Just one month left to apply to new entrepreneurial support scheme

As the close date nears for applications for a new entrepreneurial support scheme, Edinburgh MSP Gordon Macdonald is pushing the call to all ambitious talented entrepreneurs looking to start up a business in Scotland to apply to the new programme. Continue reading Just one month left to apply to new entrepreneurial support scheme

Co-op customers in Edinburgh help save Scotland’s animals

The Scottish SPCA is overwhelmed by the generosity of Co-op members from Edinburgh – Scotland’s animal welfare charity was delighted to receive a donation of £1,035.18 to help rescue more abused, abandoned and injured animals in Edinburgh in 2018. Continue reading Co-op customers in Edinburgh help save Scotland’s animals

Local projects share Big Lottery success

The New Year will bring more opportunities for Scots to learn and share new skills, thanks to £6,221,069 million of National Lottery good cause cash announced today. Among the big winners are Leith-based Saheliya, who receive over £700,000. Continue reading Local projects share Big Lottery success

Ben Macpherson welcomes campaigning schoolboy to Holyrood

Joseph goes to Holyrood to collect Socks for the Streets
SNP MSP Ben Macpherson welcomed campaigning schoolboy Joseph Cox to Parliament earlier this week to pass on MSP donations to the youngster’s collection of socks and underwear for homeless people in Edinburgh.

Continue reading Ben Macpherson welcomes campaigning schoolboy to Holyrood

Letters: Marie Curie support at Christmas

Dear Editor

Christmas is a precious time for many families, but even more so for many of your readers who may be cherishing every moment they get to spend with a beloved family member living with a terminal illness.

Marie Curie will be supporting nearly 800 people living with a terminal illness in Scotland over Christmas. Across the UK, more than one million people are expected to be supporting a loved one, while facing the possibility that this could be their last together.

Caring for someone at home can be a very rewarding but also an isolating experience. For some, it will be the first Christmas without their mum, dad, husband, wife or partner, which can also be a very difficult time.

People often say that they don’t know where to turn to and don’t know what help is available to them, which is why I am writing to tell you about our free, confidential Support Line

0800 090 2309

which offers practical information and emotional support about any aspect of terminal illness, as well as offering bereavement support too.

To help everyone who may need us during the festive period, our Support Line will be open from Sunday 24 December – Tuesday 2 January.

Support Line open hours:

24 December (10am-4pm)

25-26 December (10am-2pm)

27-29 December (8am-6pm)

30 December (11am-5pm)

31 December (10am -4pm)

1 January (10am-2pm)

2 January (8am-6pm).

Additionally, our trained Support Line Officers are also on hand to offer support via our online chat service at mariecurie.org.uk/support.

With best wishes,

Eamon O’Kane,

Marie Curie Divisional General Manager Caring Services

Marie Curie Hospice, Glasgow. Balornock Road, Glasgow G21 3US

 

Hurricane Irma: UK aid reaching stricken communities

UK continues to urgently deliver vital aid to the victims of Hurricane Irma

Shelter kits provided by UK aid are being distributed in Anguilla to help those left homeless by Hurricane Irma. The kits, transported by Britain’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Mounts Bay, are being delivered to people in need by the Anguillan Red Cross. Continue reading Hurricane Irma: UK aid reaching stricken communities

Scotland sends support to South Asia

The Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund is distributing £300,000 to help support people left homeless following floods that ravaged South Asia. Severe monsoon rains have affected 40 million people in Bangladesh, India and Nepal. More than 1,200 people are known to have died. Continue reading Scotland sends support to South Asia

£2.5 million to improve employment support

Projects that are improving employment support by linking with health and social care, justice and housing services are to receive a share of a £2.5 million fund. Thirteen projects operating across 15 local authorities will receive funding through the Employability Innovation and Integration Fund to help people access employment and training.
Funding will go to a mixture of projects including an approach in Fife which will increase employment outcomes for people suffering mental ill-health and an approach in North Lanarkshire to join up services for homeless residents who have recognised health, social care and housing support needs.

Minister for Employability and Training Jamie Hepburn said: “People affected by homelessness, who have criminal convictions or suffer from mental ill-health face significant barriers to finding work, and it can be challenging to balance the search for a job with the need to access other important services.

“These 13 new projects will join together employability and skills support with health and social care, housing, and justice services which will improve the quality of localised support available for people across the country.

“The work of these projects ties in with the fairer approach we are taking to deliver our newly devolved employment services, where we have removed the threat of sanctions and are providing support that is more flexible, tailored and responsive to people’s needs.”

Mr Hepburn announced the investment in Dundee. Funding of around £275,000 will go to a Tayside regional project to integrate employability and skills with housing, healthy living and community justice across Dundee, Perth and Kinross and Angus.

John Alexander leader of Dundee City Council said: “I am delighted that our joint bid to support people across the Angus, Dundee and Perth and Kinross area has been successful.

“We know that not having a job is only part of the challenge facing some people and this money will allow us to help them to overcome other issues around getting into employment including health, debt and housing.

“Specialist staff will be on hand to give support and advice as part of a 13-week programme, backed by the councils in Angus, Dundee and Perth and Kinross, while people are also learning new skills in applying for jobs, such as digital applications and improved interview techniques.”

Edinburgh’s initiative is the Joined Up for Jobs Integration Project, which will be operated by the city council’s arms-length employability organisation Capital City Partnership.

The project aims to ‘integrate the work of health and social care, housing and criminal justice by having a one year localities integration team to co-ordinate all activity working with a social care team, targeting social housing residents to engage with employability services, and implementing framework around Community in Motion pilot which aims to address the problems of low persistent re-offending’.