GCVS Interchange June 10 | Legacy 2014 & Volunteering | TS Internships | Office Space

Welcome to Interchange - the newsletter for Glasgow's voluntary and community sector

This month's Interchange features news from Volunteer Glasgow who are calling for consistent and updated DWP guidance to ensure a positive Glasgow 2014 legacy, a GCVS Member discount of 50% from CPP Seminars Scotland, details of Third Sector Internships, an appeal from the Wolfson Fund for Scottish applications and the usual events, resources and publications.
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

Legacy 2014: Updated and consistent guidance needed from DWP Job Centre Plus
Volunteer Glasgow is calling on DWP Job Centre Plus to help the city’s partners maximise a Glasgow 2014 volunteering legacy – by bringing DWP guidance up to date, and by ensuring people claiming benefits are as free as anyone else to volunteer their time and skills to help their communities:

Sickness and disability related benefit claimants should not need to talk to Job Centre Plus about volunteering in advance, and DWP should state this clearly in line with their January 2014 letter to Glasgow 2014.
People claiming job-seeking benefits should continue to be encouraged to consider volunteering opportunities by DWP Job Centre Plus advisers, but training and guidance for DWP staff should be improved and volunteering should not feature on claimant commitments and should not be subject to sanction.

You can find out more about this campaign and view STV coverage on this story Volunteer Glasgow website.

Third Sector Internships Scotland - Call for Expressions of Interest
Third Sector Internships Scotland (TSIS) is delighted to announce that their internship programme will continue through 2014-15 thanks to further support from the Scottish Funding Council. The initiative, led by Queen Margaret University, The Open University in Scotland and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, helps students at Scottish universities gain meaningful, paid work experience in the third sector. More..

15 Minute Care Visits to be Scrapped
Unsuitable fifteen minute care visits will be scrapped according to a pledge by Health Secretary Alex Neil, which was reported in the Herald this week. The news will be welcomed by third sector organisations working with older and disabled people who have long argued that the quality of care provided in such a short space of time is often inadequate to meet the needs of service users. Research has shown that the practice is widespread among local authorities in Scotland. More...

Lone Parents, Welfare Conditionality and Sanctions
Glasgow Centre for Population Health has published a report which explores the impact of the UK Government’s welfare reforms on lone parents moving into work. The research, conducted by Dr Helen Graham, Employment Research Institute, Edinburgh Napier University and Prof Ronald McQuaid, Stirling Management School, University of Stirling, looked at the effects of increasing conditionality for benefits and the problems experienced by lone parents trying to meet the requirements now placed on them if they are in receipt of welfare benefits. More...

GCVS is recruiting! Catering Assistant & SVQ Assessors
GCVS is currently looking to recruit a part time Catering Assistant for a fixed term of 3 months (with the possibility of an extension) to assist with the delivery of a high quality and consistent level of service within the Albany Cafe.
We also have opportunities for Consultant SVQ Assessors (self-employed) to provide a service to the Third Sector. Find out more...

Office Space Available at the Albany
GCVS has space for rental at our Albany Centre, situated just five minutes from Glasgow city centre. Find out about flexible, competitive rental packages with added benefits such as access to I.T. and administrative support on site, our Albany Café, discounted training and meeting rooms. Interested? Please contact Maureen McMillan for an informal chat, or to request a viewing on 0141 332 2444. More...

Food Banks Represent a Dickensian Model of Welfare
The Scottish Parliament’s Welfare Reform Committee has accused the DWP of being in denial over the reasons for the alarming rise in people requiring emergency food aid, and makes explicit its findings, which confirm that major contributory factors are indeed benefit delays and the UK Government’s welfare reform measures, in particular, benefit sanctions.
In research to inform their second report, the committee took evidence from a range of food aid providers, as well as visiting food banks across the country to speak to staff and volunteers about the issue. More...

Wolfson Fund Seeks Scottish Applications
The Wolfson Foundation, a London based UK charity, has highlighted a shortage of funding applications from Scotland and is actively appealing for more grant applications from Scottish charities and grassroots organisations - particularly those working in the field of disability. More...

Community Enterprise - Digital Media Academy Services Survey
Community Enterprise are setting up an e-commerce and digital media academy to train creative people who are currently unemployed and support them in to employment in the online and digital sectors. They have designed a survey to identify service gaps to ensure they aren’t duplicating services, as well as to identify appropriate target groups and target areas.

Call the Midwife!
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) have launched a new central booking line to encourage women to make an appointment with their midwife as soon as they discover they are pregnant. It is being rolled out in two phases throughout NHSGGC. The telephone number – 0141 232 4005 - is now available in the Glasgow area and is due to be up and running in Clyde in mid June.The call centre, based at the Southern General Hospital, is part of a national drive to promote the best start for pregnant women and their babies. More...

Employer's Advice - Flexible working is breaking out all over
Soon the right to request flexible working will extend to all employees.
Current law allows for such requests only from employees who have children under 17 (18 if the child is disabled), or who have caring responsibilities for adults.
From 30^th June 2014 all employees will be able to ask for a change to their contract. The 26 week service qualifying period will remain in place, but the statutory procedure to consider the request will be replaced by an obligation on the employer to deal with the application in ‘a reasonable manner’ and to give a response within 3 months. Acas has produced a draft Code of practice and guidance notes. If you need HR advice find out more about our Employers Advice Service.

