E-bulletin May 2015
Inside:
Third Sector Forum
VA Academy - Love Social Media VAER is saying goodbye to Peter McGhee Articles
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Community Language Teaching Organisation
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Government Consults on Charging Empty Business Properties
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Healthy Start
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LEADER Questionnaire
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Seniors Together Day Out
Resources
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East Renfrewshire Small Grants Trust
Events
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I Walk! To Meet New People
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Norwood Care Home Open Day!
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Parent Carers Getting Connected!
Find Us on
Website
Inside:
Events
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Parents Group
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Refugee Ferstival Scotland
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Spring Festival of Colours
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Voluntary Action Digital Lunch
Public Contracts & Funding
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Social Enterprise Census Scotland 2015
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Public Contract Notice
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Funding
Third Sector Forum The TSF facilitates biannual forum meetings held in June and January each year. Along with these biannual forum meetings we have developed VA Academy to keep you updated and connected. A ‘flexible programme’ of smaller issue based meetings will also be held as required.
VA Academy - Love Social Media Thinking about getting started on social media? Not sure how to go about it? Learn how to make social media work for your organisation at the second of our bite-size VA Academy sessions. We will introduce you to areas of social media relevant to the third sector. The session will cover choosing the right platforms, creating engaging content and monitoring your social media activity. Date: Time: Venue:
Wednesday, 24 June 2015 12-1.30PM underCOVER, 56 Kelburn St., Barrhead, G78 1LR
VA Academy is a monthly bite-size training academy, offering targeted information and update sessions lasting no more than 1 ½ hrs. It’s a unique opportunity to learn new skills whilst networking with other groups and organisations in East Renfrewshire. Please feel free to bring your lunch. Future VA Academy sessions will also cover: ‘Intro To Volunteer Management’, ‘Tomorrows Volunteers Today – Youth volunteering Myth Buster’, ‘Bag of bus tickets – book keeping systems for the terrified’. Full dates will be announced soon. Please book your place via our Eventbrite page: Book Your Place Or alternatively email: admin@va-er.org.uk or call 0141 876 9555
VAER Is Saying Goodbye to Peter McGhee VAER is saying goodbye to Peter McGhee, our Organisational Development worker. Peter joined us in May 2011 initially as part of the Rural Leader project where his skills and knowledge of working with community groups contributed enormously to the project’s success. Upon completion of this he continued on in VAER in an extended role building the capacity of local groups and organisations while also developing and supporting extremely successful initiatives including Get Connected and The Craft Group. Peter leaves us to join Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire were other communities will continue to benefit from his huge range of skills while enabling him to work closer to home. VAER wish him all the very best in his new role.
Community Language Teaching Organisation We are delighted to announce that CLTO Community Language Teaching Organisation, has, with VAER support, been awarded charitable status. Group founder Zarina khand first met with one of our Development Officers in October, looking for assistance with establishing a new charity to provide support for students to sit examinations in Urdu. We supported the organisation in developing a constitution, forming a board of trustees and drafting their application to OSCR. As well as drafting policies and procedures for their trustees They were officially successful in gaining charitable status on 27 March 2015.
Government Consults on Charging Empty Business Properties Property owners and businesses are being asked their views on plans to introduce water, drainage and sewerage charges for owners of empty business properties. At the moment, owners of these empty properties pay no water, sewerage or drainage charges and the cost of service provision is met by other customers. The new money raised will be used to limit future increases for water charges to business customers across Scotland, ensuring better value and a fairer system. Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “The Scottish Government appreciates that businesses - just like families - face a squeeze on their budgets and we therefore want to make sure that the costs of doing business are kept as low as possible. “It is also important, to make the charging system fair for everyone, that all business properties should pay for the water, sewerage and drainage services they receive. All the additional money raised by removing the exemption on unoccupied business properties will be used to keep charges down for all business customers. We are keen to invite all those affected, especially property owners and business customers who are currently covering the cost of exemptions, to give us your feedback.� The consultation is open from 18th May to 10th August. The full consultation can be accessed Here
Healthy Start Healthy Start is a UK wide food and vitamin voucher scheme for families on low income. Families receiving Healthy Start vouchers now need to call 0345 607 6823 (rather than the 0845 number), to update details if they move, and when the baby is born. If families do not call the number with such changes in circumstances then they will stop receiving the vouchers. Calls to 0345 numbers from landlines are typically charged up to 9p per minute; calls from mobiles typically cost between 8p and 40p per minute. Calls from landlines and mobiles are included in free call packages. Families are advised to check with their service provider if they are unsure. This new number is not, therefore, the change we had hoped for, whereby families would be able to call in free. This will remain an obstacle for some families, and services will need to help support these families in calling the helpline. There is also a short five minute video on the website Here with accounts of people who have been involved in Healthy Start (now subtitled into Polish) and on the Facebook page.
