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CSREC Staff and
Volunteers ..................... 2
CSREC Funders ............. 2
About CSREC ................ 2
Equality in the
Community Project……3-4
Forth Valley Communities
for Conservation……….. 5
Meet Brody and Rory .... 6
Outside the Box ............. 7
Police Scotland………….8-9
Donate ........................... 9
Advertising .................... 9
CSREC Membership ..... 10
NHS Forth Valley -
Detecting Cancer ........... 10
Criminal Justice Social
Work Services ................ 11
Terrence Higgins Trust . 12
ESOL Classes ................. 13
Future Pathways ........... 14
Volunteer with CSREC .. 15
The food train ................ 16
CSREC Support and
Advice Service ............... 17
Scottish Disability
Equality Forum ............. 18
FVC4C Save Energy ...... 19
NHS Forth Valley -
Wheely Wesnesdays……20
PLUS Forth Valley ........ 21
Scottish Council of Jewish
Communities ................. 22
LGBTI Intersectionality
Training ......................... 23
Photo Gallery…….…..24-25
Report Hate Crime……..26
Inside this issue:
An update from the Chairperson...
As I approach the end of my second two year spell as
Chairperson of CSREC, I am in a much more confident
and optimistic mood about the future of the
organisation than I was when I agreed almost two
years ago to accept another term. The past, almost
four, years have been far from easy with many periods
within that time when I had questioned my sanity in
agreeing to take on such a role. However, despite the
continuing austerity which makes it difficult for our
three Local Authorities, Falkirk, Stirling and
Clackmannanshire, to continue with their previous
generous financial support, they have continued to
help where they can. The support we receive from the
Scottish Government, Keep Scotland Beautiful, FVLS, Voluntary Action Fund,
SAREC and the Big Lottery is very valuable to promote our work. On behalf of
those people whom we help, I thank them. I must also highlight the extremely
good work carried out and the commitment shown by our dedicated staff and
volunteers under the leadership of our manager, Arun Gopinath, whose
dedication and hard work has played a huge part in transforming CSREC.
I would also like to thank my fellow Directors for their support, encouragement
and advice. I am grateful too for the support and encouragement we have
received from Local Government staff and from the staff within the various
Scottish Government Departments with whom we work.
Despite this feeling of optimism, I am very much aware of the difficulties that lie
ahead, especially if the current austerity continues for much longer. However, I
am happy to say that along with the Vice Chair, Bobby Malik, and other Directors
we have been working towards a number of priorities—a New Business Plan,
securing Core funding and ensuring that we have a stable operation Centre as
well as part time outlets, to assist our growing number of clients throughout the
three Council areas.
So as I approach the end of my second term as Chairperson of CSREC I am
happy to repeat that the future of the organisation looks much more secure and
promising than it did almost four years ago. My thanks to all those who have
played such a major part in reviving and continue to help develop a much
needed and, from the feedback I constantly receive, appreciated service.
July 2017 Edition
Equality for all
Clackmannanshire | Falkirk | Stirling
Summer Equality Newsletter
Michael Giannandrea
Chairperson, CSREC
July 2017 issue, page 2 CSREC Newsletter
BOARD MEMBERS
Michael Giannandrea - Chair
Sikander Malik - Vice Chair
Brian Guthrie - Finance Director
Azmat Syed - Director
Claire Fotheringham - Director
Jane Berry - Director
Pat Reid - Director
Syed Irfan - Director
CSREC STAFF
Arun Gopinath - Manager
Gillian Currie - Admin Officer
Daniel Jones - Equality
Engagement Officer
Aneel Bhopal - Project
Coordinator - Forth Valley
Communities for Conservation
Kasia Borowska - Polish and
Eastern European Community
Link Officer
Sherry Bien Macintosh -
Chinese and East Asian
Community Link Officer
Taya Mozagba - African and
Caribbean Community Link
Officer
Sana Zia - South Asian
Community Link Officer
VOLUNTEERS
Edit Csada
Eman Hani
Jakub Kukielka
Kenny Muir
Laura Mallis
Linda McIntosh
Myriam Galloway
Sajida Gul
Sajila Kosar
Shakila Shajahan
Shaun McManus
Wei Long
Central Scotland Regional Equality Council (CSREC) was established in 1984. We are a voluntary sector organisation, registered as a charity and a company limited by guarantee consisting of individual members and representatives from a wide range of organisations. CSREC has a remit to work across the areas of Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling Councils. It was set up to eradicate all forms of discrimination under the Race Relations Act 1976. Following the introduction of the Equality Act 2010 and in recognition of intersectionality, we widened our remit to work with all nine protected characteristics. The main aims of CSREC are:
to work towards the elimination of discrimination in all its forms
to reduce inequality and promote a culture of human rights
to promote good relations between persons of protected characteristics without distinction on grounds of age, disability, marital status, pregnancy/maternity status, race, religion/belief, sex, sexual orientation and gender reassignment
to promote, build and work in partnership
CSREC is a Scottish Charity registered with The Office of the Scottish
Charity Regulator (OSCR) with registration number SC010373. We are
also a Scottish Company Limited by Guarantee registered
with Companies House with registration number SC208570.
