E-bulletin August 2015
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East Renfrewshire Collaborates
Creating a Fairer Scotland: the National Conversation
Articles • £25,000 for Deafblind Scotland • £1.5 Million Announced to Boost Free WiFi in Public Spaces • Book Donations for Voluntary Action • Charitable Donation to Help Farmers in Need • New Benefits Powers for Scotland • The Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) Challenge Fund • Youth Employment Highest Since 2005
Resources • East Renfrewshire Small Grants Trust • Get Online At Home
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Events • Bengali Performing Arts Glasgow • Learning Link Scotland • Rouken Glen Park: Autum & Winter Evening Talks • Theatre Nemo
Public Contracts & Funding • Business Support • Public Contract Notice • Funding
East Renfrewshire Collaborates VAER Third Sector Forum has changed. In order to be even more inclusive the forum has grown to incorporate other partners and so is now called East Ren Collaborates. We will continue to co-ordinate networking and discussion through throughtout the year supplemented by our VA Academy – a flexible programme of smaller issues based information sessions.
Creating a Fairer Scotland: the National Conversation
Thanks to all who attended the East Ren Collaborates Event at the Yes Academy, Rouken Glen on Wednesday 19th August. This was extremely well attended with people representing a wide range of organisations from all sectors. Feedback from the event will be available on our website soon as will a range of tools you can download and use with your own group. We want as many people as possible to participate, particularly those whose voices are rarely heard. If there is anything VAER can do to help assist you engaging those you support or engage with then please let us know. A huge thank you to James Ward and his team at the YES Academy for hosting this event. This was a fantastic venue with all attendees commenting on what a gem of a site it is.
For help with starting your own conversation please contact Lesley Anderson at VAER on lesley@va-er.org.uk or 0141 876 9555
£25,00 for Deafblind Scotland A new project will make it easier for members of the deafblind community to access information and speak out about the issues that affect them. Deafblind people – though small in number – can face extreme exclusion and isolation because they are unable to access spoken, written or even visual language, which can lead to people feeling ill-informed and excluded from decisions about matters of concern to them…read more
£1.5 Million Announced to Boost Free WiFi in Public Spaces Scottish libraries to benefit from funding Additional funding is being made available to extend Wi-Fi in Scotland’s libraries, as part of the public wireless programme…read more
Book Donations for Voluntary Action Voluntary Action’s used book extravaganza continues to thrive thanks to people in the community handing in their well-loved books for others to enjoy. We have a wide range of good quality books covering everything from antiques to zoology. Everyone welcome to pop into our office at 56 Kelburn Street and have a browse. Donations always welcome.
Charitable Donation to Help Farmers in Need Scottish Government awards charity grant. Following the very poor weather experienced across Scotland this spring and summer, the Scottish Government has donated £50,000 to assist farmers and farm workers facing hardship, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has announced...read more
New Benefits Powers for Scotland Payment revamp could help 700,000 households. The Scottish Government is being handed greater autonomy over how millions of pounds worth of benefits are paid to hundreds of thousands of Universal Credit claimants…read more
The Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) Challenge Fund The Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) Challenge Fund was launched in 2014 as one of the practical outcomes of an international Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade hosted by the UK Government. To date, around £5 million has been allocated through the Fund to 19 projects. The second round of this fund is now open to applications. The objective of the IWT Challenge Fund is to tackle the illegal wildlife trade and contribute to poverty alleviation in developing countries, through projects which address one, or more, of the following themes: • Developing sustainable livelihoods for communities affected by illegal wildlife trade. • Strengthening law enforcement and the role of the criminal justice system. • Reducing demand for the products of the illegal wildlife trade. Applications must come from an organisation, not an individual. Where organisations are working in partnership, there needs to be a lead organisation. Applicant organisations can be based in any country and must: • Have a credible record of working on similar types of projects. • Have demonstrated experience managing projects of a similar size. • Nominate a Project Leader who will be responsible for the technical direction of the project and be the main point of contact. The minimum length of a project is one year and the maximum length is three years two months (to coincide with the requirement for the budget commitment to end by 31 March 2018). The total funding available is around £4 million. The total project value should be a minimum of £50,000 and not exceed £500,000. This is to ensure value for money and to enable as many projects as possible to benefit. The deadline for applications is 12 October 2015. Full details on website
Youth Employment Highest Since 2005 Unemployment continues to fall with youth employment in Scotland is at its highest since 2005. Official statistics released today by the ONS show youth employment grew by 20,000 in April-June this year, reaching 363,000 – the highest figure recorded since the same period ten years ago. Youth unemployment levels are also down by 7,000 to reach a rate of 14 per cent – the lowest since April-June 2008…read more
East Renfrewshire Small Grants Trust
The East Renfrewshire Small Grants Trust is a charitable trust whose objective is to promote health and well-being for all East Renfrewshire’s residents. Following the successful launch of ERSGT’s website in April, the deadline for initial funding stream applications was Friday 31st July. The decision-making process is well under way and applicants will be informed in due course. The Trust will provide one-off, small scale funding for activities and stand-alone events. Applications are invited from any Scottish or UK registered Charities and unregistered bodies that have charitable purposes; providing the donation is used to benefit the people of East Renfrewshire. Website: ersgt.co.uk Email: info@ersgt.org.uk Future application deadlines: 30th November 2015 and 31st March 2016.
