Tag: support

National Mentoring Day: UK SMES to get 1-2-1 mentoring from Liz Earle MBE and Levi Roots

Small businesses can win a mentoring session with the Dragons Den star and Wellbeing Entrepreneur

Caribbean cuisine entrepreneur Levi Roots and beauty and wellness megabrand founder Liz Earle are leading a new campaign to encourage UK small businesses to unlock the benefits of digital skills training to help drive their post-pandemic growth and prosperity.

The ‘Get mentored, Get growing’ campaign highlights a partnership between BT and Google, that offers free one-to-one mentoring sessions for UK small businesses and charities covering a range of topics including digital marketing, e-commerce and business strategy.

This comes as BT research* shows almost half of all UK small firms (49 per cent) said they worried their business wouldn’t survive without external support. Meanwhile, 64 per cent said they’d be more likely to adopt new technologies if the IT and telecoms industry provided training. 

As an extension of their mentoring programme, BT and Google are offering small businesses the opportunity to win a one-to-one mentoring session with Levi and Liz, where they can learn from their experiences of building and scaling a brand as well as adapting to a digital-first world.

To enter small businesses must enter at Sign Up: 1-to-1 Mentoring with BT and Google and the must meet the following criteria:

  • 18 and over 
  • UK based small business, we can ask for proof of a registered UK business address if required.
  • Small business with under 50 employees
  • They must be available on 15th November, Tuesday 16th at 10:00AM, Thursday 18th at 10:00AM, 19th November (11:00AM onwards)
  • They must want to be mentored on one or more the following topics: 
    • Building your brand
    • Building an online community
    • Time management  
    • Team collaboration 

All entrants are subject to the terms and conditions.**

Ronan Harris, Google’s UK MD, said: ”We’re proud to partner with BT and the participating business leaders on this inspirational program.

“Equipping small businesses with the digital tools needed to grow and succeed, is not only integral to future proofing the UK business landscape but it’s the next step in the UK’s journey to economic recovery. We’re committed to making sure shared knowledge and digital skills are as accessible as possible and make a lasting impact for the entrepreneurs of the future.”

Chris Sims, BT’s MD for its SoHo (Single/Small Office, Home Office) unit, said: “Our partnership with Google comes from a shared vision and commitment to help small businesses harness digital as a driver of growth and prosperity.

“Through our free mentoring programme and digital skills training, we’re aiming to equip small firms with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in a digital world. BT initiatives, including one-to-one mentorships, have already boosted the digital literacy of almost 300,000 small business employees to date and our partnership with Google is helping us significantly extend our reach and impact within the small business community.” 

Following his success on BBC’s Dragons Den, Levi Roots is proof-positive of the power of business mentoring, which helped transform his kitchen table start-up into a £45M business. 

Similarly, Liz Earle is one of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs.  From a career starting as a health and beauty writer, she co-founded her eponymous beauty brand with her best friend, which was sold for a multi-million sum before returning to the wellness category with her own website, magazine, podcast series and YouTube channel and earning an MBE for services to the beauty industry.

Both Levi and Liz are passionate about supporting the entrepreneur community.

Commenting on his involvement in the BT and Google campaign, Levi Roots said; “Running your own business can sometimes be overwhelming and lonely, so I know from my own Dragons Den experience how game-changing it was, both professionally and personally, to work with someone who could understand and appreciate my challenges and ambitions, and give me personalised, meaningful and actionable advice, as well as practical tools and training to help me build and grow my business. 

“I’m really delighted to get the chance to pay it forward and share my journey and insights with today’s small business community and help them unlock the power of digital to accelerate their growth.” 

Liz Earle added; “When my beauty brand was  launched more than twenty years ago, our mail order business was based around paper forms and payments by cheque. Today everything moves at a completely different pace.

“You have to act like a publisher on your social media channels and be super responsive to customers who want a real-time answer, not a letter in the post! With my later publishing brand, we had to learn a mass of digital skills super-fast and I encourage small businesses to grab all the available resources and training they can to help successfully navigate their way in the online world.”