OUR FUNDERS
sarec.png
July 2017 issue, page 3 CSREC Newsletter
EQUALITY IN THE COMMUNITY PROJECT
UPDATE
It’s been an exciting and engaging few months for the Equality in the Community
project at Central Scotland Regional Equality Council!
One of the main standout events for us over the last couple of months has been
the series of equality hustings which we organised across the Forth Valley area
in May and June of this year.
Leading up to the UK General Election at the start of June, our hustings gave
people in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire the opportunity to put questions
to candidates standing to be elected as the Member of Parliament for each of
these areas.
Clackmannanshire UK
General Election Equality Hustings – 29 May 2017
On Monday 29 May, we invited people living in
Clackmannanshire to come to Alloa Town Hall to put their
questions on equality to the candidates vying to be elected
as the Member of Parliament for the Ochil and South
Perthshire seat. These candidates represented the SNP,
Labour Party, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. The
questions put to the candidates in Clackmannanshire
covered a broad range of equality issues, including the so-
called ‘Dementia Tax’, the ‘Rape Clause’, the use of
mobility vehicles for people with disabilities and LGBTI
equality.
Falkirk UK General Election Equality Hustings – 30 May
2017
The next evening, Tuesday 30 May, saw our hustings
brought to Falkirk Trinity Church with the candidates for
Falkirk, representing the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats,
the Labour Party and SNP. A lively discussion was had on
equality matters including transgender equality, access to
public toilets for those with a disability, welfare
assessments for people with a disability, immigration and
winter fuel payments.
Daniel Jones - Equality
Engagement Officer, CSREC
EQUALITY IN THE COMMUNITY CONTINUED
July 2017 issue, page 4 CSREC Newsletter
Stirling UK General Election Equality Hustings – 1 June 2017
The last in our series of equality hustings invited people living in
the Stirling area to come to the Stirling Smith Art Gallery &
Museum on 1 June 2017 to hear from their candidates,
representing the Liberal Democrats, Women’s Equality Party,
Labour Party, Conservatives and SNP. Attendees put questions to
the candidates on equality matters including the ‘Rape Clause’,
shared parental leave, State Pension equality and the use of
mobility vehicles for those with a disability. We also maximised the
number of people who were able to view this particular hustings
event by broadcasting it live through CSREC’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/CSREC01), where the
proceedings were viewed by 120 people. This was the first time we used this innovative technology to
ensure as many people as possible were able to be part of our event, and we plan to use it again for similar
events in the future.
Our hustings aimed to provide the opportunity for people in Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling to
connect with the candidates who sought to represent them as their Member of Parliament, to find out their
positions on matters of equality, and for candidates to debate the best way forward on these matters for the
people they would represent.
On 28 June 2017, my colleagues from Central Scotland
Regional Council and I were at Stirling train station to provide
information to commuters on hate crime and hate incidents,
and how they could report these if they are ever a victim of or
witness to one. My colleagues from our new Forth Valley
Communities for Conservation project also joined us to
provide information on saving energy, and offered home
visits to commuters to provide advice on saving energy in the
home. We managed to give out information to approximately
2,200 people on this day, and we are planning further similar
events in Falkirk and Clackmannanshire in the near future.
Thanks to a continuation in Scottish Government funding, over the next couple of months, the Equality in
the Community Project will see the next meeting of the Falkirk People’s Rights and Equality Group, and
further engagement across Forth Valley.
Through the Equality in the Community project, we also offer a free and confidential Support and Advice to
anyone who has experienced discrimination, inequality, who has been the victim or witness to a hate crime
or incident, or who requires support in accessing public services such as education, housing or welfare. We
can meet with you at our office, or at your preferred location to discuss your case in confidence.
If you have questions on any aspect of the Equality in the Community project, or would like to use our
Support and Advice service, please contact me on 01324 610 950 or at [email protected]. You can also
contact CSREC through WhatsApp on 07522 032794 or through Skype on [email protected]
July 2017 issue, page 5 CSREC Newsletter
FORTH VALLEY COMMUNITIES FOR CONSERVATION
It is four months since the introduction of our Forth Valley Communities for Conservation (FVC4C) project and a lot has been happening.
In this segment we will aim to bring you some of the highlights of recent events!
As part of our Launch Event, quizzes, face painting, mehndi, bike repairs and energy efficiency bingo were on offer at Falkirk Trinity Church managing to attract over 80 people on a rainy Saturday afternoon in May. People from all walks of life came together to learn more about climate change issues and ways in which we can combat these problems in a fun and informative way. We invited related projects including CCF projects in the area to have information stalls. These included Forth Valley Environment Link, Recyke-a-Bike, British Gas, Cycling UK and Heebees (bee project based in Helix, Falkirk).
