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You are here: Home » Archives for Partnership

TSI Network Scotland launches Manifesto for Change

25 November 2020 By Esther Currie

If the pandemic has shown us anything as a nation – our neighbourhoods and communities are alive and kicking with third sector organisations and volunteers ready to respond and step up in a crisis. That is the view of the Third Sector Interface (TSI) Scotland Network who have launched their first ever Manifesto for Change as a Network ahead of the 2021 elections.

TSI Manifesto For Change 2020

There are 32 TSIs in Scotland one for each local authority areas and they cover strands of work – supporting volunteering, charities and community groups and social enterprises. In the majority of local authorities, they combine all the functions of the TSIs’ work under one roof and in larger urban and geographic areas they are partnerships. As well as working to support their sector they collaborate and represent the sector with partners in councils, business community and health and social care partnerships across Scotland. They are in the enviable position of having a foot in many corners of our daily lives – and yet they are often not recognised for the work they undertake – until now.

The TSI Scotland Network organisations have often had much variance in their roles locally but Covid-19 has brought them closer together as they all sought to implement emergency supports: coordinate lifeline responses, funnel funding and place hundreds of volunteers to local roles. Now their leaders share an aspiration to find new ways to create a fairer future for Scotland. They have set out an inspiring agenda for change that puts the emphasis and call for resources and investment, to move with more pace to communities and grass-roots organisations. They are seeking to gain further investment to ensure each community has a community organisation or partnership of organisations with the capacity, opportunities and skills to meet the local needs.

Ella Simpson our Chief Executive is among the leaders involved in developing this manifesto, “Community-led organisations and volunteers responded to COVID-19 magnificently, helping to mitigate the worst effects of lockdown. As we move forward we need to capture the spirit of that and use it to build a fairer future”.

The Network is also asking to be connected in to more of the Scottish Government directorates so they can help inform and shape the right policies for communities – helping to ensure that better coordination and funding gets to the people who need it most. As they were the organisations who took the lead role in placing volunteers through Covid-19 and maximising the community responses – they rightly are asking for the investment for that to continue. They are also looking to link and support new employability programmes to community wealth-building and the third sector in better ways in the future.

The TSI Scotland Network recognises that national third sector organisations have a role to play – but they are adding that if we really want to protect our communities and the people in them and tackle inequalities – then action and change is needed. These proposal in essence also push for a shift of power away from statutory government promoting greater devolution and decision-making, community empowerment and participatory budgeting, enable citizenship and voices to be heard, to allow communities to make the choices and decisions they want.

The Network leaders see this is a cliff-hanging moment where more investment in the right parts of our country’s fabric could have overwhelming benefits and protect the most vulnerable. What the TSI Scotland Network has never done before – is say this collectively, with assurance and knowledge, learnt through the tough moments of the last few months and with a confidence that they can play a singular and lasting role in achieving this.

Filed under: Future Thinking, Partnership, Updates

Filed Under: Future Thinking, Partnership, Updates

People, Places & Possibilities Conference

10 November 2020 By Esther Currie

People, Places & Possibilities is a joint conference we’re delivering in partnership with our friends at GCVS. We share experiences and lessons-learnt from the last six months of COVID-19, but more importantly looking forward to the role the voluntary sector can play in the recovery of our citizens, communities and cities. 

Browse the full conference programme for full details of the events and speakers

With 1 ticket you can access all 14 events on offer, but feel free to dip in and out to suit your interests and no doubt busy schedules…

Mon 23 Nov, 9.30am – 10.30am
COVID & the Third Sector: The impact of COVID, the response from the third sector and what the future holds. Dr John Harden (Deputy National Clinical Director), Ella Simpson (Chief Executive, EVOC), Chaired by Ian Bruce (Chief Executive, GCVS)

Mon 23 Nov, 12noon – 12.45pm: SallyAnn Kelly (CEO, Aberlour Trust) in conversation with Louise Hunter (currently CEO, Visibility Scotland and soon to be CEO, Who Cares Scotland).

Mon 23 Nov, 2pm – 3pm: HR in the Time of COVID with Natasha Gordon (GCVS) OR

Mon 23 Nov, 2pm – 3pm: Finance and Audit with Euan Morrison (Chiene + Tait)


Tue 24 Nov, 9.30am – 10.30am
Challenging Poverty & Inequality: The Chairs of GCVS and EVOC discuss the challenge of poverty in our cities and why the two organisations see it as a key strategic priority. Shona Stephen (Queens Cross Housing Association), Jan-Bert van den Berg (Director, Artlink Edinburgh & Lothians), Chaired by Ella Simpson (Chief Executive, EVOC)

Tue 24 Nov, 12noon – 12.45pm
Jim McCormick (Chief Executive, The Robertson Trust) will share his reflections on the last six months, poverty in Scotland and the role of funders in a conversation with Michaela Collins (Chief Executive, PEEK).

