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Our Children - 01 October
Good afternoon all,
Welcome to the October Our Children Network newsletter.
As part of Challenge Poverty Week, I would like to highlight a family friendly Cost of Living Event at the Southend Action Centre on Tuesday 08 October. This event is for professionals and community members, more information can be found below – please share with your networks!
Have you thought about how your work supports individuals and families with experience of the criminal justice system? Are you already doing this work, or, is it an area you would like to learn more about to broaden your capacity, and support more diverse groups in your community? Community Justice Scotland and Renfrewshire Council would love to hear from you - Please get in touch with Jamie Gardyne, Community Justice Lead Officer at Renfrewshire Council if you have experience you’d like to share. You can contact him via email at Jamie.gardyne@renfrewshire.gov.uk or call 0141 487 1550.
The next Our Children Network Event will be held on Wednesday 20 November at 10am. The agenda is full already - thank you to everyone who has reached out.
Invitations will be sent via outlook once our venue is confirmed.
- Cost of Living Event
- Community Justice Scotland
- Digi Ren – Online Safety
- SMCF– Free Holiday Camp
- Positive About Youth Awards
- Why Not Trust
- The Promise - SAAS Care Experienced Bursary Information
- Consultation – Children’s Hearing Redesign
- Funding
- Training
Cost of Living Event
On Tuesday 08 October between 10am and 1pm, Southend Action Centre (57 Stock Street, Paisley, PA2 6NL) will be hosting a Cost-of-Living event as part of Challenge Poverty Week. A range of organisations will be in attendance for you to chat to and seek advice including:
- Social Security Scotland
- Renfrewshire Affordable Credit Alliance
- Invest in Renfrewshire
- Renfrewshire Carers Centre
- Energy Management Unit
- Adult and Family Learning Services
- Free Period Products Team
- And many more!
This event is open to all. Pop along, have a cuppa and find out what support is available in Renfrewshire.
Community Justice Scotland
Renfrewshire Council is working with Community Justice Scotland to understand the local support available to people who are justice experienced.
People who are accused or convicted of offences sometimes need help with complex needs. Support that addresses substance misuse, unemployment, social exclusion and health disadvantage can assist with their recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration.
We know we’re really lucky in Renfrewshire to have such a motivated and skilled third sector that looks out for local communities. We’d like to hear from you if your work has benefitted people who are justice experienced, or if you’re interested in finding out how you might be able to help this population in the future.
Longer-term, we’d like to identify all available local supports and where appropriate identify them in Community Justice Scotland’s Community Interventions and Support Directory. We hope this will showcase the quality support our valued partners can bring to our justice population.
Please get in touch with Jamie Gardyne, Community Justice Lead Officer at Renfrewshire Council if you have experience you’d like to share. You can contact him via email at Jamie.gardyne@renfrewshire.gov.uk or call 0141 487 1550. Jamie’s also eager to understand what might help you diversify to better target your work to support people who are justice experienced, so please contact him if you have any ideas or aspirations.
Digiren Online Safety
Would you like to help people learn how to spot potential online scams, protect themselves online and recognise if someone is at risk of online harm?
Then you should consider being an Online Safety Ambassador.
Many of us spend more time online these days, and some people feel very isolated, presenting more opportunities to become a victim of fraud. As everyone expands their digital presence, the need for online safety is more crucial than ever, and this is your chance to protect and empower others.
In partnership with Get Safe Online, our Online Safety Ambassador programme enables passionate individuals like yourself to take the lead in promoting safer online practices, both within your team and beyond.
By becoming an Online Safety Ambassador, you’ll:
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Shape your own engagement: You get to choose how you engage with others, this could be within work, family, friends or community.
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Raise Awareness: Help educate others on how to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.
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Empower Others: Provide guidance and direct others to best practices for protecting personal information and prevent falling for online scams.
No experience? No worries! Full training and access to resources will be provided. You’ll have everything you need to confidently guide others, plus ongoing support from our growing ambassador community to help you thrive in this role.
Why join?
