Covid-19 & 3rd Sector Update 07/03/2022
UKRAINE
LOCAL & NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
SERVICE UPDATES
HR
FUNDING
TRAINING & EVENTS
RESEARCH & BLOGS
UKRAINE
The Disasters Emergency Committee brings together 15 leading UK aid charities, raising funds to quickly and effectively respond to overseas disasters. At Ukraine’s borders with Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova, huge numbers of people are arriving with only what they can carry. DEC charities and their local partners are in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries providing food, water, shelter and medical assistance. The UK Government will match pound-for-pound up to £20 million donated by the public to this appeal DEC UKRAINE APPEAL
LOCAL & NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
Census: You may by now have received your letter from the census with an Internet Access Code which will allow you to fill in your census return online. Census day is Sunday 20 March but you can fill in the questionnaire as soon as you receive the letter. Some key things to remember:
Every householder in Scotland must complete the census questionnaire. You may be prosecuted if you do not, or if you give false information. Please ensure that your clients are primed for the letter arriving, and realise the importance of completing it.
Any member of the household aged 16 or over can use an individual questionnaire to provide answers in private. www.census.gov.scot/individual or call the helpline free on 0800 030 8308
For the first time the census is being completed online. However, we anticipate that some people may struggle with this. Please let clients know that they can still request a paper copy if they would prefer to respond that way at either www.census.gov.scot/paper or call the helpline free on 0800 030 8308.
We realise some members of our communities will require support to fill in their form, either digitally or paper form, so we are opening our doors at 56 High Street, Tranent to anyone who requires a helping hand.
Pop in and see us on;Tuesday 8th March, between 2pm - 5pm.
Tuesday 15th March, between 10am - 12pm.
Our staff will be on hand to guide you through the process.
Vaccine: Second booster jabs will be offered to those aged 75 and over and those at highest risk of severe COVID-19 disease following the latest Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice. To protect those groups a spring booster dose will be offered at least 24 weeks after the last vaccine dose to: adults aged 75 years and over; residents in care homes for older adults; individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed. MORE INFO
COVID Economic Recovery Fund: A new £80 million Covid Economic Recovery Fund targeting support for businesses and communities will help Scotland as it moves to a new phase in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.Councils will have the flexibility to target support either using existing schemes like Scotland Loves Local, Business Improvement Districts or place based investment programmes, or individual local authority grant schemes. Councils will also to able to use the funding to support low income households. MORE INFO
SERVICE UPDATES
War On Wipes: Scotland is being urged to bin all wipes – and ban wipes containing plastic - in a major new campaign to help protect the environment. Scottish Water is asking the public to join forces to avoid sewer blockages, flooding, and pollution by consigning wipes to the bin. Nature Calls - yourwateryourlife.co.uk
HR
Home/hybrid working: ACAS guidance on responding to requests for home and hybrid working has been updated. HOME/HYBRID WORKING
FUNDING
North Berwick Trust - Local Grants The fund is available for organisations who operate within North Berwick or residents in need. The Trust currently awards around £250,000 in grants through its bi-annual grants rounds. The next grants round will be open for general grant applications from Wednesday 30th March 2022 at 12 noon. Applications are welcome from North Berwick organisations, charities and individuals. Grants of up to £30,000 are available for projects and initiatives that deliver against the Trust’s funding themes. Grants are available up to £30,000. Grants and Funding | North Berwick Trust
No Smoking Day is on Wednesday 9 March. The theme is Quit Your Way, the aim being to celebrate the achievements of those who have successfully quit smoking, and to encourage current smokers to consider quitting for the benefit of their mental and physical health. ASH Scotland have produced a social media resource pack to help raise awareness of the day. The pack contains ready made No Smoking Day assets for social media that can be used by you, or your organisation, on the day (sized for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). You can download the pack along with other resources at www.ashscotland.org.uk/nosmokingday. If your organisation would like help to improve people's health and wellbeing by addressing smoking, you can apply for a small grant of £500 and access to a package of support and resources at www.ashscotland.org.uk/smallgrants.
