderly)
Pioneering project – Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs – Click and Deliver Naloxone
Over the last ten years, nearly 10,000 families in Scotland lost a loved one through drug-related death. Naloxone is a life-saving medication that reverses opioid overdose, providing vital time to call an ambulance.
The team at Scottish Families recognised the need for access to this vital medication and launched a unique national Click and Deliver service, providing training and free Naloxone by post to any adult in Scotland. From May 2020 until March 2021, the team issued 295 kits, potentially saving 295 lives.
CEO Justina Murray said: “We are absolutely delighted to win the Pioneering Project Award. This life saving project was set up in a matter of days, at the height of lockdown and we are so proud of it.
“Our colleague Suzanne Gallagher has done an awe inspiring job of running this service from her front room, delivering 743 kits and counting. Thanks also need to go to Kirsten Horsburgh and our friends at Scottish Drugs Forum for everything they have done to help create and promote this service.”
Employee of the year – Carers Trust Scotland – Nicola Bell
Nicola has achieved a huge amount in the last 12 months. Working with young carers, she set up #Supermarkets4Change, campaigning to raise awareness of unpaid carers with supermarkets to include young carers in the protected hours set aside for vulnerable people to shop.
This work, led to those young people nominating her for the Scottish Youth Parliament Support Worker of the Year Award, which she went on to successfully win. Resources she produced for professionals and young carers on the topic of supporting carers through a whole family approach have been so well received they are being translated into other languages by European carers organisations to use in their own countries.
She said: “I am so honoured to have won Employee of the Year! I would not be here without the support of the amazing Carers Trust Scotland team and the Scottish Young Carers Services Alliance. To all the incredible young carers & young adult carers – thank you!
“I feel very proud to work with such inspiring colleagues, services and young people each day.”
A special commendation was given to Fiona Mitchell from Harlawhill Day Care Centre.
Community Action – Cumbernauld Resilience
Cumbernauld Resilience was established in March 2020 as a community-based response to the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic. It united people from all over Cumbernauld from a diverse demographic to reach out and help their neighbours.
The team has over 120 volunteers who have freely given their time, expertise and commitment to distribute over 90,000 meals and other essentials to locals – even hosting Christmas celebrations for over 600 people!
Chair Tony Murphy said: “As a relatively new charity, we are humbled and delighted to have been recognised in this way. We are especially delighted to have won in the Community Action Category as, from the outset, Cumbernauld Resilience’s ethos has been about mobilising the wonderful community spirit that exists in our town to help those in need.
“Thank you so much to every supporter, donor and volunteer – without your unbelievable support and unselfish commitment we really wouldn’t have been able to reach out and help so many in our community during their hour of need.”
Climate Conscious – Forth Valley Sensory Centre – Making Sense of Energy Saving
The project helped people cut their energy bills, despite the pandemic, but also secured new heating systems, warmer home payments and even new windows for a number of deaf and blind people who were struggling to heat their homes and pay their bills.
On top of this, with the change to LED lighting in the centre and the advice provided to centre users in braille, workshops, accessible video and BSL, it saved the equivalent of 300 tonnes of CO2.
Chief Executive Jacquie Winning said: “This award covers two of the biggest issues in today’s society, accessibility and the climate emergency.
“Thank you to everyone who supported us and to the staff at our Centre for making such an innovative project come to fruition!”
Trustee of the year – Linkes (SCIO) – Robert Smith
Robert is the co-founder and driving force of Linkes community project (2006), serving as chairperson to promote integration, empowerment and social inclusion. In response to the pandemic, he was visionary and determined, quickly building alliances to set-up a food distribution project.
Between March – September 2020, Robert’s team of volunteers delivered a whopping 18,000 meals and 2,000 grocery packs. Since October he has also overseen logistics of a weekly food-hub. Robert makes the magic happen, whether he is running board meetings, bulk buying food, driving the van, supporting new volunteers, making friendly phone calls– he is an unstoppable force for good.
He said: “I am absolutely delighted to receive this award. It’s not something I expected as the other finalists have all achieved incredible things and I’d like to congratulate them on their work.
