SOUTH WEST & PENTLANDS VOLUNTARY SECTOR FORUM

MINUTES – 29 th APRIL 2014

PROSPECT HOUSING ASSOCIATION

PRESENT AND APOLOGIESPresent:Caroline Richards – Prospect Community Housing (CR) http://www.prospectch.org.uk/June Dickson – EVOC (JD) http://www.evoc.org.uk/Pat Bowie – Reunion (PB) http://www.re-union.org.uk/Jenny White – Reunion (JW) http://www.re-union.org.uk/Helen Gault – Homelink Family Support (HG) http://www.homelinkfamilysupport.org/Sharon Brownjohn – Broomhouse Foodbank (SB)Carol Swan - Community One Stop Shop (CS) http://www.coss-broomhouse.co.uk/Bruce Penman – Edinburgh College (BP) http://www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/Danny Holligan – Barnardos (DH) http://www.barnardos.org.uk/Marie Anderson – Broomhouse Centre (MA) http://www.broomhousecentre.org.uk/Elaine Gorman – Scottish Business in Communities (EG) http://www.sbcscot.com/Milind Kolhatkar – EVOC (MK) http://www.evoc.org.uk/Maysoon Sutherland – Health All Round (MS) http://www.healthallround.org.uk/

Apologies:Margot Mackenzie – Homestart http://www.hsew.org.uk/Ben – The Conservation Volunteers http://www2.tcv.org.uk/display/btcv_scotlandJackie Hall – Broomhouse & Sighthill Comm. Hub http://www.broomhousecentre.org.uk/community-health-hub.html

David Garner – CHAI http://www.chaiedinburgh.org.uk/Shasta Ali – SCORE Scotland http://www.scorescotland.org.uk/Abby Boultbee – Edin & Lothians Greenspace Trust http://www.elgt.org.uk/Jean Cuthbert – Volunteer Centre http://www.volunteeredinburgh.org.uk/home

MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

Last meeting wasn’t minuted, the core of the last meeting was the Hate Crime Presentation by SCOREScotland.

MATTERS ARISINGNONE

SUB-GROUPS –PRESENTATION

JD gave a short presentation on the Sub Groups of the SW Neighbourhood Partnership. Copy of presentation attached with Funding Panel added!) VSF has representation on all subgroups. JD suggested that a proforma sheet is compiled asking Reps to bring forward circa 3 key points to the Forum at meetings, updating members of key issues/topics discussed at subgroups to ensure connection with Forum to Subgroups and therefore NPs. The meeting agreed this may be a positive way forward to ensure the Forum is kept up to date with issues and topics raised t each sub-group and may be a way that some feedback can be given to sub-groups from the Forum as a whole.

ACTION REQ’D

Sub group Reps:

Funding Panel – Marie Anderson & Carol SwanEnvironment & Transport – Maysoon SutherlandCommunity Safety – Sashta AliEconomic – Bruce PenmanHealth Inequalities Group – Marie Anderson & Linda Arthur

LOCAL COMMUNITY PLAN - CONSULTATION SATURDAY 26 TH MAY 2014

6 Facilitators going round 6 tables. Attendance of 20-30 people. Most tables had 4-6 members of public and NP scribes. Difficult to get much of a feel for what the day did. Was anything new raised? Topics were pre agreed by the Council and were already in the Plan. More consultation will be carried out. Large percentage of workers and Councillors and older people, not many young people or community representatives. Take the workers out the equation and there were only around 10 people. Didn’t seem to be what some people thought it would be. Attendance was by very local people in Tynecastle (Saturday’s event). Local people do have other opportunities, survey monkeys etc. CR stated that it would be good to see the figures for the online surveys. Difficult to find a venue covering all of the SW for an event.

PB raised the issue of Community Engagement. 3rd Sector been told that Community Engagement done through NPT. MS commented that the local people need people they know and trust. Unfortunately opportunities are being missed for working in partnership with 3rd Sector in terms of community engagement. Would be good to have 3rd Sector involvement in Community Engagement for Plans but with a small fee. NPT could be taping into 3rd Sector organisations in the community to see how they engage the community.

BP asked JD if Scott Neil had responded to attend this meeting. The group were asked if they thought SN coming along was appropriate. MA asked MK if this was usual in other areas. MK explained that this seemed to rely on trust and relationships, different in each NP area.

JD informed the group that the Council had requested that Councillors be invited along to all VSFs in the Summer.

If the processes are going to be truly consultative then Councillors and NP Officer should be invited along, could open up some constructive and positive conversations. Consensus was it would be positive.

BP felt we need to think about who and why we will invite. Happy to invite Councillors along in Summer. Will continue to invite Scott along.

MK explained that there is no remit for the Councillors coming along in Summer. Can there be a lot for that meeting to discuss relationships between Councillors/NP.

Should we do a mini presentation at the start of the meeting showing what the VSF does? May be interesting for the group to put together stats around their organisations, how much 3rd sector put into their work. (PB) Show them how valuable

MA/CSMSSABPMA/LA

this sector is. JD to circulate a list of questions around all contacts. PB & JDEG suggested that we forward results and presentation to give them a chance to do some homework on how 3rd sector and statutory can come together to work more effectively. JD MA and PB will work together on presentation.

