- EVOC

A New ERA For Edinburgh Recovery Activities

21 April 2021 By Esther Currie Leave a Comment

A guest blog by the team at Edinburgh Recovery Activities (ERA):
Michael McCarron (Senior Development Officer) & Jemma Eveleigh (Community Development Worker)

From the outset, we wanted ERA to be fresh, innovative and community led. We were both very excited about how the steering group was set up – full of members of the community as opposed to a tokenistic approach – making sure they had the loudest voice in driving the organisation forwards, from our activities through to the operation of the project.

We officially launched in August of 2019 with our community BBQ at Bridgend Farm. In our minds we thought about 30 to 40 folk would turn up and we’d be sending them home at the end with the leftover food. The main focus of our chats was if the weather would be good. On the day of the BBQ, it was scorching hot, we had well over 100 people, ran out of food and had to go and buy more supplies! All that was left at the end was some ketchup and a few cans of juice. It was at this point we both realised we hadn’t sat down all day, never mind getting to eat one of the burgers we’d had our sights set on for a week!

ERA has had its share of challenges to overcome, like the fact loads of ideas for groups but no building to run them from. A lot of our time was spent meeting organisations to see if we could rent space from them, but in Edinburgh that’s no easy task. On a few occasions we were met with apprehension due to the stigma around alcoholics and addiction. However, in time, we managed to piece together various groups – HIIT, Yoga, Book Group and Mum’s group – and began holding one-off events and monthly activities. Who knew there was so many avid bowlers in the recovery community? Our karaoke nights at the Biscuit Factory were a great laugh – at least once people got over their initial fear of the mic. Sometimes tuneful – sometimes not so much 😊 – they were also full of fun and family friendly.

When lockdown hit, we had to change our approach, quickly diverting our focus from designing a service policy to a pandemic plan! Taking lessons from the speedy response of the anonymous fellowships we moved our established groups online and finding ourselves with the freedom to run groups throughout the day – without the constraints of building availability and having to travel from venue to venue – found space to develop new ones.

The ERA mantra has always been ‘Proceed until apprehended’ and while we often worked to that notion, in response to COVID-19 it soon became a firm motto. Being fully aware of the purpose of our organisation, we couldn’t ignore the challenges our community was facing, and had to become flexible in defining ‘recovery activities’. We put in place our ‘Keeping Connected Fund’ which provided devices and data for those in need to get online and introduced crisis grants to help those having to make choices between food and getting online to support their recovery.

In the two years since the project begun, we have had some fantastic highs. Things like the Karaoke nights seeing everyone up, singing and dancing. The formation of Mum’s Groups which has now evolved into a Parents Peer Support group. The success of the Creative Writing group – one published book featured at the Portobello Book Festival and a second about to launch. Recovery month during lockdown – we managed to put together a celebratory day where we sent out picnics to community members all over Edinburgh and played bingo on Zoom! There was also a very funny moment during our Graffiti workshop when Jemma and Holly were working on the “Y” at the end of the word Recovery. Let’s just say, it looked more like something suggestable than a “Y”! It’s still impossible not to see it when we look at the photos.

We find ourselves excited about what the future holds; getting back to Ten Pin Bowling and developing more fun activities and events. We’re very much looking forward to moving into a ‘new ERA’ which will see us with our own building to run out of and continue to grow along with all the amazing folk we get to work with every day.

We also have to say a massive thank you to EVOC for their continuing support of which we are truly grateful.

Mick & Jemma (April 2021)

Oh no… not another blog!

24 March 2021 By Esther Currie Leave a Comment

A response to the Feeley Report by Ian Brooke (EVOC Deputy Chief Executive).

People often talk about circles ‘coming back around’.

Or maybe sometimes we see patterns where it’s simply random.

What I do know is that there are a lot of well-meaning official think tank (Scottish or UK Government) infrastructure bodies reports cascading out of pdf formatting software at any one time – but so many of them talk a good game but offer few practical steps to getting to grips with the issues at hand. Then, last week another one appeared:

Only commissioned in the autumn, we knew that the review would report quickly. And we all hoped that it would focus on real people, organisations on the frontline and present practical actions. Well, to cut to the chase, it does.