Both BT and Google are jointly committed to helping small businesses across the UK get better positioned for growth by addressing the digital skills shortage.

Since the launch of BT Skills for Tomorrow in 2019, BT has delivered free digital skills training to almost 300,000 UK small business owners and their employees, supported by webinars from Google Digital Garage, putting Google on course to achieve its target of enabling one million small British businesses remain open by helping them be found online.

On top of this, Google has exceeded its target of helping train 100,000 UK SMBs. In total, over 700,000 business owners have been trained through the Google Digital Garage programme. 

Small business case study comments:

Khamisi McKenzie, who co-founded South London soul food business Drums & Flats with his best friend Daniel Opoku-Baah, is one of the thousands of small business founders and employees who’ve already benefited from BT and Google’s digital skills support and training scheme.

Commenting on the experience, he said; “Lockdown forced us to take a step back and re-evaluate our business and we recognised that while our energy and effort went into perfecting our recipes and brand identity, we needed to get seen by more people.

“Thanks to the digital marketing mentoring sessions, we improved how we show up on Google and boosted our efforts in social media. We’ve definitely seen an increase in followers and better engagement rates, and it’s helped build our profile which resulted in us taking over the menu at The Smugglers Tavern in Central London.” 

Laurelle Darroux, founder of Sleepgoddess, a one-stop shop for vegan, ethical British-made beauty sleep products, launched her business in the middle of the pandemic in 2020 and BT and Google’s digital skills training was a key enabler in getting up and running and rapidly expanding her customer base.

“Feeling lost and dejected when I was made redundant, I was inspired by my own struggles with sleep to start a business that would help people wake up feeling their best. While finding suppliers to create the prototypes for my satin pillowcases and beauty products, I started an Instagram page and built an email marketing list even before I officially launched!

“I watched on-demand digital skills webinars from Google and BT after I had put my children to bed and had one-to-one mentoring sessions to look at ways to optimise my website and social media, as well as build a digital marketing strategy. 

“Since then, business has exploded, with customers as far away as New Zealand, and a really loyal and supportive following on social media. I love the relationships and connections I have with the community I’ve built!”

Amazon boost for women’s charity

A Glasgow charity that supports vulnerable young women has received a £2,000 donation from Amazon Development Centre Scotland in Edinburgh.

SAY Women offers safe, semi-supported accommodation and emotional support for young women aged 16 to 25 who are survivors of sexual abuse, rape or sexual assault. The charity also supports women who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. 

The charity allocates tenants a key worker who provides practical and emotional support through a care plan system. This donation will go towards a winter package for young women with some fuel and food vouchers.

Amazon previously supported the charity with a donation earlier this year. 

Graeme Smith, Managing Director at Amazon Development Centre Scotland, said: “SAY Women is a great charity offering vital services in to the Glasgow community.

“The staff and volunteers go that extra mile to ensure the safety of young women and we hope this donation will help the charity continue its services.”

Pam Hunter, CEO at SAY Women, said: “I would like to thank Graeme and the team for their continued support this year.

“It’s been a particularly difficult time for vulnerable women, so our services are needed more than ever. Thank you, Amazon.” 

Kaukab Stewart, Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Kelvin, added: “I welcome this donation to SAY Women. As winter will be soon upon us, Amazon’s efforts will make a significant contribution to lifeline services for sexually-abused young women facing homelessness.

“I urge other corporations to join Amazon in supporting SAY Women.”

Amazon Development Centre Scotland has been based in Edinburgh since 2004 and is responsible for devising and growing innovations that bring new levels of choice and convenience to hundreds of millions of customers around the world. 

It houses teams of leading engineers, scientists, designers and product managers who work on everything from interactive user interface design to large-scale distributed systems and machine learning. 

Community donations are one of a number of ways in which Amazon is supporting communities across the UK during COVID-19. 

Throughout the pandemic Amazon has provided disadvantaged students with free online STEM resources and supported virtual classrooms with no-cost resources from AWS and Amazon Future Engineer.

The company has also teamed up with charity partner Magic Breakfast to deliver more than four million healthy breakfasts to children at risk of hunger in disadvantaged areas around the UK.