Mon 23 Nov, 2pm – 3pm: HR in the Time of COVID with Natasha Gordon (GCVS) OR

Mon 23 Nov, 2pm – 3pm: Fundraising Approaches for a COVID Context with Susan Robinson (GCVS)


Wed 25 Nov, 9.30am – 10.30am: GCVS – Better Relationships Better Outcomes

OR

Wed 25 Nov, 9.30am – 10.30am: EVOC – Build Back Better

Wed 25 Nov, 12noon – 12.45pm :

Neil Ritch (The National Lottery Community Fund’s Director for Scotland) will share reflections as a funder on the last six months of COVID, and his thoughts on what it might mean for funders and grant-giving in the future in a conversation with and Bridie Ashrowan (CEO, Space and Broomhouse Hub).

Wed 25 Nov, 2pm – 3pm: Governance Hotspots with Steff Bell (EVOC), Tracey Bird (SCVO) & Paula Meise (OSCR)

OR

Wed, 2pm – 3pm: Fundraising Approaches for a COVID Context with Susan Robinson (GCVS)


Thu 26 Nov: 9.30am – 10.30am
Health Inequalities & the Role of Communities: This session will look at the health inequalities people face and the role of communities and the third sector in addressing these with John O’Dowd (Clinical Director, Glasgow City HSCP) , Professor Alison McCallum (Centre for Population Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh), Chaired by Claire Stevens (Chief Executive, Voluntary Health Scotland)

Thu 26 Nov, 12noon – 12.45pm
Annie Gunnar Logan (Chief Executive, Coalition of Care Providers Scotland) will reflect on the challenges for social care during COVID and what we should do to better to meet the needs of people going forward, in a conversation with Ewan Aitken (CEO, Cyrenians).

Thu 26 Nov, 2pm – 3pm: Collaborations & Mergers Robin Fallas (MacRoberts Solicitors)

OR

Thu 26 Nov, 2pm – 3pm: Finance in a COVID World with Jennifer Alexander (Azets)


Fri 27 Nov Nov: 9.30am – 10.30am
View from City Chambers: The Leaders of the two city councils will discuss the importance of place based approaches, and how this can best be delivered through devolving power and responsibility. Cllr Adam McVey (City of Edinburgh Council), Cllr Susan Aitken (Glasgow City Council), Chaired by Angus Hardie (Director, Scottish Community Alliance).

Fri 27 Nov, 12noon – 12.45pm
Diarmaid Lawler (Associate Director for Place, Futures Trust) will reflect on the strength of communities, what makes a happy, healthy places to live and how we can all nurture a positive environment in a conversation with Martin Avila (Director, Kinning Park Complex).

Tickets: £15 earlybird / £20 standard

There are a limited amount of FREE tickets available to support organisations experiencing financial difficulty. To check whether you qualify for a free ticket please get in touch: information@gcvs.org.uk

Filed under: Partnership, Updates, Voluntary Sector Forum

Filed Under: Partnership, Updates, Voluntary Sector Forum

EVOC Round Table Events: Book your place now!

30 September 2020 By Konica Stones

We are holding a series of ‘Round table’ events in partnership with Third Sector Strategy Group (TSSG) and would like to invite you to attend and contribute to what we believe will be informative and actionable sessions. 

Our first event will take place on Wednesday 14th October (10.00am – 11.30am)

‘People’s Story’
Using information from the Poverty Commission, Food Fund Work and the Mind the Craic report as a basis for the discussions, we will discuss and highlight the experience of inequality and the urgent need first, coming up with some ideas about how these could be addressed.
To book a place at this session visit here

Our second event will take place on Wednesday 28th October (9.30am – 11.00am)
‘An Urban Commons’

This session will focus on how we increase participation, create purposeful partnerships, and continue to develop community wealth building.
To book a place at this session visit here

As a reminder: our AGM will take place on Tuesday 3rd November 2020. 

All sessions will take place virtually, we would invite you to book your place asap!

Filed under: Childen and Young People, Future Thinking, Partnership, Updates, Voluntary Sector Forum, Welfare Reform

Filed Under: Childen and Young People, Future Thinking, Partnership, Updates, Voluntary Sector Forum, Welfare Reform

National & Edinburgh Survey Results Published

26 June 2020 By Ian Brooke

To better understand the impact of coronavirus on the Third Sector, the Third Sector Interface (TSI) Scotland Network carried out a national survey over a two-month period with community groups, voluntary organisations and social enterprises.  The survey also detailed the impact of coronavirus on the people and communities the organisations support.