‘We in the carers and independent living movement are pleased that our
intensive advocacy work has paid off so well’ _{Sebastian Fischer VOCAL CEO}

All 109 pages burst with an ambition and phraseology many in the voluntary sector live and breathe every day. ‘Rights-based’, ‘People Powered’, ‘Fairness’ – to name but a few.

Ten years on from Christie’s ground-breaking commission and through the birth of the Frankenstein IJB restructuring, is this the breakthrough into puberty as the system had settled-down into its infancy?

The danger inherent in the ambition is that the system’s apparatchiks could easily get caught up redesigning process or structural niceties. Furthermore, the sensible reforms proposed might not even survive exposure to the real world – what would unions, CoSLA, IJB Chief Officers think? Are politicians brave enough to pull it off? We already know, disappointingly, that there is a split along constitutional lines amongst parties. And of course there’s the question of investment money. Keeping people well and safe and achieving everything they have the right to achieve isn’t cheap…

Breadth of ambition with practical steps – tick.

Difficult teenage years to come?

Scottish Charity Law Consultation

27 January 2021 By Esther Currie Leave a Comment

In 2019 OSCR began a process of reviewing the powers that they have and consulting with charities and other stakeholders on their views. As OSCR was established in 2003, it was a good time to look at what administrative efficiencies the regulator has as well as looking at what powers required reviewing and strengthening in order to ensure public trust in charities was maintained. Very broadly, the areas that OSCR was looking at were things that would increase transparency and make OSCR’s powers clearer.

Since then, we’ve had a government focused on Brexit and then hit by COVID-19 and lockdowns, and this is why OSCR is now revisiting this consultation process after a bit of delay. Having taken on board input from the first stage of the consultation, they have refined their request for feedback and we are running an event to look in detail at some of the questions they’re asking.

YOUR FEEDBACK / VIEWS MATTER
You may be wondering how something like this affects your charity and why you might want to take the time come along to our discussion event – especially if you’re from a small charity that has had very little contact with OSCR apart from submitting your annual returns. But no matter the size, some of the proposals will affect all charities – for example, a register of all trustees for charities in Scotland or giving OSCR the power to instruct trustees that they must or must not take some action. As well as this, it is important for the voices of smaller charities to be heard so that it’s not only lawyers or large charities influencing policy. Our aim with this event is to bring together people from smaller, local charities to discuss the proposals, give OSCR a report on the feedback that we gather, and increase the confidence of organisations to submit their own individual feedback as well if they would like to.

There are some parts of this consultation that we think are more likely to affect the organisations attending, so we are going to focus on the first three proposals. It will be helpful if you’re able to read through som e of the questions they’re asking ahead of time and come with queries or thoughts.

Christina Hinds, Development Worker, EVOC

EVOC: Your Views – Strengthening Scottish Law (Wed 17 Feb, 10am to 12noon)

Looking Back at 2020 by Roisin Hurst

6 January 2021 By Esther Currie Leave a Comment

I don’t think 2020 is a year that any of us will forget anytime soon, so as we start a new year, it seems like a good time to reflect on both the challenges and positives (there were some!) of the last 12 months.

I started working at EVOC on the first day of lockdown, which was an unusual way to get to grips with a new job (although 9 months later probably not so unusual!) Grappling with new technologies, hearing “you’re on mute” 20 times a day and meeting colleagues via Zoom and Teams chats became the norm very quickly.

A few weeks after I started, EVOC was asked to manage the COVID-19 Food Fund project in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and third sector organisations. EVOC’s role was to bring together the statutory and third sectors to co-ordinate provision of food across the city. The project, which was funded by money from the Scottish Government Food Fund, was designed to support the most vulnerable people in the city who would otherwise struggle to access food due to the pandemic; to ensure that all of the money allocated to this critical project was used to supply and transport food to those who needed it most.

Because our roles were all changing we didn’t need to use any of the funding for staff etc, I was re-deployed from my original role at EVOC to support the project. My job was a very practical one – ensuring that the referrals EVOC received from the Council were sent to the right hubs and providers across the city to ensure that people got food quickly. I was liaising with local organisations and the Council on a daily basis and sorting any queries that might arise. I was also able to refer people for additional support that they might need such as dog walking, shopping or befriending.