For more information on how Amazon is supporting the UK during COVID-19, click: https://blog.aboutamazon.co.uk/amazons-actions-to-help-employees-communities-and-customers-affected-by-covid-19. 

Nigerian hospital reports surge in child ops thanks to KidsOR charity

A hospital Operating Room for children in the capital of Nigeria, which was newly installed in August 2019 thanks to a Scottish-based charity, has managed to increase the number of paediatric operations carried out by more than two-thirds in just a year.

From July 2018 to July the following year, 229 operations on children at the National Hospital in Abuja were carried out. Then, thanks to Kids Operating Room, a new Operating Room was installed in August 2019. This new Operating Room has enabled the surgical team in Abuja to undertake 381 operations from September 2019 to September last year – a staggering rise of more than 66 per cent.

Commenting on the difference that the new Operating Room has made, Dr Olubunmi Majekodunmi, the hospital’s Chief Paediatric Surgeon, said: “Having a KidsOR Operating Room has made surgeries far more effective. We have paediatric-sized instruments and do not have to struggle with larger ones meant for adult surgeries.

“As for the children, they move into an Operating Room filled with beautiful wallpapers and exciting toys and are so engaged that they do not even realise when they are put under anaesthesia. But, most importantly, our backlog of patients which used to involve a waiting list of a year or sometimes more, has been cleared.

“The relief on the faces of parents when they realise that their kids can have surgeries within a few days – enough time for pre-operative preparation – is priceless. Thank you KidsOR for such a tremendous gift!”

Rosemary Mugwe, Africa Director at KidsOR, said: “The Surgical Team at National Hospital were carrying out fantastic work before KidsOR came on board; however, they lacked specialist paediatric equipment to provide safe, quality surgery.

“We were happy to provide the tools – metaphorically and literally – to give them even greater capacity to help the children of Abuja. And we are delighted to learn of the large increase in the number of operations being carried out meaning that children do not have to wait for life saving or life changing surgery.”

The charity’s research also revealed that the percentage of wound infections decreased from 1.3 per cent to 0.29 per cent during the year after the new Operating Room was installed. This figure represents the percentage of surgical cases in which the patient developed a surgical infection and is another quality of surgery measure.

KidsOR is a Scottish global health charity with bases in Edinburgh, Dundee and Nairobi with an ambition to provide all children around the world with access to safe surgery.

The charity also funds training of surgeons and anaesthesia providers and works with National Ministries of Health to develop sustainable healthcare services.

Hearts back charity call to UK Goverment for £50 million

Heart of Midlothian FC is showing its support for 21/22 front of shirt partner, MND Scotland, by joining a call to the UK Government to invest £50 million into motor neurone disease (MND) research.

The Club proudly launched its new home kit for the 2021/22 season in July, with charity MND Scotland taking pride of place on the front of the jersey, thanks to an innovative two-year sponsorship deal with Dell Technologies.

Over the past year, the Club and its supporters have undertaken several fundraising activities as a tribute to former captain, Marius Zaliukas, who tragically lost his fight to MND in 2020.

Now, the Heart of Midlothian players are standing with MND Scotland, to urge the UK Government to invest£50 million over five years into targeted MND research.

The United to End MND campaign is being led by a coalition which includes MND Scotland, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, the MND Association, people living with MND, and neurologists from across the UK.

Currently the UK Government’s funding for targeted MND research stands at less than £5 million a year, which the coalition says is not enough. £50 million from the UK Government over five years would fund a virtual institute for MND Research, providing the infrastructure needed for accelerating treatments for MND.

Just last month the coalition delivered a personal letter from people living with MND to 10 Downing Street, which stated ‘MND is a death sentence’ but that ‘research has now reached a point where a cure or life-saving treatments can be found’.

It continued ‘The current piecemeal and protracted approach of funding individual projects will not deliver the life-saving treatments we need…we urgently appeal for action and investment now’.

Andrew McKinlay Heart of Midlothian Chief Executive, said: “We know all too well at Heart of Midlothian the devastating impact MND has, having lost one of our own, Marius Zaliukas.