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Gain Valuable Skills: Learn about scams and fraud, digital privacy, and more –essential knowledge in today’s digital age.
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Boost Your Career: This is a unique opportunity to enhance your professional toolkit.
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Be a Force for Good: Help create a safer, more secure online environment for everyone.
If becoming an Online Safety Ambassador seems like the volunteering role for you, we’d love to have you join our team of ambassadors.
Please block out your diary for 05 November 2024 and follow the link below to register your interest by Thursday 31 October 2024:
Form: https://forms.office.com/e/keAxAmU8RN
SMFC Charitable Foundation
It’s that time of year again…. Our Free Holiday Camp Fit & Fed is running during the October Week 2024 for children and young people in Renfrewshire.
Keep your little buddies busy with competitive, developmental football sessions, fun games, and multi-sport activities, delivered by our highly Qualified and experienced community coaches, Fit and Fed is a free Award-winning programme provided by SMFC Charitable Foundation to ensure all children can have access to 6 hours of physical activity each day with educational workshops and visits from third sector organisations. PLUS, Nutritional options for breakfast and lunch, with snacks and water.
Watch Fit & Fed Video https://youtu.be/Me5-Pdb3YNU
October week (14th – 18th October) is fast approaching, please see details below of our Award Winning Fit and Fed Holiday camp.
Location: Seedhill Community Sports Complex
Time- 10am till 3pm
Age- 4yrs till 13yrs
If you wish to make a nomination to this camp, please contact Emma Smith - foundation@stmirren.co.uk
Postive About Youth Awards
Nominations are open for the 11th Annual Positive about Youth Awards, the sold-out youth celebration event will honour the outstanding qualities of young people aged between 12 and 25 in Renfrewshire and nominations are open till the 17 October 2024 at 5pm.
https://forms.office.com/e/YAEMTDdRgE?origin=lprLink
You can vote on the above link – Nominations open on the 13th September at 10am. Alternatively, the QR code is available on our social media sites.
The awards - organised by community based forum Renfrewshire Youth Voice and supported by Renfrewshire Council’s Youth Services - will take place in the Normandy Hotel, Renfrew, on Thursday 7th November.
The seven awards categories are:
- Young Fundraiser Award
- Eco Award
- Forging Your Own Path Award
- Youth Group of the Year
- Ferran Hart Young Artist Award
- Eilish Herron Young Sports Person Award
- The Unsung Hero Award
These awards are integral to the running of Renfrewshire Youth Voice, and embody all we stand for. It is a unique chance for the young people of Renfrewshire to feel appreciated and recognised for their hard work and achievements, which otherwise may go unnoticed. The Positive About Youth Awards are a night of celebration for an age group which for many is often misjudged and is portrayed in a negative way. Any nominations or suggestions you could offer would be much appreciated, to allow us to continue hosting these awards that means so much to so many.
The Village
Help us build a supportive community for parents with care experience in Renfrewshire by spreading the word about The Village. Our online community is designed for expectant parents or parents of children aged 0-5 years who have experience of care.
About The Village
Sitting under The Why Not? Trust, The Village was created by and for new parents and parents-to-be with care experience, in partnership with Care Visions, Early Years Scotland, and Scottish Attachment in Action, with support from The Promise Scotland. The Village is a safe place where parents can find a friendly listening ear, along with access to information and resources.
The Village is an online community where new parents can connect with others through social media, online groups, or occasional in-person meet-ups. In The Village, parents have the opportunity to give and receive support through peer mentoring, finding a listening ear whenever they need to talk or share. The community is always ready to offer reassurance and friendly conversation.
For confidential support, the team is available at any time to assist with benefits, parenting tips, advocacy, and resources. The Village also provides freebies and activities, including baby yoga, massage, and sensory play, allowing parents to meet and connect. The community continuously evolves based on feedback from its members.
How You Can Help
We want to reach all new parents with care experience in Renfrewshire and let them know about The Village, but we need your help.
Encourage parents with care experience to join The Village. Share information, signpost them to our online community, and, with permission, share contact details so we can reach out directly.
