COVID-19 Guidance and Information: Updates
 
Youth Work and CLD
The Youth Work guidance was most recently updated on 26^th April 2021. To understand the detail of the changes you should read both the Scottish Government guidance for the CLD sector and the youth work Covid-19: Guiding Framework to support the delivery of youth work services.
Scottish Borders will move to Level 2 on Monday 17^th May.  From Monday the permitted youth work activity will once again change as restrictions have eased.

• Youth Work (Under 18 years old): Youth work permitted indoors and outdoors with a maximum number of 30 people in any space (including youth workers)
• Youth Work (18 years and over): Youth work permitted indoors and outdoors with a maximum number of 15 people (including youth workers)
• Residential youth work activity can resume in line with the phased approach and timescales set out in the Schools visit guidance.

• Numbers: When considering numbers of young people, you should ensure that your space has the capacity to allow for 2m social distancing per young person aged 12 and over (including staff). You should “Determine Capacity” for your space and record this in your risk assessment.
• Please refer to the CLD guidance for details on ventilation/ hygiene and health of staff and service users. The Scottish Government has also produced an advice guide highlighting key ventilation practice

For any specific questions regarding the guidance please contact Ayliffe at YouthBorders or visit the YouthLink Scotland FAQ.

Multi-purpose Community Facilities
The Scottish government guidance for the safe use of multi-purpose community facilities during the covid-19 pandemic was updated on the 30^th April 2021. 
This guidance is for those managing community centres, youth centres, village halls, and other community facilities and is primarily about how to reopen buildings as safely as possible. 
It will also be relevant to our members who hire or use a community centre as well as those who own and let their own premises to others. 
The guidance sets out the 5 levels of protection and what is permitted at each level.  It recognises that CLD activity for youth work and adult learning is an essential part of Scotland’s education system providing services to some of the most vulnerable people living in our communities. The community facilities are therefore permitted to grant access in line with  the CLD sectoral guidance which outlines specific restrictions and considerations to be followed at each protection level.  
Permitted activities should only be reinstated following a COVID-19 risk assessment and any subsequent mitigating measures put in place, such as enhanced cleaning, hygiene, and physical distancing measures.  
Live Borders have set out their timeline for re-opening facilities in the Scottish Borders. The indicative date for reopening of halls and community centres operated by Live Borders is 30 August 2021.
If you have any question regarding this guidance, please contact Ayliffe at YouthBorders
 

Covid-19 in the Workplace
YouthBorders recognise that our members have done amazing work to adapt their premises and procedures to reduce the risks of transmission of Covid-19 in the workplace. We are sharing a useful tool recently published by the Scottish Government: Coronavirus (COVID-19): compliance self-assessment.  It is designed to help both workplaces continuing to operate and to help those still restricted to plan for reopening.  
This self-assessment tool helps to guide you through the necessary steps and questions you should be considering.  It is not mandatory; however, it supports good practice and could provide assurance to trustees and employees that statutory requirements relating to COVID-19 are being met.
 
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors and local authorities are currently carrying out spot checks on all types of businesses across the country to ensure people are not being put at risk of Covid-19. 
Watch this short video made by the HSE which explains the process, what they are looking for and the outcomes of their inspections.  

We are pledging our support as this Charter is in keeping with our aim of improving the lives of young people living in the Borders. We know that smoking prevalence is still high amongst 16-24 year olds but also amongst those with a mental health issue. So on this Mental Health Awareness week we want to pledge our support and highlight the role addressing tobacco use can play in improving young people’s mental health and wellbeing.

Our pledge is focusd on  supporting youth workers in our network to be equipped with the most up-to-date information on smoking and young people in Scotland and have access to resources and strategies to enable them to confidently discuss smoking with young people. One way this can be achieved is by completing the ASH Scotland 'Smoking and Young People' e-learning module.

Join in this year to celebrate and say thank you to the fantastic contribution volunteers make.

