HR
ACAS: From ACAS ‘ In these challenging times many businesses are considering making some tough decisions about their future especially with the Job Retention Scheme drawing to a close at the end of October. What are the options for employers?
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If allowed for in the employees contracts – lay off on a temporary basis without pay or short time working guidance.
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Change the employees terms and conditions guidance.
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The last resort could be to make some redundancies guidance‘
PREMISES AND TECHNOLOGY
Connecting Scotland: Connecting Scotland is a Scottish Government programme set up in response to coronavirus. It provides iPads, Chromebooks and support to develop digital skills for people who digitally excluded and on low incomes. Phase 2 launched on 18th August and is focused on:
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households with children, or where a child is normally resident (this includes pregnant women with no child in the household)
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care leavers up to the age of twenty-six (in line with eligibility for aftercare support)
Each local Council has been provided with an allocation of devices to distribute to people living in their area. Organisations working with people in the target groups for Phase 2 can apply for devices to distribute. The closing date for applications is 11am on 5th October 2020. SCVO recently ran a webinar for potential applicants. You can watch the webinar here: CONNECTING SCOTLAND
FUNDING
Community & Third Sector Recovery Programme: The Community & Third Sector Recovery Programme is a £25m Scottish Government funded programme aiming to support charities, community groups, social enterprises and voluntary organisations that are supporting people and communities through the shift from lockdown to recovery. As well as providing ongoing crisis support, they will be planning and implementing changes to adapt and thrive in a very different social and economic climate. The Community & Third Sector Recovery Programme has two strands:
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Adapt and Thrive: The programme aims to support organisational change. It offers tailored support and funding to develop a plan so third sector organisations can operate sustainably post-COVID. You can find more information about Adapt and Thrive on the SCVO website, and daily Information Webinars are also available.
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Communities Recovery Fund: The fund aims to support the delivery of services in communities that were suspended or reduced because of COVID, or the creation of new services that tackle new challenges presented by COVID. More information about this fund will be available on the SCVO website on or before Friday 18 September.
Both strands will open for applications on Monday 21 September, and will each use an integrated system so, if required, a request can be made to both programmes using a single application form. SCVO
TRAINING AND LEARNING
VOCAL Think CARER: Free training for health and social care professionals.Think CARER training raises awareness of unpaid carers including the impact of caring and available support. Health and social care professionals are in an ideal position to identify carers and help them access the support and resources they need to improve their quality of life as well as that of the person they care for. Date: Wednesday, 7th October, 10-11 am This session will be delivered via MS TEAMS. Please aim to join the session approximately 10 minutes before the start time. To register for this free course, or for more information, contact Tracy Cooper, Partnership Training Officer on 0131 622 6666 or tcooper@vocal.org.uk
Digital strategy: Ross McCulloch, Third Sector Lab This interactive session will help you develop a clear vision of digital and what it can do for your organisation. We will explore the key elements that underpin a digital strategy as well as looking at themes such as leadership, culture, data, cybersecurity, service design and flexible technology. DIGITAL STRATEGY
DigiShift – Delivering effective online learning: SCVO has brought together speakers from Open University, Charity Learning Consortium and Lead Scotland to explore how to deliver effective online learning. During this DigiShift we will hear about both transitioning existing training and learning to online plus how to develop e-learning programmes from scratch. DIGISHIFT
RESEARCH & BLOGS
SURF: Since lockdown began in March 2020, SURF has provided a platform for SURF’s network to tell their stories of challenges, responses and resilience. These frontline responses – more than 150 of them – represent a unique resource, providing inspiring examples of the ways in which communities and their partners have responded nimbly and effectively to immediate needs. These stories from all over Scotland form the basis of SURF’s Covid-19 Lessons from the Frontline Report. FRONTLINE REPORT