1,184 organisations took part – local neighbourhood and national organisations – from across Scotland’s 32 Local Authorities.  25% self-defined as community groups; 61% as voluntary organisations and 14% as social enterprises.

This report highlights the main survey findings at a national level.  EVOC has also distilled the information from the national survey into a spotlight on Edinburgh respondents and this summary report is available here: Edinburgh Findings from the TSI National Survey

Key Findings:

  • The financial situation of social enterprises as a consequence of Covid-19 is perilous, and without urgent financial support may not recover. 81% of social enterprises are experiencing a reduction in income from trading and 86% expect their financial position to worsen
  • The cessation of the Job Retention Scheme will be a key pinch point in the financial recovery journey for all organisations. 58% of social enterprises and 39% of voluntary organisations (which employ staff) have staff furloughed and support will be required to avoid job losses.
  • All organisations, large and small, are suffering from a reduction of income from fundraising which is further threatening the future of the sector. Half of the third sector is experiencing a reduction in income from fundraising
  • Organisations have been entrepreneurial and adaptive during this crisis period. Half of all organisations have changed what they do, or modified how they deliver support to their community and people.  9% of social enterprises have started online trading.
  • Organisations are seeing first hand the impact of COVID-19 on people’s mental health and are very concerned about the immediate and future effect. 9 out of 10 organisations are concerned about the effect of ongoing social distancing and shielding on mental health.
  • Communities have flourished and risen to the challenge of supporting each other. A significant majority of organisations (84%) report that people are looking out for each other and 50% of organisations believe that there has been improved collaboration within the sector 

Ella Simpson, Chief Executive of EVOC said:

“The Sector were delivering support where it was needed immediately it was clear we were in a deep crisis.  We have never been more needed. COVID-19 shone a spotlight on the issues of deep-rooted inequality and poverty which exists in our society – crisis or no crisis. Our sector has a key role in the long hard recovery and in building a better society.  As always, our mantra at EVOC is People, Place and Partnerships – we must re-double our efforts to work together across all sectors as we move forward.”

The full survey can be downloaded here: National TSI Covid Survey

 

Filed under: Childen and Young People, Future Thinking, Partnership, Updates

Filed Under: Childen and Young People, Future Thinking, Partnership, Updates

Voluntary Sector National Survey

14 May 2020 By EVOC Communications Team

As the coronavirus pandemic continues it is important that we have a strong understanding of its impact on community groups, voluntary organisations and social enterprises, as well as the people and communities you support.

EVOC is a member of a network of Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs) covering every local authority area in Scotland.

We are asking you to complete a survey. We know this is a busy time, but good quality information will help us provide better support to you and enable us to make the right asks of government and funders. Before you begin you should know:

  1. This is a national survey with the results able to be used locally and nationally. If your organisation covers more than one local authority area you may be asked to complete this more than once. Ideally we would like a single response from your whole organisation covering the full area you cover.
  2. It would be helpful if the survey was completed by a senior person in your organisation. Some of the questions are about the leadership and strategic challenges at this time.
  3. The survey contains 26 questions and will take between 10 and 15 minutes to complete. Most of the questions are multiple choice.
  4. The survey is confidential and no individual organisation information will be published. Your individual response will be shared with the TSIs where you operate.

Complete the survey here

Thank you

Ella Simpson
Chief Executive, EVOC

Filed under: Future Thinking, Partnership, Updates

Filed Under: Future Thinking, Partnership, Updates

Community Planning and the Voluntary Sector

3 December 2019 By EVOC Communications Team

What does community planning mean in Edinburgh? What role can voluntary organisations have in it? How would the voluntary sector organise itself for this role?

In November 2019 we spoke to 30 different voluntary organisations across the city at a workshop to discuss the way the voluntary sector and the Voluntary Sector Forums (VSFs) facilitated by EVOC can play a part in community planning processes across the city.

Watch our Deputy Chief Exec, Ian Brooke explain more below:

Filed under: Partnership, Updates, Voluntary Sector Forum

Filed Under: Partnership, Updates, Voluntary Sector Forum

Community Link Worker Commissioning

24 September 2019 By Ian Brooke

We are pleased to be able to invite you to our upcoming briefings detailing the process for applying to host Primary Care Community Link Workers:

North East: Thursday 3 Oct, 9.30 – 11am @ Hibs FC (Clubhouse), 12 Albion Pl, EH7 5QG

South West: Monday 7 Oct, 9.30 – 11am @ WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove, EH14 2SA

South East: Thursday 10 Oct, 9.30 – 11am @ Gilmerton Society Hall, 27 Drum St, EH17 8RQ

North West: Monday 14 Oct, 9.30 – 11am @ EVOC Offices, 525 Ferry Road, EH5 2FF

Please click on the date for the link to book – we will then send you a pack with the documents and we can plan for teas/coffees.

