SIAA E-Bulletin - Friday 5th June
The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA) weekly e-bulletin
This week’s bulletin contains general news, events, publications, legislation consultations and funding.
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GENERAL NEWS
Joanna Briggs Institute
Europe's first Joanna Briggs Institute Aged Care Collaborating Centre has launched at Glasgow Caledonian University. The new centre will give older people the chance to improve the way they are cared for by the NHS, local authorities and care homes directly. To read the full article please click here.
BBC Scotland Research programme
BBC Scotland is currently doing some research for a radio programme which will look at some of the problems encountered by people with learning disabilities when involved with the justice system. The programme makers are particularly interested in whether or not there is adequate provision for people with learning disabilities when cases are being brought to court where, despite strong evidence, there has been a ruling that the person with a learning disability does not make a reliable witness. Many crimes do not result in prosecution as a result of this failure to find ways and means for the views of people with learning disabilities to be taken seriously and used as evidence within criminal proceedings. This lack of justice can cause additional distress to victims and also means that people with learning disabilities may be more vulnerable to abuse or attack. The BBC programme aims to highlight and raise both public and political awareness around these issues. They would like to hear from any provider organisations who have experience of dealing with this issue, or who have supported any of their service users through this type of situation. They would also be keen to speak with anyone who has been told that their evidence relating to any criminal action could not be used in court because they have a learning disability. The programme is currently only in its initial research stages and any conversations or contact will be treated as strictly confidential. Please contact Kathy Long on 0141 422 7277 or 07713627106.
EVENTS
Inclusion Scotland – Affordable and Accessible Housing
Inclusion Scotland has been raising awareness around the lack of affordable and accessible housing for disabled people in Scotland. At their housing conference in June 2008 they spoke about research they planned to carry out around affordable and accessible housing using Freedom of Information legislation. This report is now complete and ready to be launched! Their launch event will take place on Monday 22nd June 2009, 1.30pm – 3.30pm (lunch from 12.30pm) at Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living, 117 – 127 Brook Street, Glasgow G40. There will be various speakers on the day and to book a place or for more information please contact Angela on 0141 887 7058 or e-mail angelam@inclusionscotland.org by 18th June 2009. This event is FREE and is on a first come, first served basis.
Special Scotland
Special Scotland, a charity set up to support parents with autistic children and young people is celebrating its first birthday. For more details on their celebrations check out their website, call 0784 355 9572 or e-mail info@specialscotland.org.
PUBLICATIONS
Child Poverty in Scotland: taking the next steps
This study discusses progress made in Scotland to end child poverty, and suggests what the Scottish Government needs to do to reach the 2020 target. Child poverty has fallen in Scotland, but evidence from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation suggests that the current rate of progress will not achieve the 2020 target to eradicate child poverty. Some policy measures required to reduce child poverty (such as benefit increases) are not devolved powers, but the Scottish Government could do more to remove barriers to employment, sustain people in work and tackle low pay. To read the full article please click here.
Tackling violence against women
A blueprint to crack down on violence against women in Scotland has been launched by the Scottish Government and COSLA. Safer Lives, Changed Lives - a Shared Approach to Tackling Violence Against Women in Scotland, outlines how the Government, local authorities and key support agencies will work together to tackle all forms of violence against women. To read more please see their website.
LEGISLATION
Hate Crime Bill Passed
The Scottish Parliament have unanimously passed Green MSP Patrick Harvie’s bill on hate crime, the Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Bill. The bill will ensure that homophobic, transphobic and disability-related hate crime is taken as seriously as racist and religious hate crime. This is the first transgender-inclusive hate crime bill in Europe, and has the most inclusive definition of transgender identity in any European legislation. It’s also, we think, the first Member’s Bill in the Scottish Parliament to be passed unanimously by all MSPs with no amendments proposed at any stage! To read the Parliamentary debate click here.
CONSULTATION
Equality Bill
As you may be aware the Equality Bill has now been published and contains a raft of measures designed to tackle inequality and help Britain become a fairer society by simplifying legislation, improving public services and extending protection to a wide range of groups facing discrimination. They would like to ensure the guidance is as useful and informative as possible so they are seeking your views on the type of guidance you think would be most helpful and when you would like it to be available. They are gathering your views through an online survey which ends on the 7th June. To take part in this consultation click here.
Changes to medical compensation
Patients in Scotland could be set to benefit from a new simpler, less expensive and quicker system of medical compensation. An expert group has been established to consider the introduction of no-fault compensation north of the border. The group will be chaired by Sheila Maclean, Director of the Institute of Law and Ethics in Medicine at Glasgow University. If introduced a system of no-fault compensation means that some patients would receive financial compensation without the need to go through the legal process. For more information please click here.
FUNDING
Commission announces £10 million funding programme for voluntary and community sector.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has launched the first stage of its new £10 million ‘Strategic Funding Programme’ providing three-year funding up to £450,000 for community and voluntary sector organisations. The Commission is particularly keen to fund activity that directly serves and involves individuals and local communities, that meets unmet needs, and has the potential to inspire and inform longer-term activity that helps promote the Commission’s objectives. To find out about eligibility please see their website.
Allen Lane Foundation
The Allen Lane Foundation is a grant-making trust set up in 1966 by the late Sir Allen Lane, founder for Penguin Books. It supports general charitable causes which make a lasting difference to people’s lives, aimed at reducing isolation, stigma and discrimination and encouraging or enabling unpopular groups to share in the life of the whole community. The Foundation will make grants for start-up, cover or project costs. Single one-off grants range from £500 to £15,000. For more information please contact the Allen Lane Foundation on 01904 613 223, e-mail them at info@allenlane.org.uk or visit their website.
Scottish Legal Aid Board Grants Programme Launches
A total of £2 million is available to distribute in grants to provide new or enhanced legal advice and representation services for people facing repossession and other problems related to the economic downturn, such as debt. Applications are now invited from any organisation involved with advice provision, including local authorities, advice agencies, law centers and firms of solicitors. Application materials are available for download from http://www.slab.org.uk/advice_sector/index.html. The deadline for submitting completed applications is 12th June 2009.
Social Entrepreneurs Fund
Bridges Charitable Trust provides investment through the Bridges Social Entrepreneurs Fund to address the funding gap often faced by fast growing social enterprises looking to scale. The Bridges Social Entrepreneurs Fund invests in social enterprises that have a clear social mission (protected in their legal structure). Click here for more information.
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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