“I would also like to thank the amazing team of staff, board and volunteers at Linkes, our partners and funders and everyone else in the community who contributes to what we do. I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved in what has been an extremely difficult year and on behalf of the team at Linkes, I’d like to say a big thank you for this award.”
A special commendation was given to Julia Grindley from Edinburgh School Uniform Bank.
Digital citizens – People Know How
People Know How believe in the inextricable link between social and digital isolation and the pandemic has only reinforced that view.
Over the last year the team has provided devices, digital skills and connectivity to thousands of people across Edinburgh and East Lothian. In doing so, the team has helped people stay connected with loved ones, access support and home-school their children.
Throughout this work they identified that the biggest obstacle to digital inclusion is data poverty, which is why they have now launched a national campaign to end data poverty.
Claudia Baldacchino, Communications & IT Officer, said: “It’s an honour to have been awarded the Digital Citizens Award. We’re so proud of our volunteers and staff for achieving so much over the last year, supporting thousands of people with devices, digital skills and connectivity.
“We’d also like to thank all our partners and funders who have made this work possible through their support and collaboration. We will continue to combat data poverty and digital exclusion as we recover from the pandemic and beyond, and can’t wait to see what the future brings.”
A special commendation was given to Space – The Louise Project.
Charity of the year AND People’s Choice Award – Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC)
Covid-19 has been a rollercoaster for everyone; no less for children and families in hospital and those privileged to support them. Innovation and dedication from supporters, partners, staff and volunteers saw support for children shielding at home, in wards and waiting rooms continue through the tightest regulations and a hospital move. From emergency care packs, silent discos, inflatable octopuses and record-breaking fundraising appeals, ECHC has excelled to ensure children in hospital are children first, patients second, even in a global pandemic.
Victoria Buchanan said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be named Charity of the Year and People’s Choice winner at the Scottish Charity Awards 2021! Through the tightest Covid restrictions and a hospital move; ECHC was privileged to stand alongside those ill, injured and shielding at home.
“From emergency care packs, silent discos, giant inflatable octopuses and record-breaking fundraising appeals, we pulled out all the stops to continue to bring fun, comfort and friendship to wards and waiting rooms and ease worries during one of the toughest years families have faced.
“None of this would have been possible without the incredible dedication of our supporters, partners, staff and volunteers. This award is recognition of their phenomenal efforts to ensure children in hospital could be children first, patients second, even in a global pandemic.”
A special commendation was given in the Charity of the Year category to North Edinburgh’s Scran Academy SCIO.
Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive of SCVO, said: “At SCVO we know that fantastic work is going on all the time in the voluntary sector and we were delighted to celebrate the achievements and successes of our finalists and winners at this year’s Scottish Charity Awards.
“We had a record-breaking number of entries this year and each one demonstrated just how well the voluntary sector has responded and adapted to changes and restrictions over the past 12 months.
“Thanks to our sponsors, the team at the EICC, our host Sally Magnusson and everyone who applied and voted for making this year’s Awards so special. Congratulations to our winners for 2021!”