I would also call people who needed help urgently, just to check how they were doing and find out exactly what they needed. In some cases, I was the only person who had spoken with them in the last few days and they were really appreciative of a friendly voice on the other end of the phone. For me personally, it felt really rewarding to be doing something useful and practical to help people.

I also enjoyed getting to know everyone working at the fantastic organisations that were supporting the project. We were all learning as we went along and we didn’t always get it right, however what we all had in common was our desire to ensure that no-one went hungry because of COVID. As a result, new partnerships have been formed which will stand us in good stead for the future!

The first phase of the food fund project finished in September, however we’ve recently stepped up the project again on a much smaller scale to mitigate the impact of the increase in COVID cases and the approach of winter. For now, the level of demand is much lower, partly because the Council are operating a cash first principle for those in crisis as advocated by Scottish Government. Hopefully this helps people to have more choice and dignity in terms of self-determining the support they need, and food deliveries help those who really need them.

So, while I will be glad to see the back of 2020 for lots of reasons, on a personal level, I feel very grateful that I was able to work with wonderful partners to do a job that has hopefully made a positive difference to peoples’ lives.

Roisin Hurst, Development Worker (Community Investment)

If you are currently aware of people in crisis please encourage them to call 0131 200 2388 or apply online for support. Find out how we are working with City of Edinburgh Council, Caring in Craigmillar, Cyrenians, Pilton Equalities Project and Space to those who need it during the current lockdown and restrictions.

Regional Resilience: The Big Picture

17 December 2020 By Esther Currie Leave a Comment

This is a guest blog written by John Beresford (Senior Resilience Co-ordinator on the East of Scotland Resilience Co-ordination Team).

My name is John Beresford and I am the Senior Resilience Co-ordinator on the East of Scotland Resilience Co-ordination team. The Scottish Government has three of these teams which are aligned with the East, West and North Regional Resilience Partnerships (RRPs). The RRP’s are created by the Civil Contingencies Act (2004) which also defines categories of ‘responders’ – organisations who have certain duties and responsibilities in preparation for and in response to national emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the pandemic, we have become aware of the fantastic work being done by the community side of the voluntary sector that we do not often engage with, co-ordinated by the TSI’s. Recognising we have a gap in our knowledge and therefore capability, we are keen to build on the links which COVID has created for us and wanted to share more details about what we do with our voluntary sector partners.

The Civil Contingencies Act places certain duties on responders and those in Categories 1 and 2 are required to cooperate and share information in planning for and response to civil contingencies incidents.

Category 1 responders: Police, Fire, Ambulance, Local Authorities, NHS Boards, SEPA, Maritime & Coastguard Agency. (There is currently a consultation to give Health and Social Care Partnerships Category 1 status in Scotland.)

Category 2 responders (co-operating bodies): Utility companies, Transport authorities and providers, NHS NSS, Health and Safety Executive

The third group of responders or Key Stakeholders is where we (for the Scottish Government) and the voluntary sector come in. These groups meet as Local Resilience Partnerships (LRPs) to plan for civil contingencies events, and then in activation mode to respond to their consequences. They include: Met Office, Faith Groups, Industry, Military, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Communities.

Each of the three Regional Co-ordination teams is made up of a Senior Co-ordinator, two Resilience Co-ordinators and a Learning and Development Co-ordinator. We are Scottish Government employees, but are in place to support the resilience partnerships and their members in a number of ways. For example

Co-ordinators facilitate the all-important relationship building with partners, which maintains trust and encourages inclusion in the resilience effort. They provide co-ordination support for the Regional and Local Resilience Partnership structures to ensure the right people are brought to the table to discuss the relevant issues at appropriate meetings, sharing out tasks/responsibilities in order to effect better outcomes – the ethos of ‘right people, right place, right time.’This helps share knowledge, address capability gaps, and build resilience across the full range of risks more effectively.
In ‘response’ mode, the Co-ordinators can also maintain the crucial Scottish Government Liaison Officer (SGLO) role, which allows them to provide accurate and detailed briefings to the Scottish Government Resiliance Room (SGoRR) with good awareness/knowledge of responder activities. Accurate, timely, consistent information allows Ministers to tailor messages towards improved public confidence.
Provide 24/7 on call communication and information links between SGoRR and Category 1 and 2 responders in civil contingencies matters. Co-ordinators provide SGORR duty officer colleagues with information so they can produce briefings for Ministers. The role of the co-ordinator may include attendance at a Multi-Agency Coordination Centre (MACC) as well as participation in Resilience Partnership meetings in order to report back to SGoRR. Co-ordinators ‘on-call’ may work with the lead agency to organise, assist facilitate and co-ordinate multi-agency meetings in support of on-going response to incidents.
Co-ordinate multi-agency training, debriefing and gathering of lessons learned across their areas.

East of Scotland Resilience Co-ordination team: eosrrp@gov.scot
West of Scotland Resilience Co-ordination team: wosrrp@gov.scot
North of Scotland Resilience Co-ordination team: nosrrp@gov.scot

Another part of our division is the Scottish Resilience Development Service (ScoRDS) who are our training, debriefing and ‘lessons learned’ experts. They deliver training on the Integrated Emergency Management model used in response to emergencies in Scotland, and like me are keen that TSI’s engage with their programme.

They have just launched an online training hub which we would encourage you to sign up to.

What are the Best Actions that Organisations Can Take to Avoid Burn Out?

23 November 2020 By Esther Currie Leave a Comment

This is a guest blog written by Duncan W Wallace (Facilitator, Coach, Consultant & Trainer).

As we all head into winter from this unprecedented year, I have been working with multiple organisations about how to avoid Burn Out. The graphic above outlines the results from a recent survey, and – for me – the number one answer is no surprise.

The Maslach Burnout Inventory offers a fairly good definition:

“a decreased sense of personal accomplishment and increased sense of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization”

The core proposal from this work, is that organisations should include personal wellbeing time within their working time.

We know that there is more fatigue involved in switching to remote online working methods. We know that organisations have been over booking their time and ‘zooming’ from one meeting to another, without accounting for travel time like they would have had to. We know that some people are finding that efficient, whist others are also finding it a struggle. We know that going through significant change takes a toll, and a lag can build up within the very workforces who have ‘gone for it’, ‘met the challenge’, ‘been agile’, ‘adapt rapidly’.

And now, unsurprisingly, the cracks are beginning to show.

The need now it to act with wisdom and consider more sustainable working practices. To continue to recognise that everyone’s experience of lockdown is different and that compassionate, ethical leadership is required. We need to continue to listen well, build trust and work strategically.

We also know that the deep changes in the economy have only just begun. In fact, those who create strategy in the health and social care sector are beginning to know about the ‘Long-Covid’ effect, where the types and quantities of health and social care long-term conditions are beginning to be quantifiable as the disease spreads through our first winter. This isn’t all doom and gloom, yet you cannot deny that we are only just beginning to understand the impacts on our organisations.

So here are 4 actions you can take:

Build in personal wellbeing time… call it thinking time not ‘duvet days’.
Modify the strategy to be realistic to the actual capacity you have now… don’t expect further bounce… there won’t be a normal, may not even be a new normal that was being predicted 4 months ago.
Make sure everyone takes proper holidays? Keeping going… working through… all this is only an option for the very very privileged.
Engage with your staff about structural options. Work together to discuss changing contracted hours or adjusting the flow of work so that EVERYONE has work that is meaningful, motivational and purposeful. Now is not a time for work to feel or be slavery.

These come from the action research in workshops and the executive coaching I’m doing with CEO’s across Scotland. The ranking exercise in the photograph comes from the recent Managing Time. Harness Energy. Avoid Burn Out events, and as I reflect on it, the findings fit with much of the primary research about how to get the most from your business and make it truly sustainable. Contact me if you want any help finding the very practical tools for changing the culture of your organisation.

Finally a heartening word from one of the leaders at my Avoiding Burn Out Workshop was:
‘Working with my team through this will help take us navigate through the turbulent time and take us beyond ‘How are you?’

Lessons Learned: COVID-19 Food Programme

11 November 2020 By Esther Currie Leave a Comment

COVID-19 has challenged us all in so many different ways. We’ve made new alliances, tested established partnerships and put real commitment into supporting the communities and people we care so much about.