Get Online At Home The easy place to get your first, very affordable and internet ready computer Available to everyone – Free PC or Tablet when taken with broadband from Free for 12 months We’ve teamed up with Simplifydigital, the UK’s digital switching experts, to bring you with this very special offer. You can get a FREE refurbished PC when you call Simplifydigital and sign up to a new broadband and phone deal from your choice of provider. • A refurbished PC or Tablet for FREE or a refurbished laptop for £59 • Simplifydigital will help you find the best value broadband service that’s right for you • Laptop, PC or Tablet despatched 30 days after your new Supplier has confirmed to us that your broadband service is active (may take up to 90 days) • Simplifydigital will even arrange your broadband installation Offer is available when taking broadband from one of the following suppliers as a new customer only:
This exclusive offer is only available by calling broadband comparison experts Simplifydigital on the number below. Call free on 0800 090 1297 free personalised advice and dedicated switching support Lines open: Mon to Sun 8am-9pm
Bengali Performing Arts Glasgow Bengali Performing Arts is cordially inviting you all to attend its next show to be held on Saturday, 19/09/2015 in Eastwood Park Theatre, Giffnock G46 6UG. Tickets Members & Concessions: £7.00 Children: 12 years and under - free (Full time students : £5 on producing NUS card only) For further information please contact: Dr(Mrs) Kamala Ray, Tel. 0141 585 3139 or Mr. Amit Deb, Tel. 0141 629 2826
Learning Link Scotland A new e-express from Learning Link Scotland on behalf of Education Scotland UNESCO INTERNATIONAL LITERACY DAY Following the success of last year’s network of networks’ celebration of UNESCO International Literacy Day Education Scotland invite you to celebrate on Tuesday September 8th at Glasgow Science Centre from 10.00am until 3.30pm. This year’s theme is Literacy and Sustainable Societies. See the UNESCO info graphic about Literacy and Sustainable Development. The keynote speakers are Dr Alasdair Allan Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages, and Heather Reid OBE CPhys, FinstP (Heather the Weather). Participants will have the opportunity to attend a morning and an afternoon seminar as well as to explore the science centre. Places are limited so register here now
Rouken Glen Park: Autumn and Winter Evening Talks Programme The talks will take place in the Pavilion Visitor Centre, Rouken Glen Park, Rouken Glen Road, Giffnock G46 7UG. The talk is suitable for all family members. • Tuesday 8 September, 7 - 9 pm Dragons in your Garden - frogs, toads, newts, lizards and slow worms • Tuesday 29 September, 7 - 9 pm Fungi in the Park • Tuesday 20 October, 6.30 – 8.30 pm Bryophytes - mosses, hornworts and liverworts (Please note earlier start time) • Tuesday 3 November, 7 - 9 pm Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Centre • Tuesday 1 December, 7 - 9 pm Rouken Glen Park Archaeology For further information please contact: Liz Rodger, Activity Project Officer - Rouken Glen Park, East Renfrewshire Council Environment Department, Thornliebank Office, 190 Carnwadric Road, Glasgow G46 8HR
Theatre Nemo New Sessions After a slightly damp summer break we are very excited to announce start dates for some great new projects.
Drama Working with our facilitators, participants will devise a performance piece over a 15 week block of sessions. We work hard to create a fun and welcoming atmosphere at our sessions, so it’s perfect for beginners as well as those with some experience. The final performance will be for an invited audience of friends and family. Starts 13th September Sessions are from 2:30pm - 5:00pm Theatre Nemo Studio, 128-130 Bridgegate, G1 5HZ Taiko Drumming Taiko is a very energetic and fun form of drumming and is also really easy to pick up the basics. If you are not sure what Taiko is, click here to see a clip of our group performing in George Square. Starts 23rd September Sessions are from 2:30pm - 4:30pm Govanhill Baths, 99 Calder St, Glasgow G42 7RA All participants must register before accessing any of our projects, please contact Hugh McCue for a referral form by email or on 0141 559 4941.
