VOLT
2nd October 2014 – 12-2pm
Bethany Offices
PRESENT AND APOLOGIES
Present :
Andrew Murray – Bethany Christian Trust (AMuray)
Anne Munro – Pilmeny Development Project (AMunro)
June Dickson – EVOC – (JD)
Steve Gowanlocke - MCFB
Mary O’Connell – Leith Timebank
Councillor Gordon Munro
Anna Herriman – Leith NP PDO
Loraine Duckworth – Leith NP PIM
Denise Horn – Compact Voice
Will Barr – Citadel Youth Centre
Apologies:
Ian Dyson - Link up
Deborah Clark -Sikh Sanjog
Anne Nixon -Homestart Leith
Sam Anderson – The Junction
Everyone introduced themselves.
MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
Minutes agreed and seconded
MATTERS ARISING
New Chair & Co-Chair
JD discussed with the members the need to elect a new Chair for VOLT. Willy Barr expressed his intention
of stepping down as Chair at the VOLT meeting in April. This is now a matter that needs urgent attention
as Willy has kindly remained as Chair since then. JD put to the members that it would be beneficial to
have not only a Chair but also a Co-chair to alleviate the pressures on one person to be available to discuss
Agendas and any pertinent business before the meetings, it was acknowledged that it can be difficult to
pin down Chairs of Forums due to capacity issues and that most Chairs are managing services within their
local communities making free time almost impossible. Therefore having a co-chair should alleviate this
issue and also issued when people are on Annual Leave or absent from work. The Leith NP have
confirmed that the Third Sector/Forum can have 2 representatives on the NP Board but emphasised that
the Third Sector would still have one vote. The members were in agreement that we should try to
recruit/elect both a Chair and co-chair.
Election Papers and Process
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JD had produced a Person Specification and a short list of main tasks, together with nomination forms and
also a timetable of the process to ensure that a new Chair can be elected in time for the next VOLT
meeting. JD emphasised that this was a suggested process and was quite formal and would only be
implemented if we receive more than 2 nominees. The meeting agreed that an email should be circulated
to all members of the Forum to request nominations for the role of Chair and Co-Chair. GM suggested
that the email asked that organisations approach another organisation in their area to second the
nominations and that this may give opportunities for links and conversations between said organisations.
The decision shall be made whether or not to trigger an election depending on the number of people put
forward for election. If there are only 2 people put forward the Forum shall then take the decision
between them whether these names shall be accepted and the decision shall be made as to who shall be
Chair and co-chair.
JD shall email Forum members 3rd October to requests nominations and explain processes, both formal
and informal.
CSMG Update
JD attended a meeting with Louise Rogers the Development Worker for The Network at EVOC. It was
agreed that Steve Gowanlocke would remain the CSMG rep and will attend the VOLT Forum and also
CSMG meetings but would not cover the Network meetings; Marilyn Keilloh shall cover the Network
meetings on behalf of the Leith area. It was acknowledged at this meeting that most representatives were
finding it extremely difficult to attend all three meetings as CSMG reps. There was also strong
acknowledgement of the value of SG’s input through the CSMG which would be a real loss if he was to
step back from the role. SG confirmed he would be returning to the role at the next meeting.
LOCAL COMMUNITY PLAN – UPDATE
The Forum appreciated that Loraine Duckworth and Anna Herriman from the Leith Neighbourhood
Partnership had attended the meeting to give a verbal update as to where things are with the LCP for
Leith.
The 5 Priority/Action Groups for Leith are:
CLEAN, GREEN, LEITH
HEALTHY LEITH
SAFE LEITH
LEITH ECONOMY
YOUNG LEITHERS
An additional theme emerged which shall be included in all work across the Board this is Engaged Leith,
which looks at capacity building and engagement with local people. There is also a Leith Decides working
group see below for link to Leith Decides Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/voteforleithdecides
LD & AH are working with JD and others to create a Community Capacity Building project which shall
include a Community Capacity Building Day and a Community Capacity Building toolkit. Different
engagement approaches shall be investigated. A Community Conference is planned for May2016 to
review work on priorities and if needed a review and taking stock of where things are sitting. All 12 Local
Community Plans will be revealed at the EPiC Conference.
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Future meeting organised between JD/LD/AH
Community Forums discussions will take place to formerly close last plan, see what needs to be
transferred over, and discuss process of Action Groups. Invite lists will be compiled to invite appropriate
people onto action Groups, this process was started at the community event organised by LD, where
appropriate people and organisations were suggested for each Action Group. More action focused
community planning. AH reiterated strongly how important and valuable the Third Sector are in terms of
Community Planning and input is needed at 2 levels; operational level and also being on the Board as a
strong voice to hold Partnership to account. This cannot be achieved without the Third Sector which is a
large sector and very diverse. The meeting had a short discussion about how to get new
workers/community members engaged and involved in the NP process. It was suggested that a
“mentoring” system could be considered which would involve members of the Forum who are well versed
in the system and processes of the NP to “buddy up” with a worker/volunteer/community member to
instil a little confidence in them and to also explain the processes etc. The members felt this was a good
idea and needs to be considered further.
