National Update–Western Isles (Isle of Harris, Lewis & Harris)
Date: Monday 7th September 2015 Venue: Stornoway
In attendance: Roseanne MacLeod –Booked, not attended - Volunteer centre Amanda MacDonald, the Third Sector Hebrides Nicola McKenzie, Sgoil Lionecleit Mary Bell MacIntyre
Apologies:
GWT national update:
GWT’s programme outcomes for 2015-16 include:
- Older people are acknowledged as assets to their communities increasing their participation and contribution
- Member organisations, including those working with protected characteristics, develop projects that use intergenerational approaches to challenge ageism
- More local authorities, national public agencies & organisations adopt intergenerational approaches to address the challenges of our ageing society and promote positive images of older people
Opened up discussion on how they are addressed locally
SCIO Status -.
Congratulations were offered and this is seen as a positive move forward
GWT Constitution
Constitution to be emailed to Rosann MacLeod from Bridge Centre
Discussion regarding constitutionRosannMacLeod is keen to become a voting member but sees the barrier of attending AGM as cost as it usually costs about £400in flights although she has signed up for a government initiative which will greatly reduce costs and asked if travel & accommodation costs would be forthcoming to people who have to travel so farfor sometimes 2/3 days
Local Network Development Officer, Lesley HellonThis was done at Introduction stage – and touched on at update stage
Date for your diary - GWT Conference, Wednesday 2nd March 2016 – University of Strathclyde, Technology & Innovation Centre, 99 George St, Glasgow G1 1RD (see above re travel costs)
GWT would like to showcase local intergenerational projects,
Discussed Black Pudding presentation this will be discussed at local level and will get back to us if to progress it, great photos, ornaments and case studies to showcase intergenerational project but will be dependant of transport costs as above (obviously combined)
IG Training- Generations Working Together are excited to be delivering our newly updated intergenerational training course which is open to anyone who would like to learn more about intergenerational work and how to use an intergenerational approach.
The training is split into three sections:
1. An introduction to Intergenerational Practice
2. Bringing generations together
3. Planning and evaluating Intergenerational Practice
Over the past four years training has been provided free of charge however unfortunately due to funding cutbacks this year we have had to introduce a modest fee of £30 per person to cover our costs.
Follow up email for Dates
Stornoway 29th October 2015
Roseann happy to distribute info throuhghout network
Case study request form given for submission after a few options discussed
Scotland's Urban Past (SUP) is a five-year nationwide project with the communities of Scotland’s towns and cities. Anyone can get involved and start investigating urban environments and how they have changed over time. SUP encourages groups and individuals of all ages to discover and share the fascinating stories of Scotland’s towns and cities through community-led projects. As every project idea stems from a local community, the scale and subject of projects varies, ranging from a building, street or neighbourhood, to an entire town or city. To help you to develop your project ideas and bring them to fruition, SUP provides bespoke training, access to essential resources and continued project support.
A project can be:
- ashort-term, one-off event such as a talk, workshop or another small-scale result involving just your group members
- amedium-termpiece of work involving others' contributions, such as a small publication, short performance or Doors Open Day event
- alonger-term(anything up to a year) endeavour that involves more planning, time and commitment from others, such as a festival, multimedia creation or larger-scale publication.
Does your community group or society have a project idea, or do you need inspiration? Let us know by contacting the SUP team at or on +44 (0)131 651 6870.
This info needs to be circulated again, own opinion
National Adult Achievement Award – discussed in depth - The Bridge Centre welcome this information and has a lot of Volunteers that will benefit from this award
Copies of all our publications can be found on the GWT website at
No publications needed but stressed how useful they are for funding information and to incorporate them into their funding applications
Round the table/presentations
Bridge Centre
Independent Peer Mentoring Programme(is intergenerational and is engaging mentors between23 – 70)and is working extremely well, this has been highlighted that for the last3 yearsthe YMCA have used their case studies, with some fantastic outcomes.
Heritage programme – is also varied and is truly intergenerational
- Island Life - spinning wool Broch engaging older people to teach younger ones the art of ironmongery –and furniture from days gone by
- Young people also had the last access to the castle to see it before started the refurbishment and has seen the hand painted wallpaper that’s is now done the modern way. Pride and learning on both side of the generations took place
- They also had a hands on projects about whaling and seen local older generations showing their skills regarding carving whale’s teeth into ornaments. I have suggested that they could show case this at the conference, as they have lots of photos and ornaments, all ages learnt from each other.
- And they have also delivered a project at the local sheriff’s court, looking at the robes wigs, building and the process of the law
- Black Pudding project bringing in various types from around the island where they learnt about ingredients and processes, and then the taste test, for some young people they have never experienced it before.
Had the opportunity to visit others locally, so
Met Angelique received great insight to organisation etc, requested that contact between us be opened up, email sent -
Lesley the new coordinator for GWT who was over for the network meeting today, popped in to introduce herself. She took away the newsletter/annual report to get an Idea on what we do/happens round here and has asked if either of you can get in contact when convenient for a chat. She is looking for help in finding a volunteer to be a local network coordinator on the Island and has left a role description. She only does 2 days a week and lives on Skye, next week she will be on the mainland.
She has asked that I coordinate emails so she has contact details for you both hence why I’ve Cc Lesley
Regards Angelique, Administrator/Finance Officer
AOB
- Young Start funding opportunity – new projects funded for 2015 (handout attached)
- New Website - The Beth Johnson Foundation is a national charity dedicated to making a future for all ages. Check out the link from our colleagues Linking Generations Northern Ireland and see what they are doing across the water.
- Fairer Scotland Autumn Events (Lesley booked on, pending hol request from West Highland College)
Complimenting the Fairer Scotland Engagement Fund there are a number of local events across Scotland.
The Scottish Government, working with Democratic Society in Scotland, has designed a number of Planning Events across Scotland to prioritise ideas and policies that the Scottish Government can implement to create a fairer Scotland. These Events compliment the Fairer Scotland Engagement Fund.
The Planning Events are designed to allow a representative audience to hear, discuss, prioritise and take action on ideas to create a Fairer Scotland. The Scottish Government wants to hear about what needs to change and things that can be done differently to make people’s lives better.
The priorities that come from these Planning Events will feed into a final Fairer Scotland Forum in December 2015. The Fairer Scotland Forum will host a representative audience made up of people from across the country who will work with policy makers, experts, and political representatives to create a series of recommendations on how we can all work to create a Fairer Scotland.
Saltire award going to be emailed over a good news story for centre+
Evaluation forms – only one completed
Next meeting:
Monday 15th Feb 2016 12:00 – 1:30