TRAINING & EVENTS
Sexual Violence and the Justice Process: Wednesday 16th March 2022 9:30am - 12 noon Via MS Teams. Participants will develop an understanding of the criminal and civil justice responses to sexual violence including an understanding of consent under the law. They will also learn about how Police and court processes work where perpetrators are adults. They will gain an insight into the challenges faced by survivors who report and learn about Rape Crisis criminal justice advocacy services. This training is aimed at anyone working in East Lothian or Midlothian, who may come into contact with survivors of sexual violence who have reported or are thinking about reporting sexual violence crimes to the Police or want to further their knowledge of the criminal justice process around these crimes. You must download the form to your computer before filling it in otherwise the next person who opens the link will see your details. BOOKING
Outside the Box Development Support - Exploring community models for activities and support: Join us in a discussion for people, groups and organisations in East Lothian who are interested in different ways to offer activities and support. We will think about what helps us stay in our communities and what helps us live a good life?. EVENTBRITE
East Lothian Health & Social Care Partnership - Carers' Big Day Out: ELHSCP are hosting an event for unpaid carers at John Muir Aplacas Trekking Experience near Dunbar on Friday 18th March 2022. There are two mini trek sessions, one at 11:30 am and one at 12 noon. Participants have to arrive 30 minutes before their trek is due to start. ELHSCP can help with transport to and from the venue if required. The mini trek sessions will be followed by a light lunch (tea, coffee, filled rolls etc) in the teepee on site.
To book your place, please contact Jane Odgen-Smith at jogden-smith@eastlothian.gov.uk or on 07703 191 218. They only have 30 places available so please book as soon as possible.
Untangling the Knots Online Course with Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution.
COURSE 1 DATES - 19th April (10:00 - 11:00), 20th April, 27th April and 4th May (all 10:00 - 12:30). You must attend all 4 sessions.
COURSE 2 DATES - 20th June (10:00 - 11:00) , 22nd June, 29th June and 6th July (all 10:00 - 12:30). You must attend all 4 sessions.
To register your interest for a space or for any further questions please email sccr@cyrenians.scot. Please put in your email which course dates you’d be interested in attending. Online Untangling the Knots Flyer 2022
RESEARCH & BLOGS
CLD Standards Council is undertaking a review to ensure that digital skills, knowledge and competence is embedded and visible across our Competent Practitioner Framework. We want to hear your views on this and as well as the opportunity to complete an online survey in April, we’re hosting a range of online focus groups during March. These sessions are targeted at CLD practitioners (staff and volunteers across all areas of delivery) and the dates and registration link are below:
Friday 18 March 2022 2-3.30pm
Monday 21 March 2022 1-2.30m
Monday 21 March 2022 4-5.30pm
Thursday 24 March 2022 6-7.30pm
Monday 28 March 2022 1-2.30pm
Visit our Eventbrite page to register and choose the time and date you want.
East Lothian Council - Short Term Let Control Areas: New legislation has been brought in by the Scottish Government allowing local authorities to set up Control Areas for Short Term Lets. Prior to considering whether this is a necessary approach in East Lothian, the Planning Service is undertaking an 8-week period of public consultation to gather views and opinions on the Short Term Letting sector in East Lothian, and whether there is a need for a Control Areas or not. The results of the consultation will help to inform future Council decisions on the issue.
The consultation is being advertised through social media and is on the Councils consultation hub. The consultation is also being advertised through relevant housing and business contacts.
Closing Date: 11th April 2022
Short Term Let Control Areas - East Lothian Council - Citizen Space (eastlothianconsultations.co.uk)
Police Scotland - Your Police Survey: Understanding the views and priorities of Scotland's diverse communities has played a vital role in shaping our response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Public feedback has driven positive changes to operational policing across Scotland during the most challenging of times.
Closing Date: 31st March 2022
https://consult.scotland.police.uk/surveys/your-police-2021-2022/
Scottish Women's Budget Group - Women's Survey: Asking women about their priorities for local government, as well as their experiences of childcare and social care, and provide a space for them to share other priorities they think need to be considered by decision makers across Scotland. The information provided in developing campaigns, in particular key asks ahead of the local government elections in May, to highlight issues affecting women in the media, through government consultation responses and as part of training.
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/GK416A/
The Scottish Women’s Budget Group is launching their first women’s survey to help us understand women’s public spending priorities ahead of the local elections in May. They’re asking women about their priorities for local government, as well as their experiences of childcare and social care, and provide a space for them to share other priorities they think need to be considered by decision makers across Scotland. They’ll be using the information provided in developing campaigns, in particular our key asks ahead of the local government elections in May, to highlight issues affecting women in the media, through government consultation responses and as part of their training. They are offering a £25 voucher to 5 people who complete the survey, this will be selected at random. The Link for the Women’s Survey is https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/GK416A/