“If there was a cure, or effective treatments, Marius could still be with us. That’s why we are here today to support this call to the UK Government, for more targeted investment into MND research. 

“The work MND Scotland does to support families living with this frightening disease is hugely important, as is their drive to find a cure for future generations. We are united with them to help end MND.”

Rachel Maitland, MND Scotland’s Chief Executive, said : “The support United to End MND has received from people in the community, politicians, clinicians, researchers and partners has been incredible to date, and we thank Heart of Midlothian for joining with us too.

“Too many lives like Marius’ have already been lost to MND, and people living with the disease today do not have time to wait for a cure. MND isn’t incurable, it’s just under-funded. Together, we will beat MND, but we cannot do it without the UK Government’s support.”

A bid for investment has been submitted to the UK Government’s Spending Review, and the call has already been debated in the UK Parliament after a petition to garner public support gathered more than 100,000 signatures in just three weeks.

Members of the coalition have also met with key politicians to explain the desperate need for the cash, to shore up the investment made by charities and industry.

To find out more about the campaign visit www.mndscotland.org.uk/united or tweet your support @MNDScotland @MNDAssoc and @MNDoddie5 using #United2EndMND.

Live Music Now announce world premiere at Holy Cross Church in Davidsons Mains this Sunday

  • Live Music Now Scotland (LMNS) bring Live performance to Edinburgh with world premiere of ‘What’s for you…’ by composer Jennifer Martin
  • The piece will be performed by clarinettist Calum Robertson and pianist Juliette Philogene who will also perform the second LMNS piece commissioned from Jennifer, ‘Bi-Cycle’
  • The concert will take place at 3pm on Sunday 24 October at Holy Cross Church, Davidson’s Mains

Live Music Now Scotland (LMNS) is delighted to announce its next public, live and in person performance this coming Sunday (24 October).

Taking place at Holy Cross Church in Davidsons Mains, this one-off concert will feature a world premiere of a new piece for clarinet and piano by Jennifer Martin, performed by and commissioned for clarinettist Calum Robertson and pianist Juliette Philogene.

Entitled ‘What’s for you…’ the piece is one of two commissioned by Live Music Now Scotland and written by Jennifer Martin, who recently published a book Creative Composition for the Classroom co-written with composer Sir James MacMillan.

‘What’s for you…’ is a reflective piece that was inspired by the hopes, joys and fears that must come with motherhood; joyous, irregular, humorous, difficult, but always looking on the bright side.

Jennifer Martin, author of Creative Composition for the Classroom and Chief Executive of the Cumnock Tryst, said: “It is a huge honour to have been asked to create two bespoke pieces for Live Music Now Scotland, an organization whose work is so vitally important when it comes to getting live music to those who may not otherwise get a chance to hear it, and in the career development of musicians. 

“Both ‘Bi-Cycle’ and ‘What’s for you…’ examine the relationship between mother and daughter in a myriad of ways, and I can’t wait to hear them in the beautiful surroundings of Holy Cross Church, performed by the brilliantly talented Calum and Juliette.”

The concert is free of charge although booking is required, and the concert will also feature Nocturne by Ronald Stevenson and Three dances by Germaine Tailleferre.

The location of this exciting performance is no coincidence. Throughout lockdown Holy Cross Church was incredibly supportive of LMNS, engaging artists to sing and play as part of worship when live performances were not allowed elsewhere.

Not only that, but the costs were also covered by the congregation, meaning a live world premiere seemed like a fitting tribute. The concert will slot into a new series of afternoon events in the church.

Carol Main MBE, Director at Live Music Now Scotland, said: “We are so excited to see a public LMNS performance, and a world premiere no less, return to the wonderful surrounds of Holy Cross Church in Edinburgh. Not only is a beautiful space, but one we feel a deep affinity with after the support they have shown our musicians throughout the pandemic.

“We also feel incredibly lucky to be able to hear these two pieces, commissioned especially for our musicians by the amazingly talented Jennifer Martin and performed by the equally talented Calum and Juliette, surrounded by a live audience.”

