More cash for Community Jobs Scotland

£1.3m more to support young people into jobs

The Community Jobs Scotland scheme has received an additional £1.3 million from the Scottish Government to help more people with barriers to employment into jobs.

The funding will create 100 additional places that will support 50 early service leavers from the forces and 50 young people with convictions aged 25 to 29 to take up opportunities for up to 12 months.

The age range for vulnerable groups to access the programme will also be extended from 24 to 29.

Community Jobs Scotland is delivered on behalf of the Scottish Government by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and has already received £6.1 million in 2015/16 to help young people into employment with voluntary sector organisations.

Fair Work Secretary Roseanna Cunningham made in the announcement while visiting Glenboig Neighbourhood House as part of Coatbridge cabinet activity. She said: “Community Jobs Scotland has played a significant role in helping thousands of people with barriers to enhance their skills and to progress to education, training or work.

“I am very pleased that this additional funding will allow us to support even more young people, including those with convictions and that are leaving the services early, develop the skills that they need. With youth unemployment levels at the lowest level since 2008 we are already delivering positive results for young people.

“We want to build on that and to continue to focus on those young people who need extra support in finding a job. Likewise, extending the age range for vulnerable groups will ensure that more people are able to benefit from opportunities in the third sector.

“While there are 82,000 fewer Scots unemployed since the peak of the recession in 2010, we must remain focused on helping everyone fulfil their potential in order to drive forward Scotland’s economic growth.”

SCVO Chief Executive Martin Sime said: “Today’s announcement will give young unemployed people, who are furthest away from the labour market, the opportunity to experience paid work and make a real difference to other people’s lives. We’re excited about working with Poppy Scotland to help early service leavers find work and about young people aged 25-29 with convictions or disabilities, care leavers and carers, being eligible to apply for Community Jobs Scotland for the first time.

“Many of these people have already been failed by the Work Programme, so it’s fantastic news that they will get the chance to do their bit in their community, earn a wage and develop new skills.”

Gary Gray, Head of Welfare Services, Poppy Scotland added: “Poppyscotland is delighted to be working in partnership with Community Jobs Scotland. Armed Forces veterans offer employers a unique and extremely valuable skill set, but the transition from the military to civilian workplace can be very challenging. Connecting those who are out of work with opportunities within the voluntary sector is a win-win.

“This Government funding will broaden the employment horizons for many veterans, offering them a much brighter future, and will also provide great value to organisations who play such a crucial role in supporting the disadvantaged and vulnerable in our society.”

Powerful Partnership: Circle Scotland and George Heriots short-listed for national award

Local initiative up for Powerful Partnership Award

An innovative collaboration between West Pilton-based family charity Circle Scotland and senior pupils from George Heriot’s School has been shortlisted in the 2015 Scottish Charity Awards.

Nominated in the Perfect Partnership category, Circle’s Inter School Social Education Project (ISSEP) sees George Heriot’s S6 pupils volunteering every week for a year, providing one-to-one mentoring for a primary aged child in the North Edinburgh community.

The children benefit from the consistency and commitment of a caring and enthusiastic role model; the mentors gain increased social awareness and responsibility.

Circle’s ISSEP is one of 31 terrific finalists spread across six categories – Celebrating Communities, Charity Champion, Charity of the Year, Cracking Campaign, Digital Dynamos and Perfect Partnerships – and faces stiff competition in the People’s Choice public vote.

You can take part in the People’s Choice public vote:

go to www.scvo.org.uk/vote

Voting closes on 8 May.

Winners will be announced at a gala event in Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms on 4 June.

SCVO joins search for the missing million

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has joined forces with the STUC and the Daily Record for the Mission Million campaign to encourage the million people in Scotland currently unregistered to start using their vote.

John Downie, SCVO’s Director of Public Affairs, said: “It’s appalling to think that more than a million eligible people in Scotland aren’t registered to vote or won’t bother to use their vote, with the referendum just weeks away.