Business Support
If starting a business is a new experience for you, there are many things you’ll need to learn. Some tasks will be easy; others seemingly impossible, but even your mistakes will offer valuable lessons. When you start your own business, you’ll face tough challenges and decisions, but thankfully, help is available. There might be times when you need specialist advice. At other times, simply being able to share your concerns with someone you trust will help you. Sometimes you’ll have to pay for business advice, but that doesn’t mean free advice is worth any less. If you have a business idea or need advice Voluntary Action’s experienced staff are here to help you on your journey. Most of our services are free. Email reception@va-er.org.uk or call 0141 876 9555
Public Contracts Notice Ref: AUG217043 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: C001315 Leading Better Care Strategy - Leadership Coaching Published: 10/08/2015 Published by: NHS Education for Scotland Deadline: 04/09/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: AUG217077 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Burrell Collection - Exhibition Design and Design Management Services Published: 10/08/2015 Published by: Glasgow City Council Deadline: 09/09/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: AUG216886 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Project Management & Design Team Services: Learning/Teaching Space and Workspace (Space Op) Published: 07/08/2015 Published by: Heriot Watt University Deadline: 21/09/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: AUG216756 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Local Level Household Income Model Published: 06/08/2015 Published by: Scottish Government Deadline: 15/09/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: AUG216771 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Framework Agreement for the Supply if eBooks and eBooks Collections Published: 06/08/2015 Published by: NHS Education for Scotland Deadline: 07/09/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: AUG216233 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: United Kingdom-Edinburgh: Marketing services Published: 03/08/2015 Published by: Scottish Water Business Stream Limited Deadline: 07/09/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: JUL216046 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Quantity Surveyor/Clerk of Works Services for New Build Social Housing (JC & ROF-B) Published: 30/07/2015 Published by: Renfrewshire Council Deadline: 09/09/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: JUL215907 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Leadership for Growth - High Performing Leaders Published: 29/07/2015 Published by: Highlands and Islands Enterprise Deadline: 14/09/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: JUL215925 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Leadership for Growth - Mentoring Published: 29/07/2015 Published by: Highlands and Islands Enterprise Deadline: 16/09/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: JUL215761 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Performance Audit Group Contract Published: 28/07/2015 Published by: Transport Scotland Deadline: 22/09/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: JUL215694 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: STAG 2 Appraisal Published: 27/07/2015 Published by: Orkney Islands Council Deadline: 07/09/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: JUL215300 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: West Lothian Council Advocacy For Adults With A Learning Difficulty Published: 22/07/2015 Published by: West Lothian Council Deadline: 11/09/2015 Full Text: Here
Funding Bupa UK Foundation The Foundation’s funding programmes will be developed around clearly defined themes and reflect important factors that underpin health and wellbeing. These include mental health, ageing well, managing long-term conditions, behaviour change and healthy living. Each round will focus on a different theme. The theme of the first funding programme is Mid-Life Mental Health and is open to not-for-profit organisations, including social enterprises and community interest companies, based and operating within the UK. The Foundation sees the mid-life period (defined as ‘from the late 20s to early 50s’ as a time of increased challenges, responsibilities and pressures in their working lives, family lives and relationships. The funding is for projects that aim to support and improve people’s mental health at this ‘critical life-stage’. Small grants of up to £10,000, medium grants of up to £50,000 and large grants exceeding £50,000 are available for practical projects or initiatives which will have a direct impact on people’s health and wellbeing. Projects should clearly address the theme of mid-life mental health and focus on one of the following priority areas: • Prevention - equipping people with the skills they need to monitor, maintain and improve their own mental health. • Early intervention - enabling people to access effective support directly and as soon as they become aware of their needs. • Integration - addressing the link between physical and mental health. The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 4 September 2015. Full details on website
GC Gibson Charitable Trust Grants are available to small UK registered charities to provide benefit to the aged or the disadvantaged or disabled. The GC Gibson Charity offers grants to a wide range of charities. Priority for support is given to charities that the trustees have previously worked with; however, the trust adds few new charities each year. For these new applications, the charity focuses on a particular theme for projects that changes from year to year. In 2015, the Trust will provide eight grants of £4,000 to support capital equipment purchases or building refurbishment which provide benefit to the aged or the disadvantaged or disabled. UK registered charities are eligible to apply. Priority is given to smaller charities. The Trust is open to applications until a date in September when enough applications have been received. Full details on website
