SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT – #VOTEGYC
We promised you big news – and here it is! We’re delighted to announce that Granton Youth Centre is one of the finalists for the RBS Skills and Opportunities Funding. Continue reading Granton Youth Centre needs your help!
Hope wins Outstanding Achiever award Continue reading Hope springs eternal!
Edinburgh College gives budding digital creatives the chance to make it with BBC scheme
Edinburgh College is giving creative young unemployed people who love likes, hashtags and telling stories online the chance to take the first steps towards a digital industry career.
The college’s eight-week BBC Make it Digital programme will teach skills to unemployed young people including: digital storytelling, building a website, planning a social media campaign, shooting and editing a film and learning how to pitch creative ideas to business.
The training programme was designed by the BBC Academy and is open to unemployed people between 16-24. It will take place at the college’s Milton Road Campus, where students will work with industry-standard software. The course will start on 2 November.
Taking part in this programme does not affect benefits and those between 16 and 18 on the programme will receive £55 per week Training Allowance. Travelling expenses are also part of the support.
Students will spend three weeks on work placements with local employers, who will ask them to design a social media campaign.
Make it Digital is a national scheme but the programme in Scotland has the added benefit of a recognised SQA qualification – the National Progression Award in Enterprise and Employability.
Trainees will also take part in a Radio 1 challenge based in London, where the best entries will be shortlisted into the final recruitment stages for a year-long Radio 1 Apprenticeship.
As well as new digital skills, students will also learn employability skills including business networking, CV and interview tips, budgeting, project management and creating an online portfolio. By the end of the training, participants will greatly improve their chances of finding a job or a modern apprenticeship.
Jon Buglass, head of Creative Industries at Edinburgh College, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to start to develop the skills they need to make it in the creative digital industry. The digital sector is one of the fastest-growing industries in the UK at the moment as businesses now rely on an online presence to survive. We’re excited to be working with the BBC Academy and Skills Development Scotland to give unemployed young people the chance to build digital and employability skills to help them make their way back into the workplace.”
Skills Development Scotland is funding the programme through the Employability Fund. Contact the Edinburgh Skills Development Scotland Careers Centre on 0131 718 2040 or speak to a Jobcentre Work Coach to find out how to apply for this course.
Woman rescued from icy water off Gypsy Brae following boys’ prompt action
Officers in Edinburgh have commended the actions of five 11 and 12 year-old boys after they saved a woman’s life.
Last Sunday, at around 4.30pm, a woman entered the very cold waters at Gypsy Brae and started to swim out towards Fife, despite advice from Wacka Ceesay (11), Andrew Bell (11), Tyler Jay Anderson (12), Aleks Czernecki (12) and Kian McGee (11) not to do so.
When the boys were unable to persuade the woman against swimming, one of the lads raised the alarm with an adult and asked for the Coastguard be called.
Police and Coastguard arrived and the boys were able to identify the area where the woman was and provided footage of the woman entering the water to assist the emergency team.
The woman was rescued from the water and taken for treatment and is now recovering from her ordeal.
The boys were very helpful to police and they were taken for a tour of Drylaw Police Station as a reward – officers then took them home and praised them in front of their parents.
The boys told police that they knew what to do due to what they learned at The Risk Factory, a Police Scotland-sponsored interactive safety centre. The Edinburgh-based initiative is sponsored by local authorities and emergency services in the Lothians area, and is available to all local children in Primary 7.
Police Sergeant John Brock said: “This incident could have quite easily had a tragic ending. Due to the swift and conscientious actions of these boys a woman’s life was saved. Police Scotland commends them for their bravery and quick thinking. Thank you to these five boys for demonstrating outstanding community spirit.”
SEPTEMBERFEST
Saturday 26 September 11am – 4pm, Broughton High School
The hugely-popular Septemberfest community festival takes place on Saturday (26 September) at Broughton High School from 11am to 4pm and this year’s event is set to be bigger and better than ever!
There’s free entry and a huge range of fun activities on offer – many of them free too – all organised by Broughton High School Parent Council. All welcome!
Looking out the window, I’m very glad it’s not taking place today! What is it about Edinburgh and public holiday weather?
Muirhouse lads on Ocean Youth Trust trip of a lifetime
Two of our young Centre volunteers, Paul Alexander & Chris Barnes (above), embarked on the adventure of a lifetime as they enrolled in a positive learning environment under sail on the Alba Explorer from 31 August to 4 September (writes James McGinty).
