Tell Us More! That was the overwhelming response from participants at our successful ThinkSpace event on 18th April: ‘Welfare Reform: A Right State?’
A core purpose of that event was to hear first-hand what our Third Sector colleagues in Edinburgh want EVOC, the Volunteer Centre Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network (Edinburgh’s Third Sector Interface) to do. And the message came back loud and clear – the Sector wants to be better informed, and you want to be better connected.
One way we hope to help our Third Sector colleagues is by running a series of single-issue briefing-and-discussion sessions with a slew of experts. (And what a series we’ve got for you – read on for details.)
Series One will run from 28 June to 19 July. We hope to run further series as we can. The sessions will run for an hour on consecutive Fridays – with a 20-30min input from an expert, followed by a 20-30min q&a/discussion session. We will run these from 8.30 – 9.30 am, at EVOC, as below. That’s why we’re calling Series One ‘Experts at Breakfast.’
On 28 June Bill Scott, of Inclusion Scotland, will speak about the key changes affecting people with disabilities (and their families and carers.) Bill, will present the key facts; help signpost people to further information; and answer questions you are bound to have.
5 July sees Jon Shaw play the part of our ‘Expert at Breakfast.’ Jon, from Child Poverty Action Group Scotland, will take people on a quick walk through the key changes affecting families with children; point out how Welfare Reform changes will impact on the drive (we haven’t abandoned it yet, have we?) to eradicate UK Child Poverty by 2020; and let people know where they can get more information.
SCVO’s Lynn Williams joins us on 12 July where she’ll share with us the national perspective – particularly sharing with us highlights of two separate national initiatives: SCVO’s Welfare Reform Mapping Report and the work of the Scottish Government’s Expert Group on Welfare. Our aim is that people leave the session better informed than when they came in, aware of new links they could make to improve their work with vulnerable people, and enthused with new energy to keep making a difference under increasingly trying circumstances.
Citizens’ Advice Edinburgh’s Moira Tasker joins us on 19 July to tell the story of the work her agency is doing to keep people advised, informed, and supported as Welfare Reform changes start impacting on huge chunks of Scottish society. Expect to hear it like it really is. And expect some critical thoughts on what we can do in these difficult times. Factual, practical, positive.
Places are FREE, but Booking is Essential – and it couldn’t be simpler: just email Dianne with your details, saying which of the sessions you’d like to attend.
If there’s anything we can help with, please don’t hesitate to contact Dianne or Milind. We’re looking forward to seeing you at EVOC soon.
Leave a Reply