The two LMNS commissions were made possible by funding from Gavin McEwan.

Tickets for the performance can be purchased at scotland@livemusicnow.org

Olympic medallist Neah Evans urges Scots to move for meals

Team GB silver medal winner Neah Evans is encouraging people to get active to help feed hungry children in school. Please find out more below.

After her whirlwind rise to becoming a British Olympic cycling medallist, Neah Evans has taken time out to encourage people across Scotland to get moving in support of Mary’s Meals.

Neah, who won a silver medal at the Olympics in Tokyo as part of the women’s team pursuit squad, is encouraging locals to take part in the charity’s Move For Meals challenge.

She says: “Move For Meals encourages physical activity while helping Mary’s Meals to feed hungry children in some of the world’s poorest countries.

“It doesn’t matter how you move – you can choose any activity, from cycling to dancing. So, everyone can take part!”

Mary’s Meals recently announced that it is reaching more than two million hungry children in 19 countries with a nutritious daily meal. The promise of food attracts impoverished children to the classroom, where they can gain an education that will one day be their ladder out of poverty.

Gillian McMahon, director of supporter engagement at Mary’s Meals, says: “Many of us were inspired to get moving by athletes like Neah during the Tokyo Olympics.

“Now, people can turn their moves into meals by setting themselves an active challenge to raise funds to help reach the next million children waiting for Mary’s Meals.”

It costs just £15.90 for Mary’s Meals to feed a child at school for a whole year, with 93p from every £1 going directly to the charity’s feeding programmes.

By taking part in Move For Meals, fundraisers are helping to transform the lives of children like eight-year-old Joseph, who attends Tanambao Primary School in Madagascar.

Joseph, whose favourite subject is science, says: “The first time I heard that we will start to eat at school, I was not able to imagine how it can be possible to feed all the children every lunch time, every day, but now it is happening, it’s amazing! I hope that this school feeding programme will continue forever!”

To find out more about organising your own Move For Meals fundraiser, visit marysmeals.org.uk/move

Movement for Good awards: Scottish charities win £10,000 each

Four Scottish charities scoop share of £300,000

Four charities based in Scotland have shared a £40,000 windfall as part of Ecclesiastical Insurance Group’s annual Movement for Good awards.

Cutting Edge Theatre Ltd, Peebles CAN, Towards Transition Stirling SCIO and Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland are four of 30 charities chosen by a panel of judges that will benefit from the money. 

The fund will allow Cutting Edge Theatre Ltd, which aims to make a difference to those who are marginalised by using creativity, to kick-start its new project, Inspire Young Company – an initiative which will increase the confidence, self-esteem and communication of young people with a learning disability through theatre training and performance. 

Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland will be using the donation to identify victims of human trafficking, to ensure they are recovered safely and enable them to get the specialist support they need.

Each of the £10,000 awards are designed to help charities make a real difference in their communities. Applications were assessed against four key areas; impact and effectiveness, sustainability, innovation, and care and compassion.

Mark Hews, Group CEO of Ecclesiastical, said: “At Ecclesiastical we believe business should be a force for good. Charitable causes need sustained support and a sense of financial stability.

“Through the second phase of our Movement for Good awards we are actively championing innovation, giving charities the backing they need to propel their plans forward and turn creative ideas into practical solutions that benefit society.

“We know that £10,000 can make a huge difference to the incredible work that charities do and we’re looking forward to seeing how this financial boost will change lives for the better.”

“Ecclesiastical, the fourth largest corporate donor in the UK, is a unique financial services group. We are owned by a charity which means all available profits can be given to the good causes that are so important to our customers. As a company whose purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society, charitable giving is at the heart of our business.”

Suzanne Lofthus, Artistic Director at Cutting Edge Theatre Ltd, said: “We believe that every person has potential and we work with those who often feel more marginalised to realise this.

“Nothing gives us greater pleasure than seeing someone discover their talents and abilities. Winning this donation will make a huge difference to the lives of 20 young learning disabled artists, giving them a taste of working professionally in the performing arts. It will open up opportunities for them to be artists in their own right, bringing a much needed and desired diversity to our industry.”

