The Edinburgh Compact Voice Survey 2019 is now open for responses. The survey gathers data from organisations in the third sector in Edinburgh providing a collective picture of the state of the city’s charity and voluntary organisations.

To make sure this picture is accurate, it’s important that voices from all sizes of organisations in Edinburgh, whether or not it has paid staff.

Jan-Bert van den Berg, Chair of Edinburgh Compact, said: “A strong collective voice for the third sector depends on us being able to clearly illustrate the scope, scale and impact of what we do. I urge organisations to contribute, so that we have the information that allows us to continue to push for greater involvement of communities and third sector organisations in shaping the services of the future.”

Data from the survey is compiled and produced as a report, which provides a useful tool for both the public and voluntary sectors. The Edinburgh Compact Voice Report offers readers the chance to look at the makeup of the sector in Edinburgh, highlight what economic and social value it brings to the City, how it contributes to the city priorities and how partnership working is viewed.

Now in its fifth year, this year’s survey will look back to the start when Edinburgh’s third sector said it wanted more recognition from public sector partners and greater collaboration and ask – has this happened or not?

The survey is open for responses until the end of February and can be accessed here. 

Edinburgh’s inaugural ‘Compact Third Sector forum’ will be held on Monday 18^th May from 10am – 2pm at Edinburgh City Chambers.

The Substance Use Network Edinburgh (SUNE) will be holding its AGM on MONDAY 24^TH FEBRUARY 2014 from 12.30pm to  3pm at EVOC, 14 Ashley Place, Edinburgh, EH6 5PX.

At the AGM SUNE will be looking for a new chair to lead the Network for the coming year. There are challenging times ahead, with the focus on Collaborative Commissioning and ensuring the Sector is ready to engage with Alliance Contracting. SUNE needs someone with strong leadership skills,  a good understanding of the sector, who is able to represent the Sector at strategic level and,  who  can devote around 2 days a month to the work.

This will include attendance at meetings of:

• Edinburgh Alcohol and Drug Partnership executive committee (Every 8 weeks)
• Substance Use Network Edinburgh (Monthly)
• Shadow Governance Group (Monthly)

There will be a need to meet/liaise with the EVOC staff member (currently Kate Kasprowicz) who does the support function to the group. In all we estimate around 15-16 hours a month. Unwaged.

The EADP and SUNE are entering into an exciting time of change and development which will potentially change the way that people will receive help around substance use issues, including harm reduction, treatment and on-going recovery support.  SUNE have been very proactive in the movement from competitive tendering to a collaborative approach which in turn will lead to alliances being formed to take future work forward.

Challenging, but also exciting.  Collaborative Commissioning is a new approach and other services will be watching how we manage this process.

Please send nominations for the new chair to Kate Kasprowicz by Friday 21^st February. If you would like to talk to the current chair and find out more about what’s involved, please phone John Arthur on 07894244071. 

The Chair of SUNE does not have to be a paid member of staff from a member organisation; it could be a Board member.  Do you have a Board member with the skills SUNE needs, available during the day and who would relish being a Third Sector Lead? If so, a bit of encouragement may be all that’s needed.

Looking forward to getting your nominations, plus a paragraph about the skills and experience of your nominee.  Nominees will have to be seconded and if there is more than one there will be an election at the AGM.

LOOPs (Local Opportunities for Older People) Networks

In the New Year EVOC and Pilmeny Development Project will be launching a new project called ‘Local Opportunities for Older People’ or LOOPs.

These local networks, which correspond to the Social Care quadrants of the city, aim to improve communication and signposting across sectors and strengthen three referral routes into community based preventative services and activities which correspond to the numbered blue arrows on the diagram:

1. Vulnerable or at-risk, socially isolated older people who, for whatever reason, are not accessing services – this might include  from specific equalities groups, for example, older lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender [LGBT] or black or minority ethnic [BME] older people who find services difficult to access.
2. Older people who have undergone some form of assessment but have been assessed as ‘low’ to ‘moderate’ need who need to be signposted to additional community based preventative services or social activities.
3. Older people who have been assessed as requiring services but who would benefit from additional community based services or activities: this might include older people who are undergoing a transition, perhaps from a more clinical provision to provision within the community. 