From zero to 100mph is high octane stuff and the food delivery programme was a task-intensive pressurised programme at every stage in the process – whether it was delivering the food to someone’s door or checking the accuracy and eligibility of the actual referral. It’s fantastic that we have been able to draw breathe and honestly reflect back on our learning.

Food Fund and Lessons Learned report Final

While this was a national fund and there was a referral route established, it was developed on the back of significant local knowledge. The immediate learning is the need to streamline the referral process with clear and co-ordinated communication across statutory partners (and departments) and our voluntary and third sector partners. There were many nail-biting days when the sustainability of the programme was in doubt as we waited for information about funding – never a good scenario when colleagues knew the need within and felt the dependence from the community on this humanitarian programme.
In and of itself reflecting on learning is always worth the effort, however as everyone is aware in the world we live in its vital as there might be the need to re-establish the programme. There is agreement that we need to produce a Memorandum of Understanding with City of Edinburgh Council which clarifies our expectations of each other and how we will work together. This programme is only possible when we work together and everyone has limited time so we will develop a provisional structure which can be deployed quickly and effectively. It’s not possible to mitigate against all possibilities but by focusing on the core need of community resilience it will be possible to provide a flexible response. Most importantly any re-established programme has to be delivered with dignity and integrity; it has to be sustainable, provide choice for people as well as value for money.

Finally, I want to reflect on the importance of listening to people. This report reflects the shared experience of voluntary and statutory partners delivering a city-wide programme. It was only possible to sustain this programme beyond the immediate crisis because we were able to bring together strategic coordination, national funding and local knowledge. Local knowledge comes from working with people in communities. Mind the Craic provided a clear challenge to all of us to work with, listen to and acknowledge the skills and expertise of people and without that ethos at the heart of all our partners this programme wouldn’t have been possible and this report would not have provided the rich learning that takes our thinking and planning beyond a crisis response.

Food Fund and Lessons Learned report Final

Governance: Keeping the positives and reaching out for assistance

10 September 2020 By Steff Bell Leave a Comment

I don’t know if anyone is keeping track of all the unpredicted consequences of COVID-19 but the list will be long.

Whichever sphere we operate in, we are noticing our own idiosyncratic effects of this pandemic across our work and our operations, the good and the bad. Some of those more positive aspects we are hoping to retain as we manoeuvre into our changed working lives.

For our very own little niche of things we’ve noticed is governing documents…stop that, I can hear you groaning…. Like them or ignore them, they are your organisation’s handbook for how your governance operates and if it is lacking, ambiguous or outright prevents you from doing something, then you and your Board need to have a look at reviewing it.

As the pandemic hit, an immense cloud ball appeared as charities blew the dust of their governing documents and thumbed their way to the section on members’ meetings. As such the story emerging from the pandemic is that most governing documents don’t have the mechanisms to allow for AGM/EGMS (members meetings) to take place remotely via video conferencing and instead require ‘in person’ attendance to form a quorum.

Many also don’t have provisions to allow for board meetings to take place using this format (hands up who was doing it anyway!). However, those charities that have formed in the last decade or so are more likely to be able to do this; as standard SCIO constitutions will have it automatically included, and like-wise charitable companies have statutory provisions under the Companies Act of 2013 to allow Directors to meet virtually.

Thankfully OSCR have been proportionate and understanding to charities and have provided guidance on flexibilities to allow members’ and Board meetings to take place , but their recommendation is still at some point to review and update where you can and future proof as best you can.

We’ve long since advocated reviewing governing documents from time to time to make sure that it’s still relevant and provides you with the flexibilities to adapt to change, but we know that it can feel like a laborious process. This can feel especially protracted if you are a larger membership organisation and as such you have to consider how you prepare to inform and encourage participation from your members (as the ones who hold the power to pass the changes). So, our call to you is this:

Please do consider reviewing and amending your governing document, not just in response to the lessons learned but as a means to check that you have what you need to cover eventualities (as best you can).

EVOC is here to support you throughout, whether that’s guiding on changes, producing the papers and if necessary even sit-in and facilitate the process at a meeting.

Please do ask, you know where we are.

Referrals for assistance can be submitted to the EVOC team here.