Both lads kept a log of their adventure with feedback from their skipper Steve. Reading their log was as difficult as writing it in the ocean swell! With goals to achieve daily and new skills to learn, the skipper’s remarks were favourable.
The values and skills learned fell into many categories:
Meeting new people – and the art of conversation.
Following Instructions – Speaking out in groups
Getting Up Early ( Bet you thought this was not possible!!)
Working in a team -Being on time
Working on daily goals – Keeping Calm.
Many of these qualities can be taken into the lads’ adulthood; so well done, Paul and Chris!
Here are some of the 244 pictures and videos taken by the lads and their crewmates. Click On To our Website to see more: www.muirhousecommunitycentre.co.uk
£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.”
Young people living in the West and Almond areas of Edinburgh are being given the chance to win funding for their very own projects.
Grants of up to £500 are available to win through the You[th] Decides initiative launched this week by the Western Edinburgh and Almond Neighbourhood Partnerships.
Successful projects should meet the criteria of increasing opportunities for children and young people, and could relate to issues such as sports, arts and media, outdoor education, and community participation.
Any groups with members aged between 11 and 18 and living in Drumbrae/Gyle and Corstorphine/Murrayfield areas and any group with members aged between 12 and 18 and living in Cramond, Davidson’s Mains, Silverknowes, South Queensferry, Dalmeny, Kirkliston, Ratho Station and Newbridge can apply.
Almond Neighbourhood Partnership Convener, Councillor Alastair Shields, said: “This is a great opportunity for local young people to have a say in how funding is allocated. We are looking for imaginative projects which will engage young people and increase opportunities for them in an exciting way.”
Application forms for the You[th] Decides Initiative are available from schools and youth groups, or by contacting Steven Kipanda at Western Edinburgh Neighbourhood Partnership:
email Steven.Kipanda@ea.edin.sch.uk
or audrey.primrose@edinburgh.gov.uk
and Steven Stewart at Almond Neighbourhood Partnership:
email steven.stewart@ea.edin.sch.uk
or jim.conner@edinburgh.gov.uk
Edinburgh Youth Music Festival this Saturday
Edinburgh Youth Music Festival, a vibrant showcase of youth music talent, is welcoming children, young people and their families to participate in this year’s event.
Run in conjunction with a city wide network of youth music organisations such as Totally Sound, Reel Youth Media and Edinburgh Youth Music Initiative, this year’s event is organised by #artcore youth arts and is supported by Creative Scotland’s Time to Shine youth arts fund. It will be a celebration of the quality and diversity of opportunities available for ages 0 to 25.
The Edinburgh Youth Music Festival, organised by #artcore Youth Arts, is a partnership event bringing together youth agencies and projects from across the city. Partners include Totally Sound, The Tinderbox Project, Canongate Youth Project, Edinburgh Youth Music Forum, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Edinburgh College, City of Edinburgh Council’s Youth Music Initiative, Pulse of the Place and the Academy of Music and Sound.
A main feature of this year’s festival is up and coming musicians such as headliners Beeches (above), who will be sharing the stage with exciting young performers from all across Scotland that will cover the full musical range from hip hop to traditional.
The festival is happening at the South Bridge Resource Centre on Infirmary Street, on Saturday 12 September from 12 – 5pm and offers a chance to get into everything; from songwriting to Samba drumming, to advice on pursuing music as a career.
The schedule includes bands Paisley Row, Cameron Jay, Rachel Alice Johnson and headliner Beeches.
Workshops include a Frozen Singalong with the Youth Music Initiative, for ages 5 – 10; Creative Pathways into the Music Industry with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, for age 14 + and Rock techniques with the Academy of Music and Sound for ages 11-25 years.
Further details of the event including a full listing of performers and workshops can be found on the Youth Music festival website:
http://
#artcore Project Manager, Johnny Gailey, said: “‘We’re really excited to be able to present this year’s Edinburgh Youth Music Festival line up, which sees a host of Edinburgh’s young talent take the stage. Whilst Edinburgh band Beeches are starting to make a name for themselves, it’s just as important to us to highlight all local young talent. Everyone starts somewhere, and there are many budding young musicians in the city.
“Music is crucial to the lives of young people and the festival is a fantastic opportunity for all to be inspired by peers and to work with lots of highly skilled professional musicians and organisations. We want to thank all those involved, who are as excited and enthusiastic about the value of youth music as we are and who made the event possible.”