Elyse Kirkham, Senior Philanthropy Officer at Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland, said: “At Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland we work tirelessly to ensure the identification, safe recovery and long-term wellbeing of survivors of human trafficking in Scotland.

“We support survivors to rebuild their lives, minimising their risk of re-trafficking, strengthening their independence skills and ability to integrate into the community. We couldn’t do what we do without the support of funders like Ecclesiastical and their Movement for Good awards. Together we can make a difference!”

For the third year running, the awards, set up by specialist insurer Ecclesiastical, will see a total of £1million go to charities across the UK.

An amazing 210,000 people around the UK supported the Movement for Good awards during its first phase earlier this year, with over 13,000 charitable causes up and down the country receiving votes. The 500 winning charities were picked at random from those nominated and were awarded £1,000 each.

Phase two saw over 1,000 project submissions for the £10,000 awards. Following a review of all the applications, a panel of judges made their final selection of the 30 winning projects. The remaining money will be awarded at a later date.

For further information on the Movement for Good awards please visit: www.ecclesiastical.com/movement-for-good 

  1. Full list of 30 winning charities:

NEPACS http://www.nepacs.co.uk/

Sharks Community Trust https://www.salesharks.com/community/

Gloucester Rugby Foundation https://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/foundation

Cutting Edge Theatre Ltd http://cuttingedgetheatre.co.uk/

Woodhorn Charitable Trust https://museumsnorthumberland.org.uk/

The Foundling Museum https://foundlingmuseum.org.uk/

Sittingbourne Heritage Museum https://www.sittingbourne-museum.co.uk/

The Cardiff Institute for the Blind https://sightlife.wales/

Aids Care Education and Training https://www.acet-uk.com/

Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership Limited https://kidsown.ie/

FarmAbility https://farmability.org.uk/

Abby’s Heroes https://www.abbysheroes.org/

Children with Cancer Fund (Polegate) https://www.childrenwithcancerfund.org.uk/

Chums Charity https://chumscharity.org/

Phenalgin’s Friends http://www.penhaligonsfriends.org.uk/

Seal CofE Primary School https://www.sealcommunityschoolfarm.co.uk/

Peebles CAN https://www.peeblescan.org/

Link Visiting Scheme https://www.linkvisiting.org/

Dorset Mind https://dorsetmind.uk/

NE Youth https://neyouth.org.uk/

First Light South West Ltd http://www.firstlight.org.uk/

Humans MCR https://humansmcr.org/

Towards Transition Stirling SCIO https://www.transitionstirling.org.uk/

Common Ground CLG https://www.commonground.ie/

Sheffield Wildlife Trust https://www.wildsheffield.com/

Bethnal Green Nature Reserve Trust https://phytology.org.uk/

Transition Network https://transitionnetwork.org/

The Maggie Oliver Foundation https://www.themaggieoliverfoundation.com/

Hillingdon Women’s Centre https://hillingdonwomenscentre.org/

Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland https://sohtis.org/

Improving response for people at risk of suicide

Suicidal Crisis Support Action Group will drive implementation of the Time, Space and Compassion approach

A new group will be set up to make sure that everyone at risk of suicide can access the right support when then need it, following recommendations made by the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG).

The Suicidal Crisis Support Action Group will drive implementation of the Time, Space and Compassion approach, a new way to improve help for people who are suicidal.

Nigel Henderson, former Chief Executive of Penumbra and member of the NSPLG, has been appointed as National Lead for Suicidal Crisis Support to lead this work.

Wellbeing Minister Kevin Stewart (above) said: “I welcome the report from the NSPLG and the recommendations it makes on improving responses to people in suicidal crisis. We will consider the recommendations in full.

“To deliver the scale of change set out in their recommendations, a dedicated Suicidal Crisis Support Action Group will be established to take forward and oversee the implementation of this work. 

“The appointment of Nigel recognises his career in developing compassionate support for vulnerable people, including those at risk of suicide.  The group will be accountable to ministers and continue to work in close partnership with NSPLG.