Hilden Charitable Fund The Hilden Charitable Fund makes grants to projects that address disadvantage. In particular, the Fund wants to support projects that address: • Homelessness • Supports asylum seekers and refugees • Support community based initiatives for disadvantaged young people 16 - 25 • Penal affairs The average grant awarded is £5,000 and preference is given to supporting small community organisations with an income of less than £500,000 per year. The Trust will consider funding project as well as core running costs of organisations. The closing date for applications is the Wednesday 09 September 2015. Full details on website
Inter Faith Youth Trust Grants are available for organisations involved in inter faith projects for young people that take place in the UK during Inter Faith Week. Grants of between £200 and £500 are awarded for proposals for inter faith activities by children and young people from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and other faiths and those of no formal faith in understanding and co-operation. The age range for young people is 11-25 years. Projects should take place during Inter Faith Week (15-21 November 2015). UK based organisations are eligible to apply. Priority will be given to non-statutory organisations. Full details on website Joseph Rowntree Foundation New calls have been issued as part of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s Poverty and Ethnicity Programme. In Spring 2011, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) launched a five-year programme across the UK to increase understanding of the relationship between poverty and ethnicity with the intention of using the findings to develop more effective ways of tackling poverty across all ethnic groups in the UK. Now in its third phase, the JRF is preparing to develop an Anti-Poverty Strategy for the UK. As part of this Programme, it has launched the following four new calls: The Relationship Between Poverty and Stress, Low Level Anxiety and Depression Across the Life-Course This call is for proposals to carry out a multi-disciplinary evidence review of the relationship between poverty and stress, low level anxiety and depression across the life-course. The key questions to be addressed are: Does poverty cause stress, low level anxiety and depression? Do stress, low level anxiety and depression cause poverty? Projects should run for 6 months on a budget of £30,000, including VAT and expenses. The deadline for applications is 6 October 2015 (11:59pm).
Community-Led Approaches to Reducing Poverty: A Review Of International Development Evidence And Practice This is an open call for proposals to undertake a review of community led approaches to reducing poverty in neighbourhoods. International development seeks to implement long-term solutions to problems by working with developing countries to create the capacity needed to provide such sustainable solutions, and it is hoped techniques can be learnt from these models to replicate in the UK. A £20,000 project budget, including VAT and expenses, is available for one project only for four months. The deadline for applications is 22 September 2015 (11:59pm). Full details on website
Legacy 2014 Physical Activity Fund The £800,000 Legacy 2014 Physical Activity Fund aims to reach those people who are classed as physically inactive - meaning they do less than 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. The Fund is funded by the Scottish Government and will be managed by Spirit of 2012. Under the scheme, grants up to £70,000 will be available for projects that work to encourage physical activity in local communities in Scotland. Grants are only open to projects that are part of a Physical Activity Strategy group of a Community Planning Partnership (CPP). These are partnerships that bring public agencies together with the community to plan and deliver services. Applications must be endorsed by the relevant CPP with only one application from each CPP accepted. Projects will be supported between September 2015 and September 2016. Full details on website
Starbucks Youth Action Starbucks Youth Action aims to inspire and support 16 to 24 year olds who want to make a positive impact in their community. Its goal in 2015 is to engage 50,000 young people, who will in turn innovate, take action and inspire 100,000 individuals in their communities. Young people in England, Scotland and Wales aged between 16 and 24 years who are not in education or employment can apply. Two young people need to lead the project and engage a further 50 young people throughout the course of the project. The young people will need to have a youth worker/training organisation able to support them throughout the project. Although the programme is primarily focused on young people not in education or employment; strong applications from other applicants will be considered. This year, the Starbucks Youth Action has become a rolling programme running with monthly deadlines from August 2015. Applications can be made at any time from July 2015 until February 2016. Full details on website The Bank of Scotland Foundation The aim of the Foundations grant making is to support projects that improve and develop local communities and promote financial literacy and financial inclusion. The types of projects supported include initiatives designed to encourage the involvement in the community of those too often excluded. The programme works with people on low incomes, at risk from poverty or with problems finding accommodation; improving the standards of local facilities; promoting financial awareness and money advice; enhancing debt counselling services within the community; and Supporting life-skills in all age groups and sections of the community. Applications can only be accepted from charities registered in Scotland. The Bank of Scotland Foundation has announced that the next closing date for its small and medium grant making programmes is Monday 12 October 2015. Full details on website
Next TSF Bulletin The next edition of TSF Bulletin will be out on Wednesday 30th September 2015. To submit any news items or community events, contact us no later than Wednesday 23rd Septmeber 2015 for submission into the next bulletin. For more information about any of the above or if you would like to include anything in the next TSF Bulletin email Lesley. To unsubscribe, click here.
Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire Registered Address: underCOVER, 56 Kelburn Street, Barrhead, G78 1LR Scottish Charity: SC028103 Company Registered in Scotland: 187421 Tel: 0141 876 9555 Email: reception@va-er.org.uk Web: www.va-er.org.uk