Discover more about The Village and spread the word within your networks. Feel free to share the attached digital flyer and poster as well.
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Join Our Newsletter
Sign up for updates, partnership opportunities, and more: Newsletter Signup
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Visit Our Website
Explore our website to learn more about what we do, and details on how we can collaborate. You can also share this video.
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Follow Us on Social Media
Connect with us on social media for updates, conversations, and to see our impact. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and LinkedIn.
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Listen to Our Podcast
Tune into ‘The Talk of the Village’ for discussions on our community and interviews with special guests. If you or your organisation would like to be featured, let us know!
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Explore Community Opportunities
We’re eager to find new ways to connect and strengthen our community. Reach out to discuss potential collaborations.
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Share with Your Networks
If you know of any parents or organisations that might benefit from joining The Village, please share our details and invite them to connect with us.
SAAS Care Experienced Bursary Information
This is a busy time of year for our young people who are thinking about applying to college and university. There is a guide below from the Hub for Success for supporting Care Experienced young people (in the widest sense) to apply for SAAS to ensure they receive the Care Experienced Bursary, and how we, as different groups of professionals, can provide the suitable evidence documents as required. The resource includes information around how evidence should be provided for different care types, including adoption and informal kinship care.
It is important that we support our Care Experienced to access the bursary as it ensures they receive the maximum SAAS amount, as a full bursary that they do not pay back upon entering employment.
https://hubforsuccess.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/The-CEB-and-HE-FAQ-Jun-2023.pdf
Children's Hearing redesign
This consultation is part of a series of steps to ensure that Scotland’s children’s hearings system can be redesigned to build on its strengths so that it can deliver the best possible experience to the children and families in need of its support. It focuses on areas which may require changes to the law.
Deadline: 28 October 2024. Find out more here
Funding
Corra Foundation - Henry Duncan Grants
Henry Duncan Grants re-opened on 4th September.Corra’s Henry Duncan Grants 2024 is for women led organisations that support women and girls within their local communities. Henry Duncan Grants will provide grants of £40,000 across five years (£8,000 per year) to charities and registered not for profit organisations with a yearly income of up to £250,000 whose work supports women and girls. In recognition of historic inequity in funding, Corra will commit 50% of this fund budget to support organisations that are led by women from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities. Application deadline: Wednesday 30 October 2024. Find out more here
Support for Children Living in Severe Poverty
Grants are now available to support children and young people in the UK experiencing a crisis or emergency. The grants which are made available through the BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials programme support families with children up to the age of 17 who are living with financial, health and social difficulties by providing items that meet children’s most basic needs, such as kitchen appliances, furniture, baby equipment, beds, clothing, and other items and services that are critical to children’s wellbeing. Applications must come through a registered referral agency supporting the family or young person. The programme is delivered by Family Fund Business Services, and applications can be made at any time. Find out more
Training
UNDERSTANDING NEURODIVERSITY: AN INTRODUCTION
Tuesday 12 November & 19 November online 6pm-7:30pm
We have all become more aware of mental/emotional health and increasingly neurodivergent conditions and how they show up behaviourally. But what exactly is neurodiversity? And what do we do when we, or our young person gets a diagnosis? Or demonstrates traits and hasn’t had a diagnosis?
From 1998 to 2018 there was a 787% rise in Autism diagnosis in the UK. In this training we’ll briefly introduce Autism and ADHD, learning more about the many conditions that exist under the Neurodiversity umbrella and how they can and do impact certain functionalities of the brain.
In this short two hour training session we will:
- Dispel some of the myths surrounding neurodiversity
- Gain an understanding of neurodiversity with a focus on ADHD and Autism
- Lean how it impacts functionalities of the brain and how this can show up behaviourally
- Understand the links with emotions
- Explore the strengths of neurodivergent thinkers.
As always, YI training is engaging and informative – we look forward to seeing you there.
Places are limited to 12 participants per workshop so booking is essential.
Contact: louise@youthinspired.world