“We know that the top 20% of income earners are the most likely to vote, and as many as half of people in the bottom 20% don’t vote. This means it’s the poor, least educated and most vulnerable people who aren’t having their say. These are the people whose lives are most directly affected by political decisions about welfare, health and social care. If they don’t vote, it’s easier for politicians to ignore their needs.

“Politics is becoming all about raising funds and getting elected, no matter how few people actually support our politicians. But the referendum and other decisions about the economy, health and social care are far too important to be left to the politicians.

“Shockingly little is being done to convince people to use their vote but without enough voters we don’t have a healthy democracy. Charities can help but really it’s time for our politicians to do their bit to convince people that voting matters and to earn people’s trust.”

Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary, said: “The independence referendum offers a superb opportunity to reinvigorate politics in Scotland. But it seems that both the tone of the debate and the limited action to promote participation means that far too many people will not have their say in September.

“Both sides of the debate are claiming they will deliver on social justice, so whatever the outcome of the referendum we will need to hold politicians to their promises. It is not too late for one final push to encourage people to register, and to vote on September 18.”

Allan Rennie, Editor in Chief of the Daily Record and Sunday Mail, said: “The decision Scots make in the referendum is one that will resound for generations to come. That is why it is crucial as many people as possible are involved in taking that decision, by getting registered to vote and using their vote on 18 September.

“There is still time get on to the electoral register and have a say – but not that much time.

“That is why we have joined with the SCVO and STUC to campaign for Scotland’s missing million voters to make their voices heard in what is going to be an historic day for Scottish democracy.”

Spartans in the running for national award

One of North Edinburgh’s best known and most respected community organisations has been short-listed for a national award. The Spartans Community Football Academy is one of thirty projects from across the country in the running in this year’s Scottish Charity Awards – and you can vote for your favourite in the People’s Award.

Organised and staged by the Scottish Community and Voluntary Organisation (SCVO), the awards celebrate all that is best in Scotland’s third sector, recognising our country’s most innovative and effective people and organisations

Spartans is one of thirty organisations to have progressed to the final round of the Scottish Charity Awards, and an impressive ‘not so shortlist’ includes major national organisations, community groups, partnership projects and individuals who have channelled their energies into supporting their communities and making Scotland a better place to live.

The Spartans Community Football Academy (above) has become a key part of the fabric of north Edinburgh, offering sport, education and leisure opportunities to thousands of children and young people from North Edinburgh and beyond. Based at Ainslie Park, SCFA is succinctly summed up by Alastair Davis, the chief executive of Social Investment Scotland: “we never fail to be impressed, inspired and overwhelmed by the impact of Spartans. Their quality, dedication and passion sets them apart”. SCFA has been nominated in the Sporting Chance category.

Joining Spartans on the shortlist is another great local project, Leith-based The Junction (below). The Junction youth group and Port of Leith Housing Association got together to create purpose-built – and very popular – new premises for young people aged 12-21, offering counselling, health advice and support to young people.

For a full list of nominees and to vote for your favourite project in The People’s Award visit www.scvo.org.uk/charity-awards

Twitter user? It’s #ScotCharityAwards

The glittering awards ceremony, hosted by Kaye Adams, takes place at Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms on 5 June. Good luck to all the candidates – but really, you’re all winners already.

Third sector braced for ‘criminal’ welfare reform challenge

Charities and voluntary organisations have launched a scathing attack on the Westminster government’s welfare reforms. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) says proposed cuts to benefits through the introduction of the new Universal Credit are ‘criminal’.

Research figures released by SCVO show that three-quarters of welfare charities expect demand for their services to increase in the next year as benefit cuts start to bite, while facing further funding cuts themselves.

Martin Sime, Chief Executive of SCVO, said ‘ill-conceived’ cuts are coming at a time when the country is struggling to emerge from the deepest recession for generations, and that charities and voluntary projects are concerned about meeting an anticipated record high demand for services.

