The TSI Scotland Network is made up of 32 Third Sector Interfaces (TSI) one in every local authority area, and they have come together to produce a manifesto ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections in 2021.  In West Lothian, VSGWL is your TSI. The Manifesto outlines what we feel needs to change in order to tackle inequality, including an enhanced role for the Third Sector, the implementation of place-based approaches, volunteering and empowerment, and a fairer wellbeing society.
 
This Manifesto for Change makes clear the critical role that community-led work plays in the lives of nearly everybody in society – never more clearly demonstrated than during last six months where organisations and volunteers have stepped up to support with the effects of COVID-19.  It calls for politicians of all parties to take the opportunity to build a better society as we recover from the pandemic and is based around investment in the third sector as a critical partner under five key areas: place, community, connection, volunteering and fair work.

The Larder is a Third Sector Training Provider in West Lothian offering a range of training and employability programmes for disadvantaged young people and adults.  Like most training providers we face many new challenges in addition to ones that were there prior to Covid.  During the past 7 months we have been focussing on how we develop blended learning opportunities for our students whilst ensuring that the organisation is resilient and sustainable.
 
We now know that the impact of Covid will be long term and that the Third Sector has a crucial part to play in the economic and social recovery of our communities.
 
Unemployment in West Lothian is predicted to be over 13% by January 2021.  All Third Sector Training Providers have a pivotal role to play in addressing this and finding solutions that are needs led and support the most disadvantaged to meet their full potential.
 
With all of this in mind, we at The Larder thought it important that we bring Third Sector Training Providers together to explore how we can better collaborate to deliver better outcomes for our existing and future students.  We would be delighted if you could join us on Wednesday 11th November 2020 from 10 am to 12 pm, via zoom.  We have drafted an agenda for your consideration:
 

• Welcome and introductions – Angela Moohan, CEO, The Larder
• Scottish Employability Landscape – Jayne Chappell – SENSCOT Employability Network
• Local landscape - economic and labour market update – Clare Stewart, WLC Employability Manager
• The purpose of a forum – Terms of reference - ALL
• Sharing information - Gaps and opportunities - ALL
• Next Steps - ALL

 
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you think we should invite someone else, add or remove something from the agenda and would like to discuss any of the content in this e-mail further.
 
If you would like to attend please e-mail angela@thelarder.org or give her a call on 07861449259.
 
A zoom link will be sent prior to the meeting.

The Scottish Government is seeking your views on the revised National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland which will replace the current National Guidance published in 2014. The revision has involved consultation and collaboration with a wide range of partners to consider and reflect the range of legislative, policy and practice developments.  We would like to hear your views on the tone, level of detail and approach in the revised guidance, in particular in relation to the description of new or significant aspects, and whether there are any omissions or issues that have not been adequately addressed.

Consultation responses will be analysed and views will inform the final content of the revised National Guidance, and future developments in child protection improvement work more generally. The final revised National Guidance will be published online in spring 2021. The consultation is open now and will close on Sunday 17 January 2021.
 
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your response, please email ChildProtectionConsultation@gov.scot.