Glasgow Alcohol Licensing - GCPH seek your views!
Glasgow Centre for Population Health (GCPH) would like to hear your views on Glasgow’s alcohol licensing process and how the community’s voice could be strengthened in the future. Iconic Consulting is conducting the research for GCPH and you are invited to take part in a short e-survey about alcohol misuse, and awareness of the alcohol licensing process. The survey is open to all third sector organisations regardless of prior engagement in the alcohol licensing process and it takes less than five minutes to complete. For further information contact Ian Clark, Director, Iconic Consulting on 0131 627 0070 or ian@iconic-consulting.co.uk

Have you updated your anti-virus software and Windows OS?
You may have seen recent news articles regarding an anticipated cyber-attack.
In order to prevent any attack, the National Crime Agency is advising that individuals and small businesses check they have performed any Windows updates and that anti-virus software is up to date. This should be sufficient to prevent any disruption. More information about this specific threat is available on the Get Safe Online website, where you can find a range of practical advice on how to protect yourself, your computers and mobiles device and your business against fraud, identity theft, viruses and many other problems encountered online.

IT Assistant Internship
GCVS is recruiting for an IT intern through the Equality Internship Programme. The role involves assisting in developing a Disaster Recovery Plan for the organisation including some improvements to systems, security and back up. Applicants must hold a SCQF Level 8+ qualification (equivalent to an HND, first degree, SVQ Level4), be unemployed; either in the first 12 months of a benefit claim (pre-Work Programme) or 2 years+ (post-Work Programme) or unemployed and not claiming benefits. More..

The Albany Centre

The Albany provides first-rate training and customised learning, tailored to meet the needs managers, staff, volunteers and board-members, and delivered by experts in the sector’s particular needs.

The Albany also functions as a welcoming, fully equipped venue for meetings, events and conferences. Find out more about venue hire on our website.

Events at the Albany Centre

Diary Date: Social Media for Social Good
29^th August 2014
Look out for the sixth running of Social Media for Social Good our renowned New Media event. The August run will feature all the most popular workshops from the first five runs of the event, including sessions on Facebook, online fundraising, Cloud, Linkdin, online culture – and much more. To book early, or for more information, please contact training@gcvs.org.uk

Constructing a Budget and Adapting it for Your Funding Application
19th June 2014
Social Enterprise training - by the experts! GCVS has teamed up with Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEiS) to bring you first-rate training designed to help Glasgow's Third Sector Social Enterprises to thrive and grow. More...

More Third Sector Events

CPP Seminars - GCVS Members 50% Discount Offer
CPP Seminars Scotland is a social enterprise whose main purpose is to design and deliver 1/2 day seminars on topical themes and create networking opportunities covering a range of social policy issues. GCVS members have been extended a 50% discount on the delegate fees of the following seminars:-

Self Directed Support & Children's Services
Tue. 17 June Brodies, Atholl Cres. Edinburgh (1.30pm - 4.45pm)
Speakers: Pat Black, Director and Facilitator, Diversity Matters, Scott Read, Development Worker, ARC Scotland – Scottish Transitions Forum and Graham Thom, Managing Director, SQW

Guardianship – enabling or restricting?
Fri. 27^th June Netherbow Theatre, Edinburgh (9.30 – 12.45)
Speakers: David Cobb, Advocate, Arnot manderson Advocates who is a leading Practitioner in Mental Health Law, George Kappler, Deputy Chief Executive, Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, Sandra McDonald, Office of the Public Guardian and People 1^st.

For more information on these events and to book to attend please click on the link below
More info/book....

The cost for each of these events are : £99 + VAT for public and private sector organisations and £89 + VAT for 3rd sector and Charitable Organisations. Special offer: GCVS members 50% discount

Celebrating Africa
Saturday 21st June
The event aims to provide a unique opportunity showcasing African heritage and culture by the African community groups who live/ work across Edinburgh & the Lothians. Themes for the event are participation, heritage, culture and sports. This is a free event but places are limited. If you wish to attend the event please register online at http://celebratingafrica2014.eventbrite.co.uk .

Glasgow YWCA 140th Birthday Exhibition
Friday 27^th June 11-4pm
Glasgow YWCA is turning 140 years old! We’re celebrating on Friday 27^th June from 11am-4pm at our new premises at 13 Bath Street. Come along to see our learners’ film, exhibition, artefacts and taster activities. Call us on 0141 248 5338 or email zjones@ywcaglasgow.org to book a place.

Action on Hearing Loss - Ladies that Lunch
Sunday 26^th October 12-5pm
Action on Hearing Loss, Scotland will be hosting our annual ladies lunch. The event is being held at the Radisson Blu, Glasgow where there will be a champagne reception, a two course meal with wine, entertainment, a raffle and a chance to do some serious shopping.Tickets cost just £40 or you can book for a table of 10 for £350. More/book...

Champagne Reception & 2 course meal with wine
Entertainment, Pre Xmas shopping experience, Fantastic prizes

Policy & consultations

Scottish Government Publications

Welfare Reform

Health and Social Care

Children and Young People

Equalities

Women On Board: Quality through Diversity, Scottish Government Consultation on the Introduction of Gender Quotas on Public Boards

Environment

Climate Ready Scotland Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme