Jez Hall from PB Partners lead a workshop on Participatory Budgeting at our Conference, this workshop built on the work of EVOC to:

• raise awareness of Participatory Budgeting with the third sector
• continually evaluate PB projects being run across Edinburgh from a third sector viewpoint in order that learning from projects can be shared with city partners

EVOC has prepared a draft PB position paper which was circulated at this workshop framing the discussion on PB.  Views and thoughts on PB were sought from the sector. Jez Hall from PB partners ran the workshop which focused on the Scottish Government’s aspirations for PB in Scotland, whilst acknowledging the issues currently being experienced by the third sector.  Michael Traille also attended the PB workshop and is a community activist who is training to be a PB champion and is involved in the Leith Links PB.  Michael was interested to hear the third sector viewpoint as generally, he works with community activists who are extremely positive about PB. 

To end the workshop participants were asked to come up with good challenging questions to ask those organising PB events if they were to believe that PB could help to solve a set of problems in Edinburgh. 

These were the responses.

What are your intended outcomes?

What are your expectations of the PB process?

How do we ensure that all those that should be included are included?

How could we contribute as a sector?

What change is possible from doing this PB?

Where is the learning process?

What limits are being set on this PB process?

These questions have further informed EVOC’s position on PB and a final position paper will be circulated in the coming months. 

At our Conference, Paula Swanston and Lyn Williams from Home Link Family Support presented about systemic change within a school community, drawing on their experience from a pilot project with Lawfield Primary School in Midlothian. This project was a partnership between Play Therapy Base, Home Link Family Support, Children 1st, Midlothian Sure Start and Midlothian Council. The partnership provided a variety of interventions to tackle challenges with pupil attendance, violent incidents, staff support and parental engagement with the school.

Paula and Lyn discussed in detail how this innovative partnership was set up, in particular how the school was encouraged to see the wider issues within their community which impacted on a pupil’s ability to learn. A whole shift in culture was needed within the school, which took time, expertise and flexibility from all partners. The result of this pilot was a reduction in absconding, exclusions and lates, an increase in reading attainment and parental engagement, and a single referral pathway for supporting pupils within the school.

In addition to the presentation, attendees to the seminar were able to be involved in playing the roles of different partners within a wellbeing meeting, normally chaired by the head teacher within the school. This provided attendees with a brilliant opportunity to reflect upon professional perspectives, whilst also discussing how parents would be involved in these deliberations.

Overall, this seminar provided an excellent opportunity to hear about a highly successful partnership between the voluntary sector and education, the challenges which arise during this situation, and the impact this can have upon both a child’s wellbeing and their attainment while they are in school.

Everyone is talking about Participatory Budgeting again, well that is how it feels in my world as I get invited to attend meetings to look at and discuss PB ……  So here is my run through of what is happening nationally and locally:

• The national PB conference funded by the Scottish Government is being held on the 14^th November and is a sell-out.
• And last Friday there was an announcement from the Scottish Government that the Council leaders have agreed that at least 1% of local government budgets will be subject to participatory budgeting by the end of 2021.
• The list of organisations that received the Scottish Government Community Choices funding was recently announced and in Edinburgh £44k went to City of Edinburgh Council, £82,800 went to Leith Links Community Council and £23,750 went to the Broomhouse Centre. Just about £150k to support the adoption of the PB process in the City.
• City of Edinburgh Council PB Champions project, looking to upskill public sector and third sector staff in PB project development. (before March 2018)
• PB projects which are planned in the coming 6 months:
  • Choose Youth Work 2018-2019 Grants Programme (Nov – Dec)
  • Leith Chooses (Leith Links Community Council and Leith Neighbourhood Partnership joint project) (estimated Feb/March)
  • Portobello and Craigmillar Neighbourhood Partnership (estimated Feb)
  • Neighbourhood Environment Funding – City Centre (before March 2018)
  • Broomhouse Neighbourhood Centre (before March 2018)

At EVOC we have heard good and bad about PB, you can read the report from our thinkSpace here, we commend the drive to improve local democracy and see PB as an effective community engagement tool, however making sure that this PB is done well is vital for the third sector organisations taking part.  Learning from past PB projects is necessary particularly as we see larger parts of the council budgets being allocated in this way.  The devil is in the detail in the coordination and operation of PB events and giving adequate time and thought to the design is vital, this is best done with a steering group that has all stakeholders on board including local voluntary organisations. 

For anyone asked to take part in a steering group we would suggest that they make sure they have read the Values Principles and Standards for Participatory Budgeting and National Standards for Community Engagement.   

The more I read about and work with PB projects the more I realise that what seems very simple needs a lot of careful thought and deliberation to create something worthwhile which really drives local democracy.

There is a lot of chatter out there at the moment about GDPR, as well as a rapidly expanding portfolio of training events, some of which come with eye-watering price tags. You should not underestimate the importance of GDPR and the processes you will need to implement to become compliant by May 2018. However, before you rush out and spend all of your training budget, it is worthwhile going through the current advice and information from the Information Commissioner’s Office, and use the tools that have been made available to assess your organisational readiness. It is also worthwhile noting that there are a number of organisations out there who are or will be providing free or low-cost training to Third Sector organisations, and that guidance on some parts of the Regulation are still to be published. 

I have (having to get to grips with it myself) laid out the basics of where to find information, and what is important. 

What is GDPR?

GDPR = General Data Protection Regulation

The GDPR is replacing the UK’s 1998 Data Protection Act. It applies to all EU countries, and will still apply to the UK after we leave. 

When is it coming?

It comes into force on the 25^th May 2018

This is not the start date for getting your house in order, but actually when your house needs to be in order. This is the ultimate of spring cleans.