The City of Edinburgh Council has made an investment into the project and we want to know from you how that investment should be spent. To find this out we will be holding four local launch events and asking the questions:

• What do you need in your community to access the most socially isolated older people?
• How can EVOC and Pilmeny Development Project work with you to develop these underdeveloped referral routes?
• What barriers are you experiencing in developing successful partnerships with other local organisations?
• How can we support older people to access the right services or activities at the right time?

The events will take place:

Southeast

Faith Mission Halls, Gilmerton
Thursday 6 February, 2:00 – 4:30

Register Now » 

Northwest

Drumbrae Library Hub
Tuesday 11 February, 2:00-4:30

Register Now » 

Southwest

Wester Hailes Education Centre
Friday 31 January, 2:00-4:30

Register Now » 

Northeast

Portlee Resource Centre
Friday 20 February, 10:00-12:30

Register Now » 
 
Please contact Stefan Milenkovic on 0131 555 9100 or visit the LOOPs page for further information.

In preparation for the City of Edinburgh Council‘s Review of Community and Accessible Transport (CAT), representatives of Third Sector organisations are invited to a Symposium on Monday 20th January.

This is the third of three Symposiums to investigate and discuss issues which will impact upon the formal Review.

Ian Brooke, Deputy Director of EVOC and Chair of the Edinburgh Community Transport Organisers Group (ECTOG) encourages groups to feel welcome to this event and reassured that the voluntary sector is an active and respected partner in this learning process.

“The Council recognises that transport is fundamental to community participation and to the work of the voluntary sector. We want as much preliminary feedback and information from organisations as possible at this early stage, to help shape the formal review. The Symposium on the 20th January is a place to talk about your use of CAT and your needs for the future.”

Who this event is for:

• groups or organisations that use Community & Accessible Transport
• groups or organisations with a bus or vehicle which is dedicated to and run by their service, but which is owned by the Council

Organisations and groups which own and run their own vehicles will not be part of the Review and do not need to attend the Symposium.

Please see the invitation below:

Colleagues: We wish to invite you to a Symposium relating to the City of Edinburgh Council’s Review of Community and Accessible Transport which is currently in its research and evidence gathering stage.  This is a vital stage as it is a pre-cursor to forming options upon which we could consult and be accountable. 
 
This Review is complex and wide ranging and hence we wish to access as many viewpoints and perspectives as possible.  This is the third Symposium and each time we have broadened the audience, the first was the Council and ECTOG colleagues, the second included wider Third Sector representation, NHS Lothian and a neighbouring local authority.  We would welcome your involvement in this third Symposium to help shape ideas and gather further evidence.
 
Given the size of the likely attendance and to keep the Symposium focused and manageable, we unfortunately will have to restrict attendance to one nominee per organisation.
 
We trust that you will be able to be represented.

To secure your place, please contact Greer Brook Singh.

The Symposium takes place on Monday 20 January 2014 from 9am to 12.30pm in the Midlothian Suite, Lothian Chambers, George IV Bridge.

The Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership is seeking people to provide both a service user perspective and a carer perspective to the Partnership.

The Partnership is comprised of the City of Edinburgh Council, NHS Lothian and Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council, (EVOC) who are  committed to the vision of ‘working together for a caring, healthier, safer Edinburgh’.

The Members’ key tasks will be to attend Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership meetings and ensure that the Partnership is provided with a service user and a carer perspective on agenda items. The members will ensure oversight and scrutiny of decisions and policies made by the Partnership.

The closing date for applications is 31 January 2014.

For further information, please contact Rachel Howe on 0131 529 6552.

Further information about the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership is available on the City of Edinburgh Council website.