“We know there are some excellent examples of suicidal crisis support services across Scotland already, and we have an opportunity to learn from those to make sure this type of support is available right across Scotland.

“Every day, people in our communities, and those working in statutory and third sector services, are responding compassionately to people in crisis.  However, there is more we can do. This report offers a real opportunity to transform how we engage and support our most vulnerable people at times of suicidal crisis.”

Nigel Henderson said: “I am very pleased to have been asked to lead on implementing this work.

“Having been a member of the NSPLG and directly involved in this work,  I believe that developing the Time, Space, Compassion approach has the potential to make a positive difference to how we respond to people experiencing suicidal crisis.

“There is much to do, and I look forward to working with people, communities and organisations to take forward the recommendations.”

Scotland’s National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG) has welcomed the Scottish Government’s acceptance of recommendations for improvements to the response provided to people in suicidal crisis.

Established by the Scottish Government, the NSPLG brings together people with lived experience of suicide alongside academic, third sector, and statutory partners to support the delivery of Scotland’s Suicide Prevention Action Plan: Every Life Matters.

These key NSPLG recommendations have been accepted in full by the Scottish Government and will be published on their website today (Wednesday 13 October ).

The NSPLG report uses evidence on the effectiveness of differing models of crisis support to make recommendations to service providers and share best practice.

It deliberately does not recommend a particular model of crisis support. Instead, it sets out an approach which sees suicidal crisis response as a human reaction, not a service model, and sets out the principles of Time, Space and Compassion as the basis of improvement in support for those in crisis.

The recommended approach is at the core of the NSPLG’s vision in supporting delivery of Every Life Matters, ensuring the right support is available for people when they are actively contemplating suicide at a time of crisis.

Time allows a person to discuss their feelings, and Space recognises the need to provide an accessible, quiet, comfortable, pleasant place for a person to talk and/or a virtual space to access support by phone, text or online.

In addition, research shows that Compassion in response to a person in crisis encourages them to disclose details which, in turn, can lead to more effective support being offered and lay the foundations for self-compassion, reducing the need for support from frontline services in the future.

Embedding the principles of Time, Space and Compassion into responses to suicidal crisis in Scotland will require concerted action across national and local government, and services across sectors, communities and citizens.

NSPLG chair Rose Fitzpatrick CBE QPM, said: “We believe that this approach, rooted in Time, Space and Compassion, can be implemented across all sectors and communities, transforming the experiences of those in crisis and at immediate risk of suicide.

“It is important to highlight that this report is not critical of existing crisis support. Based on the experiences of those who have been in suicidal crisis and those around them, it recommends a radically different cultural landscape, and requires a different sort of resourcing to enable this approach to be implemented consistently.

“People with lived experience of the impacts of suicide and those providing services tell us these recommendations have the potential to improve the experiences of those who seek help at a time of suicidal crisis, and ultimately to save lives.”

Member of NSPLG Lived Experience Panel, Shumela Ahmed (39) from Bridge of Allan near Stirling, is the managing director at Resilience Learning Partnership. She has family and friends who have experienced poor mental health and made suicide attempts.

Shumela has also experienced suicidal thoughts herself.

She said: “I believe Time, Space and Compassion is the right approach because it’s trauma informed and it understands that it takes time to build up trust and connect with a person when they are in a suicidal crisis.

“Every interaction is an opportunity for intervention. When a person is at risk of suicide they need a compassionate response from someone who will spend time with them and offer a safe space for them to talk.

“A really kind, compassionate, empathetic human conversation is often what is actually needed rather than following some big, important framework.

“I look forward to these recommendations being implemented in workforces so that staff have the tools and the resources to take this approach.”

The NSPLG recommendations are intended to be a starting point for work in this area and they focus, in the first instance, on the practical support and evidence required to make this culture shift collaboratively, and on ensuring the availability of existing crisis services as we emerge from the pandemic.

Biffa joins with Simon Community to help fight homelessness

Leading sustainable waste management company Biffa is launching a partnership with Simon  Community Scotland (SCS) to tackle homelessness in the country.

