EVOLVE is a new employability programme currently being delivered by West Lothian Council, Supported Employment Service and we are looking for Covid safe work experience opportunities within the Voluntary sector. Both provider and participant will have the support of an experienced employment advisor during the placement.  Interested then email: supportedemployment@westlothian.gov.uk or call 07917 814 440 for more information.​

The Robertson Trust have launched their new strategy for the next ten years. It focuses on tackling poverty and trauma in Scotland and the impact this has on the physical, mental and material wellbeing of individuals, families and communities.

The Trust want to fund those who are helping communities affected by poverty and trauma with a focus on early intervention, and support capacity, skills and capability in the organisations they fund. Finally, they want to share knowledge and understanding around poverty and trauma, their causes, consequences and potential solutions.

Read the Strategy 2020-2030

What does this mean for funding?

You can read an update on what the new strategy means for their funds here. The plans include offering more core and unrestricted funding, longer-term funding of up to five years, removing closing dates and less emphasis on match-funding.

Applications for their five new funds will open on Wednesday 30 September 2020, they are:
Wee Grants – Revenue and capital funding of up to £2,000 for constituted community groups and small charities with an annual income of under £25,000.

Small Grants – Revenue funding of between £2,500 and £15,000 for up to five years for registered charities with an annual income of between £25,000 and £100,000.

Large Grants – Unrestricted or restricted revenue funding of between £15,000 and £50,000 per year, for up to five years for registered charities with an annual income of between £100,000 and £2 million.

Community Vehicle Grants – Capital funding of £1,000 to £10,000 for a vehicle to support the work of charities with an annual income of between £25,000 and £2 million.

Community Building Grants – Capital funding of £2,000 to £75,000 towards a community facility where your work is based to support the work of charities with an annual income of between £25,000 and £2 million.

​This year, as part of Challenge Poverty Week, we will be hosting a webinar designed to raise awareness of the services available to help and support people experiencing poverty in West Lothian. A series of presentations and a live Q&A will give attendees the opportunity to find out about:

• A brand new financial toolkit, designed to act as a desk aid for professionals to help your clients access the best support for their circumstances
• Information on grants and one off payments to help households struggling through hard times
• The Fast Online Referral Tracking system (FORT), a powerful tool to help you make effective referrals for your clients with ease
• How to frame the way we speak about poverty and its impact to help your clients better engage with support services

Webinar Details
Date: 08/10/2020
Time: 10.30am – 11.45am
How to book: https://breakingchainswebinar.eventbrite.co.uk
There are 30 spaces available for this session and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Community groups and organisations can help shape a fairer recovery after coronavirus by submitting ideas to the Social Renewal Advisory Board.

This is an invitation for you to tell the board what needs to change to bring about a Fairer Scotland in the future, based on your learning from the COVID pandemic.
Your ideas could focus on one of the themes discussed by the board: housing and place, work, income, public services, and attitudes and discrimination. Or on something else you think is important.
We expect that some ideas will be for the Scottish Government to take up. But you might also have other suggestions for local government, business, employers, the UK Government, providers of services, or the third sector (voluntary groups).
Any organisation should feel free to send in ideas. We would particularly like to hear from groups working with people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or those with lived experience of the issues. All experience is valuable.

​Small Ideas Big Impact Virtual Showcase  
 
As part of Malnutrition Awareness Week, Eat Well Age Well are showcasing some of the great community work which has taken place because of our Small Ideas Big Impact Fund.
 
Come and join us to find out more about some of the projects we have funded, what impact the projects have had on supporting older people to Eat Well, Age Well and Live Well and share good practice with colleagues across Scotland.

Citizens Advice Bureau West Lothian are operating a new project across West Lothian (and other areas): -
 
The Gambling Support Service started as a pilot project during 2015 in Newport, Wales and has now expanded to 12 'hubs' across England and Wales.   From April 2020 it is being delivered in Scotland and we are one of the delivering Bureau.
 
The aim of the project was to minimise gambling harms and further understand the prevalence of gambling harms throughout the population.
 
The key aims of the service are: 
 

• Increase awareness of gambling harms

• Deliver training to advisers to help recognise those at risk of or experiencing gambling harms, including affected others, such as partners and family

• Support clients, experiencing gambling harms, through a referral process to specialist treatment and support services 

 
They are offering a series of FREE training session to raise awareness of the project, the impacts of gambling which will include ongoing support available for clients.  This training will be useful for a number of organisations working within our sector.
 
The training sessions will be via zoom and we can be flexible with days and times.  If you are interested in learning more or booking a session get in direct contact with their Regional support worker: -
 
Ryan Kay
Ryan.Kay@CABWestLothian.casonline.org.uk
01506 444814

Diabetes UK Learning Zone:  An Introduction
7pm, Wednesday 30 September 2020
Join us with Diabetes UK Senior Clinical Advisor, Karen Davies, to learn about our Learning Zone platform.  This website has information, learning modules and guidance for people living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and also parents and carers.  This session will introduce you to the Learning Zone and how to use it to support your self-management. 

Health and Social care – reflections on Covid-19​

The Health and Social Care Strategic planning Group recently held a session reflecting on Covid-19.

The document below captures the key themes.

​Notice of funding news - Monday 21 September

Community & Third Sector Recovery Programme
The Community & Third Sector Recovery Programme is a £25m Scottish Government funded programme aiming to support charities, community groups, social enterprises and voluntary organisations that are supporting people and communities through the shift from lockdown to recovery. As well as providing ongoing crisis support, they will be planning and implementing changes to adapt and thrive in a very different social and economic climate. The Community & Third Sector Recovery Programme has two strands:

Adapt and Thrive
The programme aims to support organisational change. It offers tailored support and funding to develop a plan so third sector organisations can operate sustainably post-COVID. You can find more information about Adapt and Thrive on the SCVO website, and daily Information Webinars are also available.

Communities Recovery Fund
​The fund aims to support the delivery of services in communities that were suspended or reduced because of COVID, or the creation of new services that tackle new challenges presented by COVID. More information about this fund will be available on the SCVO website on or before Friday 18 September.

Both strands will open for applications on Monday 21 September, and will each use an integrated system so, if required, a request can be made to both programmes using a single application form.