Welcome to Interchange - the newsletter for Glasgow's voluntary and community sector
This month's Interchange highlights two key pieces of legislation with far-reaching consequences for the Third Sector in Scotland. The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill deals with fundamental issues of how communities can have an active role in the decisions which affect them and in the development of services they need to make Scotland a better place to live.
And the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill which offers the potential for the Third Sector to play a greater role in delivering public sector contracts and to grow Third Sector services. These developments provide an opportunity to influence thinking and policy and GCVS is keen to support the Third Sector in Glasgow to respond and contribute views on both themes. Read on for more details about how to get involved.
We'd love to feature your news. If you have anything you would like to share with us and Glasgow's Third Sector please contact our
editorial team.
Best wishes,
Liz McEntee
GCVS Head of External Relations
News
Procurement Reform Bill Event 19th November 2013
GCVS is delighted to be hosting a fact-finding session with the Scottish Parliament’s Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee on Tuesday 19th November.
The focus of the Committee’s event will be
The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill and Committee members are keen to hear the views of the Third Sector in Glasgow as part of this important discussion. Some £9 billion per year is spent by the public sector on goods and services across Scotland. Now, the Scottish Government has introduced this bill, seeking to establish a national legislative framework for a public procurement process that supports Scotland’s economic growth. This is your chance to talk to MSPs about how an important Bill could affect
your sector and
your organisation.
Book your place here…
Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill Launches
The much anticipated consultation of the draft
Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill launched in Glasgow on Wednesday (7 Nov) setting out legislation and plans to foster local decision making, strengthen communities and deliver improved public services. The deadline for the current consultation period is 24 January 2014. We are keen to gather the views of our members and will be surveying our members so we can submit a response. More information on this will follow in the next Members Bulletin. If you are not currently a GCVS member but would like to join you can
find out more about membership on our website or by calling 0141 332 2444.
2nd Round of Third Sector Glasgow Transformation Fund makes 40 awards
GCVS, on behalf of the Glasgow RCOP Strategic Partnership, is delighted to announce that 40 organisations have recently been awarded grants from the Glasgow Third Sector Transformation Fund. This funding is distributed as part of Glasgow’s Reshaping Care for Older People Change Fund and will enable projects to deliver services to older people and their carers in their own homes and communities.
The funded organisations will deliver a range of activities across the city to keep older citizens well in their communities for longer. At the heart of all the funded projects is the desire to listen to and reflect the views of older people and their carers and demonstrate how third sector organisations can deliver innovative care solutions at home or in a homely setting. The Voluntary Action Fund (VAF) has been commissioned to manage and administer the fund by GCVS. A list of the organisations receiving a grant and further details including project summaries can be viewed on
our website.
Limited Rollout of Reassessment for Personal Independence Payments
The Department of Work and Pensions recently scaled back the DLA reassessment process drawing criticism from MPs that their implementation of welfare reform is “at risk of descending into a farce”, whilst thousands of disabled people face anxiety and uncertainty about their payments. In Scotland, most people currently in receipt of Disability Living Allowance will not be reassessed for new Personal Independence Payments until 2015. Claimants will start to be re-assessed from 28 October, but only if there is a change in circumstance, if an existing award ends or if someone reaches age 16. The UK Government has produced a toolkit for individuals and organisations that support PIP and DLA claimants. Glasgow City Council has also produced a DLA training video to guide people through completion of DLA forms.
Find out more….
Introducing our Everyone’s Children Project
GCVS has received funding from the Scottish Government to promote and support Third Sector organisations working with children and families in the early years of life and beyond.
Our Everyone’s Children Project will provide a very practical range of support services to the sector in Glasgow to implement the Scottish Government's
Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) approach to supporting children from the early stages of life onwards. Working with key partners in the city and at national level, the project will help to raise awareness of the GIRFEC approach, map the contribution of the sector in Glasgow, support capacity building, workforce development and training and share learning. To receive news on the project developments and events, you can
sign up for our newsletter. We will be in touch to discuss specific aspects of the project's work, however, if you would like to discuss what the project means for your organisation contact
Mick Doyle Policy, Research and Communications Manager on 0141 332 2444.
One Glasgow: mapping family support services
Organisations providing family support services in Glasgow are being urged to complete the One Glasgow Improving Futures Framework
survey to allow them to map provision of these services in Glasgow, for inclusion on the
Your Support Your Way website.