Online training sessions: our thoughts, tips and advice

17 July 2020 By Christina Hinds Leave a Comment

Our usual training sessions for trustees have been on pause as we all went into lockdown and adjusted to new challenges and new ways of working. But, after getting some requests to restart we decided it’s time to take the plunge into online delivery!

We know there are a lot of organisations looking closely at how they operate now. Particularly, as new volunteers are looking at becoming trustees and wanting to understand the role, as well as there being existing trustees who are aware that their organisations need them to get more involved.

Running training online is a big adjustment – these are sessions we’ve done hundreds of times before, but it feels new and a little bit strange to do it from home over zoom! It’s obviously impossible to perfectly replicate face to face training, and of course, there are things lost in not being able to do that, but there are some real advantages as well.

Namely, it makes training so much more accessible when no one has to travel or arrange childcare. It makes a real difference when people do not to have to travel for an hour on buses across town or, feel that they’re in a more formal training setting.

As an attendee, I’ve been able to take part in conferences and other training that I would never have been able to if it hadn’t been online. People can join in a way that they feel comfortable with – cameras on or off, talking to the group, or using the chat option.

In sessions with board members from one charity, we also have the option of recording it as there are always one or two people who can’t make the date that works best for the rest. Given the benefits, whatever the future of face to face training looks like, I hope to incorporate online attendees into our sessions. This means that we can maintain the accessibility and flexibility of our sessions for people who would find it difficult to join in otherwise.

For people attending online training sessions, my best tip is to try to embrace it and continue to ask questions or add your comments. This really helps make the sessions feel a bit friendlier and interactive, despite the online format.

I find one of the best things about our training sessions normally are the excellent questions people raise and the discussions they lead to, and also the valuable experience that people share, so I hope that will continue.

And if your child wants to say hello or a cat jumps in front of the screen, the more the merrier!

Inspiring Change: Voluntary Sector Responses to COVID-19

18 June 2020 By Tessa Williams Leave a Comment

“Thanks for still being there for me.”

As we read through the stories of local responses to Coronavirus this one stood out. Said by a young person who is being supported by The Junction, it was the shortest and simplest, but summed up the fact that in the toughest of times, local organisations have found a way to adapt, focus on people in need and make people feel heard and looked after.
Behind any quote like this are thousands of people, hundreds of hours of work, new tech systems rapidly created, funding bids written, proposals created. We wanted to show how Edinburgh’s voluntary sector has collaborated to create new opportunities and meet the needs of the city’s most vulnerable. People Know How, The Junction, Health Opportunities Team, The Yard and Go Beyond gave us their insights.

1) Maintaining Connection: Children, Young People and Families Organisations

Overcoming the sheer scale of potential disconnection between people and support organisations has been a logistical triumph. We’ve seen many services have moved online or to phone support, 87% of organisations in Edinburgh who responded to the TSI Survey said they had moved support to online and phone-based approaches. This has required tech support, new kit, staff training and flexibility from beneficiaries.

Community support has been offered in new ways, such as People Know How’s online befriending and group support for young people. This provides a safe, supportive online environment where young people and their befrienders can talk, play games, learn and share stories in these uncertain times. People Know How have also adapted their Reconnect service, supporting adults into distance befriending and offering a friendly ear to someone who may feel isolated. Adapting these services meant recruiting over 100 new volunteers and supporting 240 new service users.

”It’s nice to have somebody who understands your situation regularly check up on you, it helps with feeling like you always have somebody to talk to throughout the week if you need it.”

A young person who is supported by the Junction.

Maintaining relationships with the young people who access support for their health and wellbeing was The Junction’s first priority at the beginning of lockdown. They did this through adapting services to offer one-to-one and counselling support on the phone and online. Once this was up and running, The Junction widened their support and launched a digital drop in for all young people aged 12-21 across Edinburgh.

Connections have also been maintained in innovative ways. Health Opportunities Team (HOT) have developed their e-working practice to ensure important services continue to be available. HOT has utilised social media to interact with young people through their ‘Feel Good’ programme, the organisation also offers one-to-one support for young people completing the ‘Turn Around’ programme and digital drop-in services for any young person aged 12-25.
When The Yard’s site closed in March, staff began creating online video content for the disabled children, young people and families who access their services. The online video content enabled sharing of ideas and supporting play at home during lockdown, the staff also recorded personalised video greetings to keep in touch with their members. Staff from The Yard say they have learned that they can successfully adapt and innovate to keep their community going strong while we all stay at home.