Future meeting organised between JD/LD/AH
GM also suggested an online Community filing cabinet for all relevant documents that people could access
easily. GM also suggested that the Lord Kitchener “We Want You..” poster be used to attract people from
the community to join the various Forums/meetings etc. Everyone felt this was a great idea.
JD shall investigate possibilities further and report back to the Forum.
JD suggested that having NP meeting dates for a full year in advance would be invaluable to everyone in
terms of work and diary planning. JD compiling calendar for all Voluntary Sector Forums and feels having
the NP meeting dates for the year of all NP would allow the planning of Voluntary Sector Forums (VSF) to
be more efficient and effective with the Forum meetings planned one month before each NP meetings.
This will allow the Forum the opportunity to discuss and put forward Agenda items for the NP meetings
that are important to the Third Sector. All agreed this would make things easier and also more effective in
terms of the communication between the VSFs and NPs. LD & AH confirmed that one months’ notice for
Agenda items to be included for the NP meetings was a good timescale. LD clarified that there were 5 NP
meetings per year
JD to circulate 2015 VOLT meeting dates as soon as compiled, to all Forum members and Leith NP Team
CEC Funding – Update.
JD shared information regarding the CEC’s Grants to Third Parties Review.
The council is currently working with the third sector (over a two-year ‘project’ – in time for budget 16/17)
to ‘coproduce’ grants programmes. Details of progress (as well as up to date info on how to apply for next
year’s grant funding) are available via EdinburghCompact.org . follow the ‘council funding’ link down the
left-hand-side of the home page.
WB worried it's creating false hopes. Children and Families organisations were involved in the
consultation over one & half year period, the result was a mere 2 paragraphs referencing. Lot of work put
into it. Children and families funding – has been very poorly administered with people getting their
funding confirmed well into the new year when projects are under way. Also little joined up between H +
SC and C + F. The phrase co-production is overused by the council and not practiced – little faith in this as
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still seem only to be expecting organisations to listen to them. Need to tell the story of the value of wrap
around services for young people and how this produces long term savings. Need to quantify the value of
the Third Sectors role measuring impact. As a unit not as an individual organisation. Worrying about
money stops organisations being able to have a considered view on the wider issues and community
needs.
Leith community conversation – this was set up as another initiative and consultation rather than tapping
into the structure already there. The right people are already involved in the right conversations.
Councillor and council seemed to think that the focus should be more on Neighbourhood partnerships and
the myriad of other partnerships were too strategic and outside of peoples reality. There was a
recognition that neighbourhood partnerships are not up and running as good as they could be. There
needs to be work done to close the gap between the strategic partnership and the neighbourhood
partnerships.
Members acknowledged that Gordon Munro & Maureen Childs have been extremely supportive.
However, the situation has been demoralising. Letters have been sent asking organisations to sign
contracts without knowing what they are truly signing up for. Hopefully new process trying to get round
this. More dialogue externally from Council needs to take place.
Community conversation seems to be around youth services, asked what bearing on funding no answer
was given . No forms agreed yet to apply. £620,000 deficit in funding. There was a general feeling from
Forum members that meetings are being promoted as co-productive, but seems to be one way, with Third
Sector being told.
AH raised the issue of how to capture pound value on wraparound services preventing higher tariff need
further down the line. Provides buffers, difficult to evidence. Can't put cost on the intervention and the
great outcomes for young people.
AM commented that the Leith Conversation carrying on regardless, people don't even understand the
grant process at the moment. Grant application process has been extended until 8-24 October deadline.
There is a sense that bureaucracy overtakes the needs of the community. There should be a Caveat that
whatever's happening everyone knows time sales. Will be another information meeting in October. David
Bruce says committed that all groups will know position of their funding.
WB thanked AH & LD for attending the meeting and providing the Forum with very helpful information
from NP Team regarding info around Leith. Can we utilise existing systems etc to ensure the right people
engaged & NP supporting that. Keep this on the agenda.
The Forum requested that the The Leith conversation be added to NP Agenda.
INFORMATION EXCHANGE
MCFB - http://www.mcfb.org.uk/
Increased costs to deliver service, demand for more services resulting in waiting lists. Finding tariff level
rising . Trying potential partnerhsip Shakti focussing on Domestic Abuse issues money from Awards For All,
targeting migrant children and their experiences. Successful funding event. Danny Bhoy, 12 nights for 12
charities. 5 from Leith, £100,000 raised. Each project received £6,250 and he visited every project. Great
guy & hilarious. The injection of £75,000 unrestricted funds into Leith is invaluable and should be
recognised.