LEADER Questionnaire LEADER is a European funding programme focused on local development in rural areas. There will be a new LEADER Programme in Scotland during for the period 2015-2020. Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde are working together to secure LEADER funding for the rural area and to develop a plan for the distribution of funds. Please click on the link below and complete the short questionnaire to share your views on how the funds should be used and what type of projects they should support. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DFG9W9Z
Seniors Together Day Out Seniors Together had a day out to the Burrell on Monday 19th May 2015 Everyone had a great day in spite of the lashing rain and getting wet boarding and alighting the bus in the morning. Malcom the tour guide was fantastic; the tour was really enjoyable although the collection was so big that there was not enough time to view it all. A scrumptious lunch was supplied in the cafĂŠ area, the lemon drizzle cake went down really well. After lunch there was time for a wee wander round, most heading to the gift shop, one of the group really wanted to get something special for his wife, as he does not get out much on his own. He bought a soft toy and a beautiful parasol, with the assistance of one of the volunteers. He was so happy and told everyone how this was the best day out he has had in a very long time.
East Renfrewshire Small Grants Trust The East Renfrewshire Small Grants Trust is a newly established charitable trust whose objective is to promote health and well-being for all East Renfrewshire’s residents. 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 to unregistered bodies that have charitable purposes providing the donation is used to benefit the people of East Renfrewshire. For further details please visit our website: www.ersgt.co.uk Email: info@ersgt.co.uk or Call: 01418769555
I Walk! To Meet New People Whatever it is that you really want to do - get fitter, meet new people or just feel better today - walking is the easy way to a happier, healthier you! Stop wanting, start walking with us. Join us! A walk through the Glens at Rouken Glen Park Tuesdays from 19th May - 23rd June from 6.30pm for up to an hour. The meeting point is the outside the cafĂŠ at the Pond, Davieland Road. For more information pleace contact: Sine Delahunt - Walking Co-ordinator Call: 0141 577 8436 or Mobile: 07894 802 349
Norwood Care Home Open Day! Come and visit our home! Norwood Care Home is home to 54 residents. We are proud of our home and proud of our community. We would like to invite you to come and spend some time with us, meet our residents and staff and discover what our home is all about! On the 19th June 2015 please come and enjoy: • a raffle • live entertainment • and a chance to meet out residents and staff and hear their stories We will be open for visitors from 11am and will finish the day with a cream tea at 3pm. All ages welcome, so come and enjoy the day! We are part of your community… …and we want you to be a part of ours! Find us at: 39 Victoria Road, Barrhead, G78 1NQ. For more information visit: www.nationalcarehomeopenday.org.uk
Parent Carers Getting Connected! Are you a parent carer of a girl with Asperger’s living in East Renfrewshire? Would you like to meet up with others in the area doing the same? We’d like to invite you to come along to our very informal session, to have a chat with other parents, get some support,relax and have a drink (a soft one on us, others as you wish!). A member of staff from the Carers’ Centre and Louise from the Local Area Coordination Team will also be around on the night. At The Osprey (Back Room) Stewarton Rd , Newton Mearns On Wednesday 10th June 7-8.30pm We look forward to hearing from you! PLEASE CALL TO BOOK A PLACE! If you need alternative support for the person you care for, help with transport or have any barriers that prevent you from attending, please do not hesitate to discuss with staff at the centre. Tel: 0141 638 4888 or email: enquiries@eastrenfrewshirecarers.co.uk
Parents Group Are you a parent with young children living in Barrhead? Are you interested in setting up a group to meet other parents and their children? If you would like to know more about how to get help you, please contact: Kam Kaur Tel: 0141 577 3309 or Kellie Miller Tel: 0141 577 4648 or visit citizen space... http://getinvolved.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/
Refugee Festival Scotland Wednesday 3 – Sunday 21 June 2015 Refugee Festival Scotland is an annual celebration of the contribution refugees make to the richness and vibrancy of life in Scotland and the welcome offered by local people. Now in its fifteenth year, Refugee Festival Scotland is one of most exciting and vibrant events in Scotland’s cultural calendar. Packed with music, art, film, live performance, community led family events and more. To reflect the festival’s evolution from Refugee Week Scotland to ‘weeks’ and to mark Scottish Refugee Council’s 30th anniversary, we are thrilled to present ‘Refugee Festival Scotland’. We’ve extended the dates from Wednesday 3 – Sunday 21 June and curated strands of the programme to bring you a more exhilarating festival experience than ever before. Celebrate a diverse and welcoming Scotland The theme for Refugee Festival Scotland 2015 is ‘Celebrate’. We’re celebrating not only the contribution refugees make to the vibrancy of our communities and cultural life, but also Scotland as a place that offers protection to people fleeing conflict and persecution where can rebuild their lives in safety: something we can all be proud of. For more information about Refugee Festival Scotland 2015, contact Suzi Maciver, Arts & Cultural Development Officer Tel: 0141 248 9799 or E-mail: suzi.maciver@ scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk
Spring Festival of Colours Rouken Glen Park Monday 31st May 2015 12noon - 4pm Bring along a picnic and enjoy family activities This is an outdoor event for the whole family. Inculding Colour Play at 2.30pm. We advise Colour Play participants to wear old clothes, as colours may stain. www.roukenglenpark.co.uk
Voluntary Action Digital Lunch Come along to our next VA Digital Lunch Our first Digital Lunch was well attended by a range of third sector groups and organisations from East Renfrewshire. Attendees had a chance to network with one another as well as take part in a discussion around free available software that can help third sector groups reach out to service users, communicate with stakeholders and improve administration processes. It was encouraging to see the groups in attendance being so open and honest about the challenges they faced, their strengths and the opportunities that currently exist in the world of digital technology. Social Media was largely discussed as a means of reaching out to service users with other software platforms being the focus when discussing day to day tasks. The next VA Digital Lunch will be held on Tuesday 23rd June 1pm – 2.30pm at: underCOVER, 56 Kelburn Street, Barrhead G78 1LR. We hope that by joining us you will discover new ways that digital technology can assist in the smooth operation and administration of your group or organisation; increase communication with your service users and find out about free and low cost software. Places are limited, so booking is essential. To book your place please contact us at admin@va-er.org.uk or call Julie on 0141 876 9555.
Social Enterprise Census Scotland 2015 A consortium of support bodies and government agencies have come together to launch a high profile and ambitious study. This large scale Social Enterprise Census will take an official count of the entire population of non-profit distributing organisations that are carrying out some level of trading for the good of Scotland. The findings will be made widely available to ensure that this type of enterprising activity is better understood and better supported, and its contribution evident to all. Is your organisation trading for the benefit of others? If you can answer ‘yes’ to all or the majority of the following questions then they want to hear from you: • Does your organisation have social or environmental goals? • Are you operating independently of the public sector? • Are you earning some level of income from delivering contracts or selling goods/services? • Do you aspire to greater financial independence through earned income (not reliant on grants)? • Do you reinvest your profits and retain assets entirely in pursuit of your social or environmental goals? You can take the survey, and get more information, by clicking on this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SECensus
Public Contracts Notice Ref: MAY208961 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: City Deal Employability Services for Inverclyde Published: 18/05/2015 Published by: Inverclyde Council Deadline: 08/06/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: MAY208978 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: P16-0020 Co-Investment Partners for The Scottish Co-Investment Fund (III) Published: 18/05/2015 Published by: Scottish Enterprise Deadline: 08/06/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: MAY208649 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Provision of Business Engagement Partner(s) Framework Published: 14/05/2015 Published by: East Renfrewshire Council Deadline: 15/06/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: MAY208650 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Transport for Pupils with Additional Support Needs 2015-2018 Published: 14/05/2015 Published by: North Lanarkshire Council Deadline: 10/07/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: MAY208510 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Provision of Printing, Binding, Enveloping and Mailing Services Published: 13/05/2015 Published by: Inverclyde Council Deadline: 11/06/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: MAY208060 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: P15-0194 Business Excellence Academy Framework Published: 08/05/2015 Published by: Scottish Enterprise Deadline: 22/06/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: MAY207761 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: West of Scotland Housing Association Consultants Framework Published: 05/05/2015 Published by: West of Scotland Housing Association Ltd Deadline: 12/06/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: MAY207467 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Shawfield Phase 2 - Full Project Management and Design Team Services Published: 01/05/2015 Published by: Clyde Gateway URC Ltd Deadline: 01/06/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: APR207129 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Development of a Digital Strategy Published: 28/04/2015 Published by: Dumfries & Galloway Housing Partnership Ltd. Deadline: 01/06/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: APR207181 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Provision of Asset Based Community & Stakeholders Engagement Services Published: 28/04/2015 Published by: NHS Grampian Deadline: 09/06/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: MAY208902 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: 3RR001-002: Revolve. Visual Merchandising and Retail Audit. Published: 18/05/2015 Published by: Zero Waste Scotland Ltd Deadline: 05/06/2015 Full Text: Here
Ref: MAY208974 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Brief for consultant to carry out a wind pre-feasibility study at Midcross/Trust hill Published: 18/05/2015 Published by: East Kilbride Community Trust Deadline: 01/06/2015 Full Text: Here