“It’s clear from this research that Westminster’s criminal cuts to welfare are putting so much pressure on charities’ services that some will struggle to keep up with demand from people and families in Scotland,” he said. “The sector is pulling together to pick up the pieces and help to mitigate the terrible effects of these ill-conceived Westminster cuts which should never have happened in the first place.”

The government is cutting £10bn from the welfare budget to make benefits fairer and more able to tackle poverty. Six different benefits will become just one – the Universal Credit – with changes coming into force from next year, and up to nineteen million people will be affected by the controversial reforms.

The Westminster government determines welfare payments, and insists that the reforms are necessary and fair. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan-Smith (pictured below) said: “The introduction of the Universal Credit is not about cuts. This is about taking a very complex system and making it simpler, easier and fairer. Yes, it is an enormous change but it rewards and supports those people who make decision to go back to work. Really caring about people is about saying: ‘look, I want to change your life with you’ – we offer positive incentives to help people to do that.”

The Scottish government has no control over welfare payments and says that the Westminster reforms are both ill-considered and are being implemented with undue haste, leaving local councils and the voluntary sector to deal with the consequences. Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon admitted there is only so much Holyrood can do, and said: “The Scottish government will do all it can to mitigate the impact of these cuts and changes, although there are consequences that are currently out with the capability of the Scottish government’s powers.”

First Minister Alex Salmond said that only independence can give Scotland the powers it needs to develop a welfare system that allows work to pay ‘without reducing people to penury or despair.’ He told a Third Sector conference: ““We need the powers of an independent country if we are to properly protect the foundations of the welfare state in Scotland. In our own hands, it would surely not be beyond our collective abilities to manage to make work pay without reducing people to penury or despair. We do not want independence for its own sake – independence is a means to greater ends, and this is a prime example of that. We want Scotland to be independent because we know that only then can we build a society that reflects our shared values. An independent Scotland can and will be a fairer Scotland.”

There is no public sympathy for those who can work but choose not to, but campaigners fear that benefit changes will hit the worst-off hardest – the poorest families will suffer most.

Alison Garnham, Chief Executive of Child Poverty Action Group, said: “It’s not problem families, but families faced with the problem of low pay and shrinking government help for families. It’s some of the hardest working families that have been first in the queue for cuts – they’ve had their tax credits cut, their Child Benefit frozen year after year and many will have had essential help for childcare costs slashed.

“Six out of ten poor children come from working families. These are some of the hardest working people in the country, working the longest hours, for the lowest pay, in the worst conditions and with the highest aspirations for themselves and their children.

“A child in poverty is much more likely to be in poverty because they have a parent who is a security guard or a cleaner than one who is a drug addict or ‘feckless’. There is no evidence that people don’t want to take jobs but plenty that shows that people are hurling themselves at the labour market – the problem is that they don’t stick, not that they don’t try.”

Granton Information Centre is one of the voluntary organisations already seeing the impact of the welfare reforms. The advice centre based on West Granton Road dealt with over 5000 benefit enquiries last year, but staff have already seen a 50% rise in demand during the first six months of this year due to benefit changes that have already taken place.

GIC manager Caroline Pickering said: “Over the last couple of months we have been making presentations to other agencies, groups and health professionals to prepare them for the changes and many have been shocked by the scale of what is being proposed, and the effect it is likely to have on both their clients and patients and the services they currently provide. We are already seeing an upsurge in client numbers and there’s absolutely no doubt that this number will at least double next year as the effect of the changes are felt. At least we know the changes are coming – but we know that there are still a lot of people out there who are not aware of some major changes to their benefit entitlement. As an organisation we are as prepared as we can be, but resources are very tight. We will be facing a huge challenge.”

Funding For Community Groups

The Scottish Community Foundation is searching for groups who want their voices heard by decision makers. The body is looking for motivated community members to explore a local issue, and can make available £5000 in Big Lottery funding per group.

Grant director Nick Addington said: “You may want to help your community have its say on how local assets and resources are used, or how services are delivered.”

To find out more visit www.scottishcf.org/ocof by June 6