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Citadel - http://www.citadelyouthcentre.org.uk/
Request from Social Work to work with parents. Tariff increasing, more people coming in. Look at ways of
providing more services. Now there are more referrals coming in and as a result faster tracked. Local
community not getting in to groups. Knock on effect on the library as really vulnerable families use the
library with kids coming in after school and them not having the resources to deal with it. Filled 2 posts;
Family Worker and Under 12s Worker through the Early Intervention Fund. Have a person
working with volunteers. Open coffee morning, clients take part any way they want. Great place
to make appointments for individual meetings. Engaging with families who we would have
struggled to before. Lots of requests to work with parents from SWD. SWD referring more kids
to ensure parents get support from Citadel. Over 40 on waiting list junior end. . Kids referred
getting faster tracked than others in community. Clubs are at capacity. Averaging 25 per week.
Fear of the coming cuts and reductions. Need and demand is unqualified.
Bethany - http://www.bethanychristiantrust.com/
People are coming in with increasingly more complex needs – higher tariff. Groups running with Crisis &
Community Renewal. Working on Community newspaper. Men's group & men's choir going well, a little
trouble with men's group but expected due to higher level of issues.
Inspiring Leith -- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Inspiring-Leith-Link-Up/412940595424594
In the absence of Ian Dyson, AM gave a brief update. Everything going well. Archery group out on its own
now. Looking at community premises at bottom of Leith Walk next to Punjabi Junction. Desk space for
community workers. Create a committee, hopeful that legacy will be left.
Leith Timebank - http://www.pilmenydevelopmentproject.co.uk/timebank
The Timebank celebrated it’s 2nd birthday. It was decided at the beginning of the project that Volt would
be umbrella organisation with a Steering Group attended by Mary & Anna. Newsletter circulated. 400 hrs
been exchanged and increasing. Group activities include Singing, Spanish, conversational English, some
culture groups with community connection.
Received 3 consecutive years of funding up until March 2015 through the Innovation Fund. A Strategy
group membership have been formed where individual organisations and agencies exchange hours.
Time credits 1 hr = 1 time credit. A pilot was run through Fast forward where Volunteer hours placed into
Fast Forward account - 2 time credits per week – 1 credit goes into Fast Forward account whilst the other
is credited to the Timebank account.
Most people say they have nothing to give but they gave loads. Everyone has something to offer whilst
not having to commit to set hours of volunteering per week. Great diversity in Leith with many people
who have never engaged with any agencies before. The Timebank reports to EVOC in October.
Pilmeny Development Project -http://www.pilmenydevelopmentproject.co.uk/
MECOPP are holding an event on Saturday 4th October , showcasing new DVD on SDS carers. Flyer
circulated.
LOOPS - http://www.evoc.org.uk/partnership/loops/
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Proposal submitted by NE Loops pretty well been approved. Post coming up for 1 year, includes outreach
work. Info stations, volunteer manned. Communications, practitioners networking etc. 15 month
project.
COMPACT VOICE - http://www.evoc.org.uk/?s=COMPACT+VOICE
Compact 10 Survey live at the moment . Purpose is to understanding Voluntary Sector statistics at the
moment & hopes & fears. Great to be part of meeting today as themes coming out of iconversations
around the table. This survey to allow focus on what Compact need to be doing over next 10 years.
Denise handed survey out, people can also talk to Denise further. Contact: denise.horn@evoc.org.uk
AM thinks smaller groups don't see relevance. JD shall add link to minutes. Must be made clearer the
relevance to smaller groups as well as the larger organisations.
A.O.B.
£eith Decides applications to be submitted by 23rd October. Funding workshops at McDonald Rd library,
information on Facebook page and Leith NP page:
https://www.facebook.com/VoteforLeithdecides
http://www.edinburghnp.org.uk/neighbourhood-partnerships/leith/about/%C2%A3eith-decides/
Many thanks to Andy and Bethany for providing a lovely lunch and venue.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING:
TBC
Action
email Forum members 3rd October to requests
nominations and explain processes, both formal and
informal
Future Community Capacity Building Meeting
organised between
Investigate possibilities of Community Filing Cabinet
and Kitchener posters further and report back to the
Forum.
By Whom
JD
Complete
√
JD/LD/AH.
√
JD
Circulate 2015 VOLT meeting dates as soon as
compiled, to all Forum members and Leith NP Team
Add Leith Conversation to Leith NP Agenda
JD
Have emailed
Gordon Munro to
discuss further will
update when this
happens
Please see below.
AH/LD
Emailed LD/AH to
request this is
added to the next
NP Agenda
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VOLT MEETING DATES FOR 2015
15 January 2015
Thursday, 12 pm
VOLT
Meeting
Bethany
Offices
june.dickson@evoc.org.uk
16 April 2015
Thursday, 12 pm
VOLT
Meeting
Bethany
Offices
june.dickson@evoc.org.uk
16 July 2015
Thursday, 12 pm
VOLT
Meeting
Bethany
Offices
june.dickson@evoc.org.uk
15 October 2015
Thursday, 12 pm
VOLT
Meeting
Bethany
Offices
june.dickson@evoc.org.uk
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