Funding Clore Social Leadership Programme The Clore Social Leadership Programme (CSLP) offers fully-funded Fellowships tailored to meet the individual development needs of aspiring leaders in the social sector. Fellows attend residential courses, have coaching and a mentor, undertake a secondment, a 360 review and a practice-based research project, and take part in action learning sets. There are two funding options: Option one is to stay in employment and to undertake the Fellowship part-time. The applicant’s employer will be eligible to apply for a bursary to help provide cover for time spent focusing on the Fellowship up to a maximum amount of £15,000. Option two is to undertake the Fellowship full-time while not in employment, or parttime while self-employed. The applicant will receive the bursary directly. The applicant will normally be eligible for a total bursary of up to £20,000, no matter how long the Fellowship takes. Individuals who have ambition to lead social change in their communities, organisations and the world around them are eligible to apply. Deadline 25th June 2015 (midday). Full details here Community Paths Grant The Community Paths Grant fund 2015 is for projects and community groups who can develop and improve the quality of local paths and local volunteering opportunities. Our • • • • •
grant can help projects: Improve links to amenities within a community Carry out path maintenance Increase awareness of paths within a community Improve a path so it can be used by all types of users Improve path signage
Who can apply? Constituted groups, Community Councils, Development Trusts, community woodlands and health walking projects working in Scotland can apply for this funding. Full details here
Help the Homeless small grants Help The Homeless provides small grants up to £5,000 for capital costs to small and medium-sized registered charities (those with an annual turnover of under £1m). All applications must be for projects that help people return to mainstream society, rather than simply offer shelter or other forms of sustenance. The next deadline is 15th June 2015. Full details here HLF - Parks for People Not-for-profit organisations in the UK have until 1 September to apply for a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant to revitalise an historic public park or cemetery. Parks for People funding helps to conserve the heritage that makes both historic parks and cemeteries special and it gives local people a say in how they are managed in the future. Projects improve people’s wellbeing and knowledge of their area, and make communities better places to live, work and visit. Applicants need to show that the local community values the park or cemetery as part of their heritage, and that they are already actively involved in its management. Not-for-profit organisations and partnerships led by not-for-profit organisations can apply including local authorities, charities, trusts, community interest companies, social enterprises, parish councils, voluntary organisations and community groups. Grants of between £100,000 and £5 million are available. Full details here Law Society Charity fund The Law Society Charity supports organisations whose work is related to the law and the legal profession, and whose activities would be likely to benefit from funds made available on behalf of solicitors. Grants are normally in the range £5,000 - £15,000. Projects should promote: • • •
human rights access to justice legal education
Next deadline is Friday 5th June 2015. Full details here
02 Think Big A scheme for individual young people, but one it would be useful for community groups to know about - Think Big aims to inspire, support and enable young people (13-25 year olds) with great ideas; so they can have an impact on society while getting the hands on experience and skills they need to thrive in today’s digital world. Young people can access funding, up to £300 initially, as well as training and support. Projects have to help the community or tackle a problem with society. Deadline is 10th June 2015. More details (mainly on video) here Mars Milk Play Fund Mars Milk, a popular sports drink, will be donating a £1,000 cash award to a sports individual, club or project in need of extra funding every month up to September. At the end of each, the entry that receives the most votes will receive the £1,000 award, and every week a panel of judges will award two applicants a grant of £300. Register here The Weir Charitable Trust We support services/projects, run by Scottish-based community groups and small charities ( income under £100,000), in the following qualifying categories that address any aspect of the following purposes: Sport: encouraging and increasing public participation in sport (activities which involve physical skill and exertion) Recreational facilities: the provision or organisation of recreational facilities (buildings, pitches or similar) with the aim of improving the conditions of life for the people for whom the facilities are primarily intended. This is only in relation to facilities which are primarily intended for people who need them due to age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage. Animal welfare: for the advancement of animal welfare Health: the advancement of health, including prevention or relief of sickness, disease or human suffering Culture: supporting the heritage - tangible or otherwise - of Scotland, through projects that encourage participation in and preservation of Scotland’s distinctive culture. Full details here
Next TSF Bulletin The next edition of TSF Bulletin will be out on Tuesday 30th June 2015. To submit any news items or community events, contact us no later than Monday 22nd June 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 Linda. 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