JD suggested that a small report be brought to the VSF from the Subgroups. BP agreed. PB expressed concerns that Re-Union do not have the capacity to attend Sub groups etc especially as no action seems to be coming out of subgroups. AF spoke to Linda regarding the HIG . Whole structure needs reinvigorated, new structures etc. How does it need to change? Most orgs attending meetings are funded by the Council. So many meetings and jumping through hoops. For tiny amounts of money you are expected to attend many meetings stretching capacity. MS raised that Geographical subgroups may be formed. The size of the South does not help.

Barnardos – Bring to table “what we bring to the table”.

CR – reps from VSF to bring short reports from subgroups. Need to make sure 3rd Sector is represented on all Subgroups.

Health All Round Env & Transport, BP Economic , Carol, Funding Panel, Marie Health Inequalities and MSS. Score Scotland to be asked to report back from Community Safety.

TOTAL PLACE – SUMMARY (MILIND KOLKATKAR)

Too much public money is spent fixing problems that have come up due to poor provision of services (failure demand). Analysis on public send on fixing problems that could have been fixed earlier (Early Intervention – prevent problems form arising rather than fixing once they have arisen). Better at working around themes. Not an efficient use of money. This leads to an approach – Place based, for planning and delivery.

A set of pilots were set up – Total Place. (Total Football reference). In order to deal with retractable problems that have caused problems in our communities. One strand of work for problems does not work, isn’t working. Holistic approach required…how would that look? Total Place – C Counting, C Community, C Culture Change ….shift from thematic to holistic approach will require a culture change.

The Council is clear that it has to save significant amounts of money over the next few years. (10% over next 2-3 years). Initiative called BOLD (Better Outcomes Through Leaner Delivery). They will pilot a trial project using the principles of BOLD centred around WHEC for young people families and surrounding community. Total Craigroyston already exist (thematic approach), more joined up holistic way. Driven by real community needs driven by community. Real change happens in real work. People own what they create. Community/neighbourhoods a system rather than individual blocks. Could connect well with Christie Commission report. Driven by the needs and assets of communities. Real change happens when designed and delivered close to the community. Links to co-productive approach, doing with rather than to or for. Many of these ways of thinking and working are already familiar to the 3rd Sector. Would be valuable for 3rd Sector to engage and have clients/service user involved in BOLD. Total place being developed in Total Neighbourhood East. BOLD trialled in SW of city. MA asked who leads this – Cathy King SfC, Housing and Regeneration, Mike

JD/MA/PB

Rosendale, being driven by Council Officer. MA asked who is leading the local initiative. Discussed at CSMG on 1st April will come through that with Shaun Bell as Chair of CSMG will be based around Depts and CSMG. DH reported that it seems to be coming through CSMG. Action Group of CSMG has drawn attention to the SW. Based around WHEC. Should be a broader approach than Total Craigroyston. Hs had a good reception from workers. Next CSMG on 29th May, Danny shall bring feedback back to the next VSF. Gordon McLean is the Co-ordinator and should have a good idea of what is going on. Thinking and planning happening now, Council needs to save money on next year’s budget. Seems to be a real push on this initiative. Danny commented that Total Craigroyston put a lot of input from community into this, a real investment in Community Engagement. Do we have a feel yet as to what the investment will be in WHEC Total place. AF also confirmed that real engagement and consultation took place with Total Craigroyston from the start. MA mentioned that Jim Hunter showed a real clear case study that had a huge impact regarding 26 professionals working with one family being reduced to 6 professionals working with the family.

Various members pointed out that some of this work has been taking place in this way for a while in the South. Danny pointed out that this method gives time to reflect and focus. These initiatives have a lot to learn from 3rd Sector. Will there be engagement with community and what would it look like.

Invite Gordon McLean along to next meeting. Concerned that there is a long time between meetings. DH shall ask pertinent questions at next CSMG meeting.Key word is PARTNERSHIP…needs to be a shift in Local Authority heads on this.

CSMG – based around schools. More information about CSMG and GIRFEC can be found here

REVIEW OF GRANTS TO 3 RD PARTIES No comments made.EVENTS@EVOCThinkSpace Events on the Referendum were circulated to meeting.A.O.B.Home Link Family Support are in the in process of launching Antenatal Befriending Project. Volunteer befriending, volunteers shall drive this project. Referred onto project no self referral. Up to 3rd trimester. Looking at attachments etc. Befrienders can help unravel what families are being asked to do and how to do it. Training volunteers for this particular project. Pilot Project 18 months. Time limited. Tight timescales. No waiting list. Should be ready for 1st referrals in June, most from statutory services.

AF WHALEArts Thursday – Digital Media Training 12.30 details can be found hereAF WHALEArts 2nd August pulling together community celebration in connection with Commonwealth Games.

Add information Exchange at beginning of agenda going forward.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING:29th July 2014 – 12-2pm28TH October 2014 – 12-2pm