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LOCAL & NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
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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
Levels: East and Mid Lothian will move to Level 2 from 24 November, City of Edinburgh continues in Level 3 and West Lothian will move to Level 4 from 6pm on 20 November. Find out what you can/can’t do in Level 2: LEVEL 2
Scottish Government: Travel restrictions will be put into law to prevent people who live in a Level 3 or Level 4 local authority area from travelling outside their local authority except for an essential purpose – such as work or caring responsibilities. The changes to protection levels will come into effect at 6pm this Friday (20 November) and will remain in place for three weeks until Friday 11 December. Updated travel guidance will be published ahead of the travel regulations being introduced on Friday 20 November, but updates are not yet on the Scottish Government’s website. In addition to the new legal restrictions, please also remember the dangers of car-sharing which risks transmitting Covid between passengers.
Brexit: The Information Commissioner’s Office has a guidance page. Now that the UK has left the EU, there is a transition period until the end of 2020 to allow time to negotiate a new relationship with the EU. During the transition period the GDPR will continue to apply in the UK. You should continue to follow existing guidance on the GDPR and monitor the ICO website for any developments in guidance during the remainder of the transition period. The FAQs are useful. ICO WEBSITE
SERVICE UPDATES
Recovery Summit “Creating a new East Lothian” Recognising the importance of the sector in the economic and social recovery we are calling on all elected representatives and senior public officials in East Lothian`s CPP to come together with the Third Sector in a virtual summit on Wednesday 2nd December. MORE INFORMATION, REGISTER
Home-Start East Lothian becomes a hub for Christmas presents at this time of year and welcome anyone working with families across East Lothian to access the gifts. Please see note below to ensure it can be done in a safe way. note to agencies re Christmas presents
Age Scotland: Around the House in 80 Days – ATH80 for short – is aimed at helping older people to increase their physical movement and build strength, balance and flexibility from the comfort of their own surroundings. We know that having fun is the best way to motivate ourselves to move more and sit less. With this is mind, our health & wellbeing professionals Yolanda Strachan and Jenny Ackland have developed a range of simple daily movement exercises with a fun twist. From the ‘Bedroom Boogie’ to some ‘Kitchen Capers’, Around the House in 80 Days aims to turn everyday activities around the home into an opportunity to get moving – and hopefully smiling! AROUND THE HOUSE
Macmillan: Digital Storytelling workshops support people affected by cancer to tell their stories in their own words. We’re working with Scottish Book Trust to create digital stories in the form of videos. Telling your story can help you connect with people, help others feel less alone, and even help improve cancer services. It can also be therapeutic and help you to work through your experience. DIGITAL STORYTELLING
CAPS: CAPS is looking for two Collective Advocacy workers for two new collective advocacy projects to ensure the voices of BAME people and LGBT+ people can influence mental health services in Edinburgh. CAPS RECRUITMENT
Eat Well Age Well are pleased to be introducing their new malnutrition advice line. The line will open from 1st December and will provide practical tips and advice about how to stay well-nourished for older people aged 65 years or over living at home who have a poor appetite and / or are experiencing unintentional weight loss. The advice line will be available for older people, family members, carers and health professionals supporting an older person aged 65 years or over living in the Edinburgh and Lothian areas. EAT WELL AGE WELL FLYER
PREMISES & TECHNOLOGY
Cybersecurity: The latest Cyber Scotland bulletin can be accessed here. CYBERSECURITY
FUNDING
East Lothian Council have been provided with £220, 500 of funding for the financial year 2020/21 to support children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing needs arising as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
They have decided to open up applications to access this funding. A small sub-group of the Mental Health Strategy group will meet to make decisions and notifications will be made by 18/12/20.
This funding is open to third sector partners.
Application form: should be sent to Lisa Ferrara: lferrara@eastlothian.gov.uk by 27/11/20.
Shared Prosperity Fund: Plans for a Scottish replacement for European Structural Funds after EU exit have been published. The new Scottish Shared Prosperity Fund (SSPF) will ensure Scotland’s distinctive needs and priorities are met, with a key focus on addressing and reducing economic and social disparity. Regional partners will play a key role in the SSPF – leading on allocation of funding and programme development for their area.. SHARED PROPERITY FUND
The Heritage Lottery Fund is opening up grant streams. From 25 November the smaller streams open for grants from £3,000-£10,000 and £10,000-£100,000. From 8 February 2021, they will be accepting applications for grants from £100,000-£250,000 and £250,000-£5m. HLF REOPENING
Fundraising: ‘Fundraising in the time of COVID-19’ is a free booklet which has been produced by the Chartered Institute of Fundraising with the Supporter Experience Special Interest Group. The booklet outlines six principles and suggested actions to deliver an exceptional supporter experience. The aim is for charities and fundraisers to build on the public’s desire to give during the pandemic by delivering a great supporter experience. You are invited to join a free webinar on 25 November from our Supporter Experience Group on this new resource. WEBINAR BOOKLET
TRAINING & LEARNING
Winter Driving Skills Update: It’s been pointed out to me that I didn’t mention the cost. The 4×4 drivers don’t charge but as a charity they welcome donations. Lothian 4×4 Drivers are offering Winter Driving Skills presentations for staff and volunteers, aimed at helping drivers to feel confident driving in winter conditions. In the past participants in the sessions have given them a unanimous thumbs up, being educational and entertaining too, and certainly contributing to the safety and confidence of your drivers during the winter months. This makes a good mitigation to include in your winter preparation risk assessments. It will be an online session. If you are interested in this for your organisation but wouldn’t have 10 people available to participate let me know and I’ll try to group organisations together. There has been some interest already and we should definitely be able to run one or more courses. WINTER DRIVING SKILLS
Women’s Aid East and Midlothian are holding their AGM on 4 December. AGM
RESEARCH & BLOGS
Red Cross: The Red Cross report ‘Lonely and left behind: tackling loneliness at a time of crisis’ provides rich insight into how some of the people most affected by the pandemic are coping, and how they’re not. Its findings make the case for more action to tackle loneliness as we head into new restrictions, and an inevitably difficult winter. LONELY AND LEFT BEHIND
BurnessPaul: “Can we sign this electronically?”. You might be hearing this question more often these days. Here are some basic principles and practical points to help you answer this question under Scots law. ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES
