​Scottish Government is seeking comments on the draft framework for Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Supports and Services by Monday 18th November 2019.

The Programme Board has asked all representatives on the board to circulate the draft framework to wider networks to secure feedback on the opportunities and key challenges associated with how this framework is interpreted locally. 
SCVO has set up a short response form for voluntary sector organisations to contribute their thoughts on the draft framework, which aims to set out a clear broad national approach for the support that children and young people should be able to access, as well as assist local partnerships with the commissioning and establishment of new local community mental health and wellbeing supports or services or the development of existing supports or services.
 
All responses to our form received by Monday 18th November 2019 will feed into the evidence submitted in support of SCVO's representatives on the Programme Board.

Inspiralba is a Social Enterprise based in Argyll. We have been funded by the Scottish Government to develop a Rural Social Enterprise Hub to learn from the rural experience to inform policy and better understand opportunities to use digital tools to connect rural social enterprises. 
More info on the Rural Social Enterprise Hub here. 

This recognises the significance of social enterprise in the rural context - with 33% of all Scotland’s social enterprises in rural areas but only 17% of the population (2019 Social Enterprise Census) as well as the challenges of working across remote geographies.

“Social enterprises are a vital part of our community and economy. They have a distinctive character and often play a role in preserving vital services such as community shops and transport, and creating employment opportunities.” - Aileen Campbell Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government.

We are at the early stages and would welcome your feedback on specific needs and areas of interest as well as how digital tools could assist you to network and engage with other rural social enterprises.  This will allow us to prioritise how we focus our resources.

​Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill
The Local Government and Communities Committee has launched a Call for Views.
 
Key aspects of the Bill are to:

• place a duty on Scottish Ministers to ensure that period products are made available free of charge on a universal basis;
• require education providers to make period products available free of charge in on-site toilets; and
• enable Scottish Ministers to place a duty on other specified public service bodies to provide free period products.

 
We would welcome feedback from the wider community, particularly the individuals impacted and organisations involved in distribution. We are aware that the scheme has already been partly launched but would welcome feedback on how it is currently working. Deadline 5 November.
 
Further information is here