#CostofLivingCrisis - I don't understand how a heart is a spade… …but somehow the vital connection is made…

#CostofLivingCrisis - I don't understand how a heart is a spade…
…but somehow the vital connection is made…

Like the weather at the moment the environment we find ourselves working in is somewhat hard to forecast and a little changeable - but the Third Sector of course is immensely flexible and is usually ready to meet new challenges and adjust practices - whatever the situation demands. All of us at Engage Renfrewshire are alert to the #CostOfLivingCrisis and the potential increasing hardship this winter. We are aware that the crisis may lead to an increase in demand for many services within the public and third sector. Some groups may be disproportionately affected by the crisis – for example carers, older people, disabled people and people from minority ethnic communities. Some people may be seeking help for the first time.

As demand on services grow, local Third sector organisations may be operating with grants that have not risen in line with inflation, resulting in a sense that operational budgets have faced a cut in real terms. There are also concerns around the rising cost of fuel and energy.

During this difficult time all of us at Engage remain committed to supporting and promoting initiatives that help community and third sector organisations to thrive. Part of that approach includes promoting longer term commitments to methods such as ‘Community Wealth Building’; an example of a strategy which should encourage more funding to be made available to support the local economy. For more on Community Wealth Building

Over the winter and beyond we are aiming to:

• Promote where support is available and encourage access to that support - for example: Food, Fuel and Finance Resources
• Support, share and promote local activities that are impacting positively on Renfrewshire’s communities. 
• Encourage and promote collaborations that share resources.
• Promote training that can help ensure organisations have the tools to properly support or adjust their business models – see here Engage Renfrewshire Training
• Encourage local statutory partners to promote positive activities (such as the Winter Connections initiative, Community Mental Health & Wellbeing programme etc.). See here for a participant report on the Community Mental Health & Wellbeing programme. 
• Encourage local partners to recognise the additional pressure on the local third sector.

If you’re looking for more information on anything mentioned here or if you have some other questions please contact info@engagerenfrewshire.com

Hope to speak soon.

Alan