RSABI provides practical, emotional and financial support to people in Scottish agriculture. Working in agriculture can be isolating, especially during the pandemic. Our helpline calls were increasing so we needed to do something to help keep people connected. RSA…
Aberlour’s Urgent Assistance Fund campaign shone a light on the financial cost of Covid-19 to children and families in Scotland and provided essentials like food, heating, clothing and beds to children who would otherwise have gone without. The campaign launched i…
Alistair is a volunteer within the Bridge Community Project’s Financial Wellbeing Service, where he provides hope to vulnerable members of the West Lothian community who are experiencing financial and personal challenges. His approach focuses on developing positiv…
Andrew’s influence, guidance and support has helped the trust secure an incredible amount of funding in the last 12 months alone. He liaised with key experts in Covid-19, which was instrumental in the charity securing funding for its recently launched research on…
The team has worked tirelessly with the Scottish Government, Parliament and Infection Prevention and Control specialists to improve guidance and enable meaningful contact with care home residents cut off from their loved ones due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Bob joined Cumbernauld Action on Care of the Elderly after becoming a service user, he then registered as a volunteer because he wanted to support others who felt isolated. Bob became a Befriender to someone who was bedridden after suffering a stroke, providing…
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Over the last ten years, nearly 10,000 families in Scotland lost a loved one through drug-related death. Naloxone is a life-saving medication that reverses opioid overdose, providing vital time to call an ambulance. The team at Scottish Families recognised the nee…
The team at Macrobert Arts Centre believes the arts should be for everyone and recognised that there was a clear need to make performances more inclusive for the Deaf community. Creative Scotland’s Create:Inclusion programme resourced this innovative project to de…
Cumbernauld Resilience was established in March 2020 as a community-based response to the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic. It united people from all over Cumbernauld from a diverse demographic to reach out and help their neighbours. The team has over 120 voluntee…
Douglas is more than a volunteer for Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland (CHSS) – he is a life-changer. He does everything he can to help fellow stroke survivors in their recovery. When the pandemic hit, Douglas was first in line to suggest creative ways for stroke su…
Covid-19 has been a rollercoaster for everyone; no less for children and families in hospital and those privileged to support them. Innovation and dedication from supporters, partners, staff and volunteers saw support for children shielding at home, in wards and w…
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As the manager of Harlawhill Day Centre, Fiona supports the elderly community of Prestonpans every day. When lockdown struck in 2020 she put an immediate outreach plan in place to keep all the centre’s clients socially connected, and tirelessly organised free meal…
Child Sexual Abuse impacts one in six children in Scotland and targeting offenders is one of the most important ways of tackling abuse before it happens. As a result of the ‘Get Help or Get Caught’ campaign over 79,000 people visited the team’s website and 185 peo…
GAU is proudly embedded in the communities it serves and is fully responsive to the needs of those they work with. When lockdown hit the team acted quickly and decisively with a new food delivery service that has helped hundreds of people. They also delivered onli…
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Lilias’ particular focus over the past four years has been to fundamentally change how Cosgrove Care approaches fundraising, and to improve the environments in which people live, and the charity operates within. She has spent many hours researching grants and has…
Linda wants the team she works with to be recognised for the outcomes they accomplished. Valuing the team and working together is essential to achieving the best possible outcomes for the most vulnerable in our communities. Linda believes she has become an effecti…
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Our application aims to highlight the hard work and achievements of our manager, Lorraine Jarvie. Lorraine has brought a wealth of experience and a new level of excellence and professionalism to MOOD ensuring its services are delivered to the highest standards. Lo…
The project helped people cut their energy bills, despite the pandemic, but also secured new heating systems, warmer home payments and even new windows for a number of deaf and blind people who were struggling to heat their homes and pay their bills. On top of thi…
Nicola has achieved a huge amount in the last 12 months. Working with young carers, she set up #Supermarkets4Change, campaigning to raise awareness of unpaid carers with supermarkets to include young carers in the protected hours set aside for vulnerable people to…
COVID-19 brought the impacts of digital exclusion for single parent families into sharp focus. Not only did One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS) respond with a gifting campaign that distributed over 100 new laptops, tablets and mifi connections over the period, but…
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Pam Noble was a trustee of Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust from 2017 until 2021 and its chair from 2018. The projects developed under Pam’s leadership have established strong foundations for a sustainable future supported by extensive community consultation. The…
People Know How believe in the inextricable link between social and digital isolation and the pandemic has only reinforced that view. Over the last year the team has provided devices, digital skills and connectivity to thousands of people across Edinburgh and East…
LGBT Youth Scotland worked alongside LGBTI young people and a taskforce from JP Morgan to create a digital community called ‘Pride and Pixels’, which combined a community Discord space and a Moodle learning hub to create a digital space for young people where they…
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The team, made up mainly of volunteers, give their time, and have their own lived experiences – and therefore are totally accepted and trusted by the most vulnerable. RES is about shared trust. It has reached a diverse range of the community, crossing numerous ag…
Robert is the co-founder and driving force of Linkes community project (2006), serving as chairperson to promote integration, empowerment and social inclusion. In response to the pandemic, he was visionary and determined, quickly building alliances to set-up a foo…
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SCRAN coordinated a coalition of charities that produced, packaged and delivered nearly 150,000 meals during the first lockdown, supporting over 1,000 people per week at its height. None of it possible without the 220 local people who gave tens-of-thousands of ho…
Shawn wants to be a role model for both BAME and disadvantaged communities. He has successfully made an impact in communities across Glasgow by delivering Cyber-crime Prevention Awareness Workshops and also creating a space through a community gardening pr…
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Around 23,000 people will be given new online skills and training to help improve their chances of securing a job or to reduce isolation.