SCS is a Scottish charity that provides  help and support to homeless people via their street teams, drop in support and advice centres, and  24-hour helpline. SCS work across Glasgow, Edinburgh and Central Scotland.  

The partnership with Biffa will support the services that SCS provides as well as raising awareness for  the charity.

Biffa is sponsoring the cost of the helpline and street team throughout the month of  October to give advice and support to those in need. On average, the helpline receives 500 to 600 calls  per month. On the streets 140 Biffa vehicles will also carry the SCS logo and helpline number as they  complete their rounds in Scotland.  

SCS are committed to eliminating homelessness and firmly believe that everyone should have a safe  space to live and access the support they need.  

Gavin Money, the regional manager at Biffa, commented: “This is a really positive, socially-engaged  organisation that I am excited to be a part of with Biffa. The reality is our collection teams are on the  streets every day and come across people that need support, and we want to be able to do as much  as we can to help.

“Our partnership with SCS will allow us to educate our staff, volunteer and make a  difference to people’s lives.” 

Biffa has worked hard to raise awareness of the dangers of people sleeping in bins, issuing a call to action on waste management companies to make their bins harder to access, as well as commissioning  research with the Open University and the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management to find out the extent of the issue in the sector. Biffa introduced its own approach to the issue by implementing warning stickers, locks and even trialling human detection technology.

The collaboration with SCS is  part of Biffa’s continued support to tackle the issue and eradicate homelessness.  

In 2020 – 2021, the Scottish government recorded 42,000 people in homeless households with 25% of  these households’ containing children, despite rooms and housing offered during the pandemic  reducing applications for housing. With the lockdown rules ending, this figure is likely to increase to  pre-pandemic levels. 

Murray Easton, Head of Fundraising & Communications at Simon Community Scotland, said:  “Everyone at SCS is delighted to be working in partnership with Biffa. Our street teams in Edinburgh  and Glasgow are out every single day, connecting with people who are sleeping rough or at risk of  sleeping rough. We provide advice, support to access services and some on-street services. 

“Our partners at Biffa are also out on the streets every day, making this partnership  feel incredibly natural and we’re excited about how we can work together to increase awareness of  the issue, change and ultimately save lives.

We really appreciate Biffa’s support – their teams will be  on the ground helping with our helpline the week commencing with world homeless day on 10th  October.” 

You can find out more about the work Simon Community Scotland are doing here:  https://www.simonscotland.org/, or you can ring their helpline on 0800 027 7466.

ELREC launches new BAME RECAP project

ELREC have launched a new project to support people from BAME communities affected by Covid-19. A brief launch event took place at the ELREC meeting room on Monday (4 October). 

The BAME RECAP will work towards restoring the livelihoods of BAME communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Edinburgh and the Lothian.  

The Global Majority Fund, financed by Comic Relief in partnership with the National Emergencies Trust (NET), supports this project. In Scotland, CRER is an Intermediary Partner for Comic Relief’s Global Majority Fund. 

CRER’s Yasmin Luqman said: “We are delighted to act as an Intermediary Partner of The Global Majority Fund and to make grants available to support BME community organisations like ELREC to continue delivering services to communities facing racial inequality who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns.

“This fund is also focussed on creating a positive impact with and for communities facing racial inequality across Scotland. The Global Majority Fund, financed by Comic Relief in partnership with the National Emergencies Trust (NET), supports this project”.

Lothian MSP Foysol Choudhury MBE attended the launch event as a chief guest. He said ‘’ I would like thanks to CRER and funders for providing the grants for the BME communities aftermath of the Covid-19. It will help create a positive impact and improve the livelihood of the affected communities.’’  

The BAME RECAP project coordinator Mizan Rahman hosted the launch event and explained that a wide range of support is available for the Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) community.

Tailor-made support and advice services freely available at ELREC. Specialised advocacy support is also available for people with ‘no recourse to public funds’.

He said that the project will address mental health and wellbeing issues by facilitating various activities over the year.  

To access support and services, anyone living across Edinburgh and Lothian can contact the project team by WhatsApp +447392663851 or email: bamerecap@elrec.org.uk.

More information about the project can be found on social media @bamerecap.