The Southside’s alive with the sound of music …
Culture Secretary visits Youth Arts Hub
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop toured Edinburgh’s Youth Arts Hub yesterday and met young people whose lives have been changed by the Government-funded scheme.
The Edinburgh Youth Arts Hub, called #artcore, received £289,087 of funding from Creative Scotland as part of Time to Shine, Scotland’s Youth Arts Strategy, and is one of nine youth arts hubs across Scotland designed to give young people from all backgrounds a chance to take part in the arts.
The hubs act as focal points for regional youth arts delivery, helping to nurture and celebrate ambition, enthusiasm and talent in Scotland’s young people by improving the regional infrastructure. Young people are given the chance to be involved in running of the hubs themselves.
Ms Hyslop visited the hub, based at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall in Dalmeny Street, and met apprentices working at #artcore as well as members of Youth Arts Voice Scotland, a national advisory group of young people aged 12 to 25 who ensure Time to Shine is informed by the views and needs of young people.
Ms Hyslop said: “It was great to meet some of the young people who have had a chance to participate in arts and culture thanks to Time to Shine, Scotland’s Youth Arts Strategy, and #artcore, and hear about the difference the hub is making to their lives.
“#artcore received £289,087 of funding from Creative Scotland to help it open up access to arts and creativity for children and young people in Edinburgh. We understand arts and creativity can have a huge positive impact in people’s lives, and Scotland’s nine Youth Arts Hubs aim to give young people all over the country the chance to take part.
“Culture, the arts and creativity play an important role in tackling inequality, and Time to Shine builds on the well-established links between culture, education, youth employment and personal development.
“It is not only about providing enhanced access opportunities for all of Scotland’s young people but it goes further to support meaningful career pathways for our talent of the future; be it on stage, the screen, behind the scenes or in our world-leading creative industries.
“Perhaps most importantly of all, our aim is that this engagement with culture will nurture personal qualities that will help our young people to grow confidently as citizens and towards realising their ambitions, wherever they lie in the arts or elsewhere.”
#artcore project manager Johnny Gailey said: “It’s great to have both the Cabinet Secretary, and young people from Youth Arts Voice Scotland, to visit to see how #artcore has progressed, since we got our Time to Shine funding to set up a youth arts hub in Edinburgh a year ago.
“In the past year, we have employed a team of four young apprentices to run our programme of multi-arts activity – we’ve worked with over 500 young people in a series of pilot projects involving gaming, animation, radio plays, circus skills, music, creative writing and self publishing. And we’re now at the exciting point of announcing our expanded autumn arts programme at sites throughout the city, as well as launching our new print social enterprise, Out of the Blueprint.”
Joan Parr, Creative Scotland’s Head of Creative Learning said:
“Placing young people at the centre of the strategy’s aims and ambitions is a core principle of Time To Shine and we are delighted by the extent to which the Time To Shine implementation programme has so far taken its lead from young people.
“#Artcore Edinburgh is very much a youth led Arts Hub and therefore provides the ideal setting for our national Youth Arts Voice Scotland group to reflect with the Cabinet Secretary on what’s been achieved through Time To Shine to date, and what can still be achieved in supporting Scotland’s young people to flourish and achieve in and through the arts and creativity.”
Blair Boyle, YAVS Member, said: “As YAVS we are delighted to be presenting the progress of Time To Shine to the Cabinet Secretary. We are playing a key role alongside Creative Scotland and Young Scot in the development of the strategy implementation programme and we think it’s vital that young people continue to have a strong voice at this level influencing policy and decision making.
“We are proud that Scotland has such a powerful arts strategy for young people and are excited to be at #artcore today to be able to share with the Cabinet Secretary the breadth and depth of the work that is now happenening across the country.”
Chief Executive of Young Scot Louise Macdonald said: “We are really lucky that there is such a wealth of creative talent right here in Scotland and that there are young people who are so passionate about championing it.
“The young people involved in Youth Arts Voice Scotland are nothing short of inspirational in their drive and ambition to make the arts more accessible to young people right across Scotland. Their hard work and enthusiasm is encouraging young people right across the country get involved in arts programmes, securing our future as a creative nation.
“I am proud that we, in partnership with Creative Scotland, have been able to bring these young people together, so they can meet, discuss and ultimately grow their passion together with other likeminded young people.”