Get involved.

Download free resources and templates.

Stay social.

Scottish Borders Child Protection Training
Below are the details of the up and coming Child Protection Courses. The final 4 figures of each course ID is required for booking.

Non-SBC staff will book using the external booking form 

• T-1000002025, Child Protection - Education, Early Years and CLD Child Protection Annual Update 2020-21, 19/05/2021, 16:00-17:00
• T-1000001978, Child Protection – Child Protection Induction, 20/05/2021, 16:00-17:00

New Dates: Scottish Borders Introduction to Public Protection - Level 1

• Part 1 – 8 June 2021 – 6.30 p.m. – 8.00 p.m. - please click on the link
• Part 1 – 17 June 2021 – 1.00 p.m.– 2.30 p.m. - please click on this link

• Part 2 – 15 June 2021 – 6.30 p.m. – 8.30 p.m. - please click on the link
• Part 2 – 24 June 2021 – 1.00 p.m. – 3.00 p.m. - please click on the link

• Understand what it means to effectively contribute to risk assessments and the risk management process
• Be aware of the expectations at key stages of the formal Child Protection process
• Be aware of some of the tools available to support your practice

• Tues 18 May 2021, 09.30-11.00
• Thurs 03 June 2021, 16.00-17.30
• Weds 16 June 2021, 09.30-11.00
• Tues 29 June 2021, 14.00-15.30

Through presentations, films, workshops and training sessions, the Festival will celebrate the achievements of young people, youth workers and groups who have taken part in the Young Placechangers Programme.

As a participants you can can join us for the whole event or attend specific sessions of  interest to you! There are also sessions taking place in the evening for people who are not able to come during the day.

The event is for you if you work in a local authority, national agency, third sector or a community organisation/group, and want to include Young People in discussions and decisions about Place, but may not be quite sure where to begin.

It is also for youth workers and youth groups who want to learn more about how to give young people a voice in improving the places where they live, play, go to school and work.

The Young Placechangers Programme is a partnership programme between greenspace scotland and Youth Scotland. The Young Placechangers approach combines greenspace scotland’s experience of working with community groups on placemaking with Youth Scotland’s experience of youth work and supporting young people to take the lead.

Book Now

YouthLink Scotland - Latest #LockdownLowdown survey of young people 
The next phase of a crucial survey of young people in Scotland has been launched to track the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the lives, aspirations and wellbeing of young Scots.

This is the third #LockdownLowdown survey carried out since March 2020 and will focus on the education, employment prospects and mental health of young people, as well as involvement in youth work services.

Click here to take the survey.

The survey is a partnership between Young Scot, Scottish Youth Parliament and YouthLink Scotland, who together will analyse the results to help inform the Scottish Government's future decision making process in relation to Covid-19 and lockdown restrictions. The survey closes on 31^st May 2021.

• Programmes of activities, including summer programmes
• Equipment and programme materials
• Venue hire or travel costs to an activity
• Specialist tutor/ facilitator costs e.g. art tutor, sports coach etc.
• Membership fees and essential insurance costs
• Other reasonable requests specific to young people's needs identified in your community

• helps people to access food and co-operate together to feed everyone 
• improve people’s mental wellbeing 
• provides opportunities for young people under 25 to develop new skills and make a difference in their community  

Visit www.coop.co.uk/causes to find out more information about who can apply and the types of projects we can and can’t support. The Terms and Conditions also provide helpful information about how the fund works. 

All applications must be completed by 30 May 2021. 

Scottish Borders Council - Community Fund 2021-22
The Community Fund is changing. Each of the five Area Partnerships (Berwickshire, Cheviot, Eildon, Teviot and Liddesdale and Tweeddale) now have the flexibility to adapt the Community Fund scheme in their area. The Community Fund will continue to provide support to voluntary and community groups that are active within their communities and assist communities or interest groups with the development of community based projects, however the fund may be changing in your area.