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LOCAL & NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
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HR
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SERVICE UPDATES
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PREMISES AND TECHNOLOGY
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FUNDING
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TRAINING & LEARNING
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RESEARCH & BLOGS
LOCAL & NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
Scottish Government: East Lothian is in Level 3. A full list of what residents can/can’t do in Level 3 can be found here: LEVEL 3 RESTRICTIONS Please note that if you travel to work in East Lothian from another local authority area you may be in a different Level.
Scottish Government – Level 3 Travel Restrictions: East Lothian is in Level 3 and the Scottish Government guidance is that we should avoid any unnecessary travel out of the area. This is a list of limited exceptions from the guidance with the ones most relevant to life in the Third Sector being:
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travel for work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, but only where that cannot be done from your home
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travel to school, college, or university where teaching is not provided remotely
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(To and from Level 3 areas but not Level 4) travel for under 18s sport
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travel for essential shopping only where it is not possible in your local authority area – you should use on-line shopping or shops, banks and other services in your local area wherever you can
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travel for healthcare, childcare and other essential services, including recycling, but only if they are not available in your local area
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travel to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person
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travel for shared parenting or travel between the two parts of an extended household
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travel to meet a legal obligation, including attending court or satisfying bail conditions, or to participate in legal proceedings
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travel for essential animal welfare reasons, such as feeding a horse or going to a vet
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local outdoor informal exercise such as walking, cycling, golf, or running (in groups of up to 6 people from no more than 2 households) that starts and finishes at the same place
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travel locally (within around 5 miles of your local authority area) to reach a place to take exercise outdoors
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travel for weddings, civil partnership registrations, funerals and other “life events” (such as bar mitzvahs and christenings)
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travel to give blood at a Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service collection session
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travel to transit through Level 3 and 4 areas by road or public transport if your journey begins and ends outside such an area
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travel to move house
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travel to avoid injury, illness or to escape a risk of harm
More guidance, including guidance on how to travel safely if you do have to travel can be found here SG GUIDANCE ON TRAVEL
HR
Furlough: The furlough scheme has been extended until the end of November with the Job Support Scheme being postponed until the furlough scheme ends. Key points are:
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The government will pay 80% of employee’s wages up to a cap of £2,500 for November with employers covering the cost of pension contributions and National Insurance;
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Employees don’t need to have been furloughed before to qualify for furlough in November;
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Employees need to be on their employer’s payroll by 23:59 on 30 October 2020;
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Flexible furloughing is allowed as well as full-time furloughing;
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Employees have to be furloughed for a minimum of 7 consecutive calendar days;
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Employers can choose to “top up” wages .
UK Government information here FURLOUGH
Adopt an Apprentice: More financial support is being provided to employers to take on apprentices who have been made redundant as a result of the pandemic. Payments for employers recruiting apprentices who have lost their jobs is being increased from £2,000 to £5,000 through the Scottish Government’s Adopt an Apprentice programme. APPRENTICE
EU Workers: From 1 January 2021, the UK will introduce a points-based immigration system that will treat EU and non-EU citizens equally and transform the way in which employers recruit internationally. Regardless of the nature of our future trading relationship with the EU, from 1 January there will be guaranteed changes for businesses:
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You will need to be a licensed sponsor to hire eligible workers from outside the UK. This normally takes 8 weeks and fees apply. Check your business is eligible and read the accompanying sponsorship guidance.
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New job, salary and language requirements will apply to anyone that you want to hire from outside the UK. Check that the people you want to hire will meet the requirements for coming to the UK for work.
The new system will not apply to hiring Irish citizens, or EU citizens already living and working in the UK who are eligible under the EU Settlement Scheme. VISA SPONSORSHIP
SERVICE UPDATES
VAWG: Here is this month’s update from the Violence Against Women and Girls group – lots of really useful information. VAWG NOVEMBER
MYPAS: MYPAS are recruiting a Project Worker – Maternity Cover (East Lothian) 18 hours per week, £30,473 – £32,260 pro rata, 18 hours per week worked over 3 days. The contract will run for a period of 6 months (fixed term contract) with the possibility that the maternity cover period will be extended. JOB ADVERT
MYPAS: MYPAS has produced Nitrous Oxide leaflets, posters and cards for young people in East Lothian and Midlothian. RESOURCES
CAPS Independent Advocacy: You are warmly invited to attend CAPS Independent Advocacy’s online AGM on Friday 20 November 2020 at 2pm. To register your interest and receive the link, please email Jane@capsadvocacy.org
Changeworks: Join our Affordable Warmth Services team and computer skills charity ACE IT for a series of workshops aimed at keeping you warm in your home and safe online this Winter. These sessions are normally delivered in person – we’ve moved them online so you don’t miss out. Find out more and register.
Warmer Homes Scotland scheme: The Warmer Homes Scotland scheme is open and helping Scots who are struggling to heat their home. The Scottish Government increased the scheme budget in September to help support a ‘green recovery’ from the coronavirus pandemic. SCHEME
PREMISES & TECHNOLOGY
Cybersecurity: In partnership with Scottish Government and Police Scotland, SBRC has launched the UK’s first cyber incident response helpline for the SME community and the third sector to help victims of cybercrime understand what support is immediately available to them and help them recover. The free helpline will help organisations confirm they have been the victim of an attack and, if so, provide expert guidance to get them back to secure operations. HELPLINE
FUNDING
One Council Partnership Funding grant – 2021/22 applications now open:
The application portal on the Council’s website is now open for the 2021/22 round of One Council Partnership Funding grants. Community groups can apply for grant funding to help support their community resilience efforts as the COVID-19 pandemic challenges continue. One Council Partnership Funding is an annual revenue grant which can help cover the running costs and volunteer expenses for community projects, charities and third sector organisations. Examples of some of the projects which have received One Council Partnership Funding include Heavy Sound, Venturing Out, East Lothian Foodbank, The Ridge in Dunbar, Recharge in Tranent and the North Berwick Youth Project.
Our overarching aim, as set out in the Council Plan, is to tackle inequalities. Due to the impact of COVID-19, applicants seeking grant funding for 2021-22 will be required to prioritise at least one of the following themes:
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Promoting digital inclusion
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Addressing domestic abuse
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Supporting vulnerable children and young people
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Reducing poverty, including food initiatives
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Mental health and well-being, including social isolation
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Supporting volunteering
The closing date for submitting applications is Monday, 30 November. Find out more
Food Coops: The Co-op Food Fund aims to support organisations or projects that provide access to food and sustainable solutions to food poverty in Scotland.
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Easy access to nutritious food and balanced means to those on a limited budget
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Education and learning on low cost meal solutions, limiting food waste and shopping smartly
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Support to future generations by prioritising the wellbeing of children and young people struggling with food insecurity
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Provide locally delivered food programmes for vulnerable communities and which help address food insecurity and its impacts
Grants between £1,000 and 5,000 are available. Application deadline: 12 noon on Friday 13th November 2020. ‘This programme may close earlier than the stated deadline should we receive a high volume of applications, therefore we advise you to apply as soon as you can.’ FOOD FUND
LaunchMe: Firstport are looking for ambitious social enterprises and community groups, to join their latest LaunchMe cohort and scale their impact!
Do you fit the bill? Here’s what the programme can offer you:
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Professional expertise, training and advice
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Tailored Business Support
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Peer Support
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Access to Networks and investment opportunities
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£10,000 seed funding (received as a repayable grant).
Interested in finding out more? Head to their website
TRAINING & LEARNING
Diabetes Scotland are running two events:
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Diabetes and Emotional Wellbeing 7pm, Wednesday 11 November 2020, We will be joined by Dr Kirsty McLennan, Clinical Psychologist at NHS Grampian, to discuss looking after your emotional wellbeing when you’re living with diabetes.
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Diabetes Research: DNA that forms part of the gene for insulin, 7pm, Wednesday 25 November 2020, Dr Zoe Waller, Associate Professor in Drug Discovery, will talk about her Diabetes UK-funded project looking at the DNA that forms part of the gene for insulin and what that could mean for treating diabetes.
Please email scotland@diabetes.org.uk to register and to submit any questions for Dr McLennan for the Emotional Wellbeing event.
Multi-agency Corporate Parenting Training: Who Cares? (Scotland) and the East Lothian Champions Board are hosting an online Corporate Parenting Training. This training is relevant for corporate parents from all public bodies including East Lothian Council, NHS Lothian, police, colleges and universities etc. The training will be delivered on two different dates. To sign up, please click on the link of the date below that suits you. The training will be delivered via Microsoft Teams.
RESEARCH & BLOGS
Social Enterprise Scotland (SES) has commissioned independent research to develop insights about the drivers and barriers to purchase from social enterprises. By completing the survey you will provide SES with insights that will be taken into account in its upcoming campaign to drive awareness for social enterprises among Scottish consumers in the festive season. SURVEY