All of the events are the same, so please choose only one. You do not have to attend the event closest to you if that is not a convenient date.

There are seven documents to download to apply to host a Community Link Worker – the events will provide further info and an opportunity to ask questions.

  • 1. CLW Commissioning Organisational Details Form
  • 2. CLW Commissioning Proposal Form
  • A CLW Grant Process Sep 2019
  • A Appendix 1 CLW 2020 Commisioning Process Diagram
  • A Appendix 2 Critical Success Factors
  • B CLW Handbook
  • C CLW Commissioning Proposal Form Questions Guidance

More information: ian.brooke@evoc.org.uk or Anne.Crandles@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

Filed under: Childen and Young People, Partnership, Updates, Voluntary Sector Forum

Filed Under: Childen and Young People, Partnership, Updates, Voluntary Sector Forum

Upcoming Events with Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership

7 August 2019 By EVOC Communications Team

The Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership are holding two update events in September 2019 on the progress of the third sector and EVOC Service Level Agreement refresh.

Come along to one of the two events to get an update from Chief Finance Officer Moira Pringle on the current work of the Health and Social Care Partnership, and to give your views on the refresh of the Service Level agreement between the partnership and EVOC. The events will be exactly the same so you only need to come to one.

Details for both events can be found below:

Tuesday 10 September, 9-11am, Tynecastle Park
Register for 10 September

Thursday 19 September 3-5pm, Easter Road Stadium
Register for 19 September

If you have any questions, please get in contact with Rachel Howe: Rachel.howe@edinburgh.gov.uk 

Filed under: Partnership, Updates

Filed Under: Partnership, Updates Tagged With: Edinburgh, Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, Event, EVOC, Health

Active not Reactive – A Preventative Approach to Children’s Services

15 March 2018 By EVOC Communications Team

Last August a working group of EVOC’s Children, Young People and Families Network met to discuss co-producing ideas for system change within children’s services. The group identified family support as a priority area for investigation.

Join us for a thinkSpace event that will bring together third sector organisations in Scotland, as well as representatives from City of Edinburgh Council and NHS Lothian, to develop ideas around system change to improve the lives of Children and Young People in Edinburgh. 

The purpose of this meeting is to build shared understanding- of change, systems, barriers and solutions- so that we can move on to a more in-depth conversation with The Children’s Partnership in Edinburgh. 

The outcomes of this event will be to:

  • Build stronger strategic collaboration between relevant third sector organisations on partnership and prevention in family support.
  • Find two or three test of change ideas that focus on prevention to take forward in partnership with the public sector.
  • Mobilize relevant third sector organisations to continue to build on partnership and prevention strategies with the public sector over the term of the Children’s Services Plan.

Eddie Kane from Barnardo’s Scotland and Andrew Murray from Safe Families for Children Scotland will be presenting their learnings from the consortium North-East Together. The consortium is made up of third sector organisations in North-East Glasgow, who have been working together to expand the capacity of the third sector to take on more families who don’t require long-term statutory intervention. Analysis of data has shown that a sizable proportion of referrals involve low-level crisis intervention, poverty and/or social isolation. Many of these referrals could be taken on by third sector organisations through improved partnership working and support.  

A wide range of members from the Children, Young People and Families Network in Edinburgh will also be presenting their learned experience and test of change ideas.

The outcomes, ideas and discussions generated at this event will inform dialogue between all partners that provide Children’s Services in Edinburgh about improving early support for families.

A joint event involving EVOC and Children’s Services is scheduled for June 19th 2018 to further investigate system change.

Register your place

Filed under: Childen and Young People, Future Thinking, Partnership

Filed Under: Childen and Young People, Future Thinking, Partnership

EVOC Service User Annual Review (2015/16)

21 April 2016 By EVOC Communications Team

Annually, EVOC seeks to review its work over the last year, and we’d really like the third sector organisations we work with to have their say. Whether you’ve used our training, come to us with queries, or participated in networks, we’d like to hear from you.

As part of this review we are inviting our third sector partners to answer a few short, multiple choice questions which will help us to shape our vision and work for the coming year. Please help us to evaluate our work by completing a short user survey. It should take less than five minutes to complete and is entirely anonymous.

Please note, the deadline for submissions is Friday 29th April.

Thank you for your support.

Filed under: Partnership, Updates

Filed Under: Partnership, Updates

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