More…
Chronic Pain Services Briefing & Representation
Chronic Pain is a common condition affecting almost one in five people in Scotland. Health Improvement Scotland has produced a
briefing that reports on the work currently being undertaken to improve the delivery of Chronic Pain services across Scotland. Each Health Board has a Service Improvement group dedicated to this task and they would like to ensure a Third Sector representative is involved in the planning of Chronic Pain services in Glasgow. If you would like to discuss this opportunity or wish to represent the Third Sector in this capacity please contact Norma Turvill, Chronic Pain Services facilitator Healthcare Improvement Scotland at
nturvill@nhs.net.
Oxfam Policy Assessment Tool
The Oxfam Humankind Index policy assessment tool aims to measure the impact of policies on the real wealth of Scotland - on the things that really matter to the people of Scotland.
It aims to ensure that a much broader range of factors are given proper consideration during policy design and development, by allowing users to rate policies on whether they have an overall positive, negative or neutral effect on specific factors.
This tool is designed to expand thinking about the range of impacts a policy may have on people’s ability to live well in their communities – it’s not intended as a precise analysis or definitive screening. The tool can be used to do quick assessments or more in depth analysis.
More…
Saving Energy at Home and at Work
As temperatures drop and energy prices soar, support to save energy and manage bills is essential for many Scottish households. The Scottish Government has launched the
Home Energy Scotland hotline to advise people of the different schemes that are available to help them meet their bills and save energy (0808 808 2282).
Equally small businesses, charities and community groups can benefit from expert advice in energy saving. Resource Efficient Scotland can help organisations across Scotland save money by using resources more efficiently. They provide free, specialist advice and on-site support to help decision makers in business, public and third-sector organisations cut their energy, water and raw material costs.
Find out more..
Events, training &venue hire
Procurement Reform Bill Event 19th November 2013
GCVS is delighted to be hosting a fact-finding session with the Scottish Parliament’s Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee on Tuesday 19th November. The focus of the Committee’s event will be The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill and Committee members are keen to hear the views of Glasgow's Third Sector as part of this important discussion. This is your chance to talk to MSPs about how an important Bill could affect
your sector and
your organisation.
Book now...
Engaging Communities 22nd November 2013
Glasgow Third Sector Forum is running this important FREE consultative event, in partnership with GCVS, to look at the Third Sector’s role in community engagement in Glasgow. The event will help build a collective Third Sector understanding of current community engagement in Glasgow, and the event outcomes will inform our input into partnership forums in the city.
Book now..
Book Now for GCVS AGM - Friday 6th December
We hope you will join us on the morning of the 6th December for our Annual General meeting, opening at 9.00am with a with a networking breakfast and closing with at 12.30pm with lunch. The programme features Keynote Speaker Phil Hanlon, Professor of Public Health at the University of Glasgow, workshops that explore using social media for consultation and a presentation on the First Funding Stop resource.
Book your place..
Enterprise Ready Fund - Category 3 Information and Briefing Sessions 18th November 2013
The Enterprise Ready Fund has up to £1million to invest in enterprising third sector organisations in Scotland – to support capital, marketing or training costs directly linked to trading or income-generating activities. So if you are looking to grow your business and need investment NOW then Category 3 can help. Don’t delay – applications to Category 3 must be submitted to the Enterprise Ready Fund by 2
nd December 2012.
We are running three sessions on the 18th of November at IET Glasgow: Teacher Building, 14 St Enoch Square, Glasgow G1 4DB. Please register for your preferred session using the links below
Session 1 09:00-11:00,
Session 2 11:30-13:30,
Session 3 14:00-16:00
Debate: Human rights and health inequality
Thursday 28th November, 2.00pm - 4.00pm
The Mews, Edinburgh (NASUWT, 35 Young Street North Lane, EH2 4JD)
Join SCVO and Glasgow Caledonian University for an informed and challenging debate exploring the role of human rights in reducing health inequality. SCVO and Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) are continuing our series of thought-provoking human rights debates in conjunction with our work-based Masters in Citizenship and Human Rights programme.
Book online...
Scottish Interfaith Week 24th November - 1st December 2013.
Scottish Interfaith Week provides an opportunity for individuals, local interfaith groups and faith communities across the country to plan events that bring local people together to promote dialogue, understanding and co-operation between Scotland's diverse religious communities. The theme for Scottish Interfaith week is 'Values and Visions for Scotland' - there are so far 54 events taking place across Scotland.
View the programme.
Policy & consultations
Scottish Government publications & consultations
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