SIAA E-Bulletin - Friday 24th July
The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA) weekly e-bulletin
This week’s bulletin contains SIAA news, general news, an event, publications and recruitment.
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SIAA NEWS
SIAA AGM – Thursday 27th August 2009.
The 2009 SIAA AGM is taking place on 27th August 09 in Perth at the Salutation Hotel. We will be writing to member organisations with further details but anyone interested or involved in advocacy is welcome to attend. If you wish to attend the AGM please email us at enquiry@siaa.org.uk or telephone us on 0131 260 5380.
We are also looking for members of the advocacy movement to join the SIAA Board of Directors. The criteria for joining the Board is that an individual must be involved with an advocacy organisation that is a member of the SIAA. Also you need to have a commitment to the diversity of independent advocacy as well as a passion for the development of advocacy across Scotland. If you are interested in joining then either email or telephone us on 0131 260 5380 and we can send you more details. The closing date for nominations is Monday 27th July at 5pm.
GENERAL NEWS
Complaints to
the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman regarding care of the elderly
There are several complaints regarding health services, particularly in
relation to the care of the elderly, which have been either fully or partially
upheld by the ombudsman this month and might be of interest to advocates. You
can read the reports in to these complaints on the SPSO website where you can also register
to receive the Ombudsman's monthly report directly.
Development of Electronic Case Management System (ECMS) in Ireland for Advocates
The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice and advocacy on a wide range of social and civil services. The Board comes under the remit of the Department of Social and Family Affairs in Ireland.
Caroline Mitchell is an advocacy executive with the Citizen Information Board (CIB) who is currently coordinating the development of a web based Electronic Case Management System (ECMS) for Advocates funded by CIB. Their system will be built and ready for testing by the start of august and they will roll-out training in November. She is keen to learn from others who;
· have been through the process of setting an ECMS – all perspectives; coordinators, advocates, line managers or IT
· are Advocates who use an ECMS
· have developed policies relating to ECMS which organisations and advocates have in place to safeguard their client’s information – getting the balance of maintaining good relationships with clients and protecting their information through transparent and accountable IT systems.
E-mail Caroline’s at caroline.mitchell@ciboard.ie or telephone her on 000353-1-6059025
Help the Aged - Let's put older people on the fourth plinth!
You may be aware of Anthony Gormley's 'living sculptures' project which gives members of the public one hour on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square to do whatever they want. Help the Aged want to use this unique platform to give older people a voice and publicise their campaigns. Many thousands of people are competing for places, so they’d really like you to apply and, if you're successful, use some or all of your time to promote one of our campaigns. For more information please see their website.
EVENTS
Recovery in Practice Training
Recovery in Practice is a new two day training course designed for mental health service providers in the voluntary sector. The training is based on the 10 Essential Shared Capabilities (Scotland), developed by NHS Education for Scotland (NES), and the Realising Recovery learning materials developed jointly by the Scottish Recovery Network and NES. Nominations are invited from voluntary sector organisations who may nominate up to eight people per organisation. For more information please see their website.
PUBLICATIONS
Speaking to power; Advocacy for health and social care.
‘Speaking to power: Advocacy for health and social care’ by David Donnison has recently been published by Policy Press. David Donnison is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Urban Studies, University of Glasgow and convener of one of the voluntary agencies providing advocacy services in Scotland. To read this publication please click here.
The Equality & Human Rights Commission
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has published new research which will be of interest to advocacy organisations in Scotland. Funding Practice and Funding Gaps for the Equality Voluntary Sector in Scotland presents a profile of the equalities sector as well as perspectives on a range of funding issues from equality organisations, network and support bodies and funders. The research was carried out in 2008 by SCVO. To read their findings please click here.
SCVO has also received support from the Scottish Government to develop an Interactive Evidence Library. The Evidence Library currently stores around 950 research documents relating to all aspects of voluntary sector activity in Scotland. It offers users the facility to search the library by key word or by category, such as ‘health’, ‘mental health’ or ‘advocacy’. Registration is free and takes less than a minute to complete. You can visit the library on the SCVO website.
RECRUITMENT
Circles Network – Mental Health Advocate (Male), Forensic Secure Care – Glasgow
Circles Network is seeking to recruit a full time Advocate. For more information please see their website.
CONTACT US
Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance, Melrose House, 69a George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2JG. Telephone: 0131 260 5380. Fax: 0131 260 5381. Email: enquiry@siaa.org.uk Website: www.siaa.org.uk
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