Does it affect me?

If you hold or process information on employees, clients, donors, and suppliers then you will have to ensure you are compliant with the new regulations. So, most likely, yes. 

What happens if I don’t comply?

There are penalties for non-compliance which can vary in severity, so it is in your best interests to ensure you are compliant. What is new about the GDPR is the Accountability Act is that it requires you to demonstrate the technical and organisational measures you have put in place to become compliant. 

Information on how to evidence compliance can be found  here

If you have a question or are worried about your level of compliance at any stage you can also call the ICO helpline. 

Who Should Be Involved

A Data Protection Officer: It is highly recommended that you appoint a Data Protection Officer (which can be an existing member of staff), and depending on the data you hold and process the appointment of a Data Protection Officer is mandatory. 

There is guidance available (about halfway down the page) about the role of the DPO and when one should be appointed here. 

Trustees: This should be on the Trustees agenda to ensure they are doing what it takes for the organisation to become compliant and that they understand the implications of non-compliance and how the GDPR may impact the organisation operationally. 

Everyone: Staff and volunteers are responsible for ensuring they follow the regulation and best practice for holding and processing data. 

What’s the difference between GDPR and the Data Protection Act?

You can read about the key areas of focus and changes to Individual Rights on the ICO’s website 

One of the biggest updates to the regulation that will affect charities is around consent:

“Consent under the GDPR must be a freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the individual’s wishes. There must be some form of clear affirmative action – or in other words, a positive opt-in – consent cannot be inferred from silence, pre-ticked boxes or inactivity.”

This is particularly important for marketers and fundraisers to be aware of, and guidelines on this, as well as other areas of the regulation, will be published in or before December 2017. The Institute of Fundraising has also written specifically to this point and you can find out more here and on the link below. 

What’s Next?

The ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) has produced a handy document to help you prepare for GDPR’s arrival called 12 Steps to Take Now

You can conduct a GDPR organisational health check here.

The Institute of Fundraising has produced a guide for fundraising organisations which you can download here. 

The period of transition is one that is daunting for any individual, but especially if a young person has additional support needs.

As a young person with a physical disability, I found the process of transition a very challenging process, and I didn’t know what my future would hold. The transition thinkSpace brought about many issues concerning both families and professionals, such as accessing services, available support, and employment opportunities for people with additional support needs. This included how people with disabilities can access the world of employment, as well as receive a sufficient amount of support to access college or other activities.  When a young person turns 18, a whole “process” begins of them receiving adult services.  According to The Scottish Transitions Forum, this process needs to start a lot earlier in order to prepare a young person in transition.

Before that stage, it is important for young people to feel that they are fully included in their peer group. The discussions looked at the idea of inclusion and if different services or educational opportunities were available. From experience, the lack of resources and support available can lead to people struggling to find opportunities to access further education or employment. College courses seem to be a good stepping-stone for people to broaden their skills, learn about interesting subjects and gain qualifications. Saying that there may still be a number of people who can’t access further education. When support exists, people can support individuals to achieve the things they want to achieve, but access needs to be consistent. This is very important to me, as having Self-directed Support enabled me to attend college and university, and life would be very different now if I did not have these opportunities.

The concept of being in transition for people with disabilities is a challenging one. The planning should start around two years in advance of the transition, in order for the transition to go smoothly. By using person-centred approaches, individuals can map out the way that they want their lives to be like, and what support they need to achieve this. Having used Person-centred Planning (PCP) myself, I know the incredible value that can come from spending a few hours creating an exciting plan for the future based on your own decisions. Personally, I feel there is a lot of emphasis on paperwork and making sure the correct boxes are ticked, which can be a long drawn out process that focuses on specific support needs and how much that would cost, rather than looking at the individual and what their goals and aspirations are.

On the issue surrounding employment, and how hard it is for people with disabilities, there are some existing organisations, such as Into Work, that are doing work to help people to find information about employment opportunities. This may help remove the stigma of people with disabilities not being able to find a meaningful job, and encourage people to find employment. The idea of people being given the opportunity to gain skills to equip them for employment is crucial. Some people may feel abandoned after school as no-one encourages them to explore their options, which may leave them stuck after school not knowing what to do, and these organisations should be helping them.

During the thinkSpace we heard a young person, Alexander Warren, speak about his journey through the transition process, from being isolated by attending a special school for people with disabilities, to living a full and independent life. The concept of Person-centred Planning seemed to be a life-changing tool for him as he could dream and achieve. Personally, I found this a great tool too as I could quickly show new professionals exactly what I wanted to achieve, and how they could assist. Alexander was able to socialize and go travelling, and he went on to attend acting school. He now runs his own company where he travels around helping people to discover their own dreams. I think it is important for professionals to hear these stories, as it reminds them what impact their work has on people who use services, and that it is extremely worthwhile.

This was followed by Scott Richardson-Read from The Scottish Transitions Forum who spoke about the Principles of Good Transitions 3. This examines the way in which young people in transition can become trapped within the transition system without always knowing what is going on. I feel communication is the key to a positive and smooth transition. People may be excited to move on into a new situation, and if done correctly, the move can be a great improvement in the young person’s life, however, this isn’t always the case. Having principles can help professionals ensure they cover all the key parts of a young person’s life. This is very important as from experience transitions are a scary process, and people may get caught up in not knowing what is going to happen.

Overall, the event was very insightful, as it had been quite a while since my own transition, but the same questions arose, and families still have some questions which people may not be able to answer. I really recognise the benefits of having plans as I have been through many transitions and I understand the frustrations and struggles, as well as the success.

The best piece of advice I would give as a young adult with a disability is never to lose sight of what you want to achieve because you can achieve it, and you will feel great when you do.