“He was really happy to see them and some big smiles throughout. Thanks for all the efforts when we can’t be with you in person.”

Feedback from a member of The Yard’s online videos for early years.

2) Collaboration
58% of respondents from Edinburgh-based organisations said they have seen improved collaboration during this period (TSI Survey). For many, barriers have been broken, new connections have been made quickly and a willingness to ‘get it done’ has shone through.

Go Beyond is a community network that is responding with greater capacity to support vulnerable people in South West Edinburgh.
Bridie Ashrowan of Space & Broomhouse Hub, who initiated the GoBeyond Network, with support from Leah Black at Whale Arts and Craig Wilson at Big Hearts Community Trust, told us… told us that dilemmas arising from the coronavirus were not unique to certain organisations, in fact a range of organisations within the locality were facing similar challenges. In the first days, organisations were hearing worries about a lack of baby milk and began discussing the idea of a network to quickly and efficiently find solutions to issues like this. Go Beyond has three lead organisations: Space, WHALE Arts and Big Hearts Community Trust.

“The network has created a new sense of togetherness between many of us who exist to serve our communities. The chances of duplication and confusion has really reduced and in fact, true partnership working from beginning to end of the service design is hopefully an outcome we will see soon.”

Craig Wilson, General Manager, Big Hearts Community Trust

Go Beyond told us how they use Slack (an online communications tool) to connect as a locality in South West Edinburgh. This has meant 130 members, from small third sector groups and churches, through to social workers and members of the anchor Go Beyond staff can easily connect with each other. It allows the locality to have group discussions, private conversations and share information with each other easily and safely online. For five years the South West has had four local action groups meeting in areas of high poverty, and the Go Beyond Slack means they can connect quickly throughout the crisis. The South West Voluntary Sector Forum can now be backed up with an organic network of people who can connect with each other outside of quarterly meetings as needs arise.

Responses to the TSI Survey show that 54% of Edinburgh based organisations are concerned about their communities’ access to digital. People Know How have been running projects to combat digital exclusion for over five years, and due to the coronavirus outbreak this subject came into the spotlight more than ever, prompting the development of their computer delivery project. In collaboration with Venture Scotland, they are providing devices to those who need help staying connected. The project is now on track to deliver over 1,000 computers thanks to donations from organisations such as the University of Edinburgh, Taranata Group, Inverclyde Community Trust and the Good Things Foundation, as well as generous individuals from the community.
So many success stories have been about knowing who can help, collaborating and getting the local area response up and running with volunteers from neighbourhoods. This says a lot about what local insight means to communities – there aren’t blueprints for the ‘right way’ to do something and local nuances and connections are important to make something work well.

“Let’s not go back to normal. Things weren’t so good back then. We can join together with communities and the academic, business, public and third sectors to share knowledge, join resources and improve the wellbeing of communities. We have an opportunity now to reset the status quo.”

Glenn Liddall, People Know How

3) Future Thinking
Now we know what we can do, we want to embed it in our services but we also have to find new ways to make them sustainable. Many have put new ideas into practice, so innovation is possible.
For organisations such as The Yard, who mainly focus on delivering in-person services and support, they have shown great resilience and a willingness to find new ways of working.
The Junction has found that for some young people who struggle with talking, being able to communicate through writing has been helpful. In the future, it is important to offer blended services in order to widen access to support.
Similarly for HOT, the new ways of working are likely to be incorporated into standard services, to stay adaptable for schools and young people in the uncertain times ahead.
People Know How told us that after their experiences of supporting people through digital exclusion projects, the organisation is supporting a campaign for digital equity and published a research briefing considering the problem of digital exclusion and how it should be combated.

The take-home message for Go Beyond is that the voluntary sector needs to seize the chance to do things differently as COVID-19 has brought great hardship, with more to come. We need to be agile and we’re going to be needed.

If you have an inspiring story to share, contact Tessa Williams (tessa.williams@evoc.org.uk).

#SideBySideEdin is a campaign showing how Edinburgh’s charities work with Children, Young People & Families across the city.