The £26 million Connecting Scotland programme, which helps those on lower incomes and groups like the elderly, will offer online training skills as well as providing people with devices like iPads and Chromebooks, and unlimited data for two years.
This builds upon previous funding aimed at helping more people access the internet, include those who were at high risk from COVID-19, care home residents, disadvantaged families with children and young people leaving care. This latest funding also provides an existing group of 36,000 recipients with another year of unlimited data.
Organisations can apply for phase 3 funding until 5 July.
Finance and Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “We are committed to seizing Scotland’s economic potential, creating secure, sustainable and satisfying jobs and supporting businesses recover from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“With technology playing an increasingly important role in our society, ensuring people can get online and have the right skills and training is even more important to Scotland’s recovery from the pandemic.
“The Scottish Government committed to helping more people get online within our first 100 days plan and that is why we are providing an additional £26 million to help a further 23,000 households experiencing difficulties with online access.
“This investment will help thousands of people get online, making sure they are not further disadvantaged by providing the necessary hardware, data, and skills they need to get connected and get the skills they need to enter the workforce.”
One recipient of the Connecting Scotland Programme was Cath MacInnes from Inverness, a single mother of four children under 12, who received a Chromebook during an earlier round of funding.
Ms MacInnes said: “It has been a huge benefit to our online schooling and lockdown. The device enabled my children to independently work on their google classrooms, which in turn increased their confidence and helped improve their school work.
“There was also a positive effect on their wellbeing in general by being able to connect digitally with friends and family during lockdown.”
Since launching in May 2020 the programme has delivered to over 36,000 households including:
Families with children: 17,289
Isolating and high vulnerability group: 8,061
Young care leavers: 4,120
Older and disabled people: 4,899
Other vulnerabilities: 1,695
Connecting Scotland is delivered in partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and local authorities in collaboration with a broad range of local, public and third sector organisations.
Individuals can be nominated to receive a device by local public or third sector organisations.
There will be two application routes, one aimed at boosting employability and a fast-track process targeting those isolated as a result of the pandemic, particularly single parents, older or disabled people.
Before starting to complete your application form, please take a look at our judging panel’s top tips:
Due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic, the awards ceremony will take place on Friday 1st October 2021.
We’ll be keeping you up-to-date with any further changes and developments over the coming weeks.
Now in its 15th year, the Scottish Charity Awards highlight the best, most innovative and effective charity organisations and individuals from the past year, and celebrate those who make a difference in our communities.
Categories
There are nine award categories – Charity of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Digital Citizens, Pioneering Project, Trustee of the Year, Employee of the Year, Community Action, Climate Conscious and Campaign of the Year – with the winners to be decided by a panel of judges and announced at a glittering awards ceremony on Friday 1st October 2021.
All finalists will then be entered into the running for the People’s Choice Award, giving members of the public a chance to vote for their favourite finalist to win.
The Scottish Government’s Community & Third Sector Recovery Programme funding stream is now open, offering both organisational support and funding to deliver services.
The Community & Third Sector Recovery Programme is a £25m Scottish Government funded programme aiming to support charities, community groups, social enterprises and voluntary organisations that are supporting people and communities through the shift from lockdown to recovery.
The Community & Third Sector Recovery Programme has two strands:
Strand one: Adapt and Thrive
The programme aims to support organisational change. It offers tailored support and funding to develop a plan so third sector organisations can operate sustainably post-COVID.
Strand two: Communities Recovery Fund
The fund aims to support the delivery of services in communities that were suspended or reduced because of COVID, or the creation of new services that tackle new challenges presented by COVID.
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