After completing training our Community Link Officers are now busy visiting communities across Central Scotland delivering free home energy visits, helping to educate people on climate change issues as well as encouraging the reduction of carbon emissions in households. Remember, all our services are free of
charge so if you are interested in receiving free energy advice to your doorstep then please do not hesitate to contact us. Furthermore, we have multilingual speakers available so don’t worry about miscommunication: we speak your language.
We have also been busy speaking with the general public, about climate change and more, at various events, across Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire over the past few months. Our staff and volunteers have held information sessions at Stirling Train Station, Eid in The Park, Forth Valley College, CSREC’S Equality Hustings and Howgate Shopping Centre, resulting in over 3000 people receiving advice and tips on how to reduce energy usage and learn more about climate change.
As well as this we have been able to deliver four energy awareness sessions to various community groups in the Central Scotland area including local ESOL classes, the
Syrian VPR Programme and Al-Masaar. These sessions allowed attendees to receive expert advice, from the FVC4C team, on ways in which they can help to stop the problem of climate change by using eco-friendly transport and being more energy efficient in the household.
Over the next few months the FVC4C team will aim to conduct further awareness sessions and home visits in the Central Scotland area. On 28 July 2017 we held our first Fuel Good eco-driving session, at partner CCF funded project, Re-Union Canal Boats, where licensed drivers were given the opportunity to learn how to drive in a more fuel efficient manner by a trained instructor.
If you are interested in taking part in any of the aforementioned initiatives or volunteering with the FVC4C project then please contact us by telephone on 01324 610950 or email us on [email protected].
Alternatively, you can check us out on facebook.com/fvc4c or twitter.com/fvc4c
The Climate Challenge Fund is a Scottish Government grant programme, managed and administered by Keep Scotland Beautiful, which provides funding and support for community groups that are tackling climate change through local community-led projects. Since the Fund was launched in 2008, 622 communities across Scotland have benefitted from CCF grants totalling £85.8 million.
FVC4C Launch Event on Saturday 20th May
at Falkirk Trinity Church,
WHY OUR FAMILIES NEED CHANGING PLACES TOILETS
Meet Brody and Rory; two 5 year old local boys.
Like typical 5 year olds, both boys like to have fun
and go out for the day with their families.
Unfortunately though, going out is not as easy as
it should be.
You see, our beautiful boys both have disabilities,
which have resulted in them being doubly
incontinent and still wearing nappies. They no
longer fit on baby changing tables and long gone
are the days where we could quickly attempt to
change them on our knees.
So what are our options when we need to change
them?
Unbelievably, unless we choose not to go out or
leave them in dirty nappies, we are left with no
option but to change them in our car boots or
worse still - the toilet floor.
We are determined to change this for our children,
and so we campaign for Changing Places toilets.
Changing Places toilets provide a larger space for
a disabled person and their carer(s), an adult-
sized changing bench, a peninsular toilet and a
hoist. The hoist can be used to safely transfer a
disabled person on to the changing bench and/or
toilet.
Our situation means that our sons are constantly
faced with exclusion, which not only impacts on
them but our entire families. They are treated
unequally, without dignity and respect. They are
being denied a basic human right and
unfortunately the Equality Act (2010) is very
limited such that it puts the onus on individuals to
take action against individual service providers.
Without clear guidance in building legislation on
what is deemed 'reasonable adjustment' and
without prior case law, this is a huge emotional
and financial undertaking. Our current Building
Standards (regulations) and the British Standards
Institute guidance merely recommend Changing
Places in a vague, unquantified, selection of
building types, they are not mandatory, which
means that often they simply aren't included even
in new public buildings.
Sadly, our other children see that this is the way
society treats their siblings. We can only imagine
the impact that this is having on them. They also
miss out on opportunities to go to places or have
their days cut short because of a lack of Changing
Places for their brothers.
There is a quote “the disabled population is the
world’s largest minority of which anyone can
become part of at any time”. Please remember it.
This problem might not affect you or anyone you
love today. But tomorrow it could. It could affect
you, your child, your parents or your friends. And
trust us - it’s not a nice situation to be in. It feels
as though the world just doesn’t care.
Next time you see an ‘accessible toilet’. Think of
our children and ask yourself whether it really is
accessible for everyone.
Next time you use a public toilet, look at the floor
and imagine having to lay your child on it.
Next time you open your car boot, imagine trying
to find the space to comfortably and discreetly
change your child there – without the world
watching.
Next time you’re on a family day out, imagine
there were no toilets for you or your children to
use.
This problem will only get harder for us as Brody
and Rory become older and heavier. Because, of
course, disabled children become disabled adults.
Ignorance is bliss. But it’s really not for us. Our
boys deserve respect, dignity and inclusion. They
deserve the same rights as every other child.
July 2017 issue, page 6 CSREC Newsletter
CSREC Newsletter
Outside the Box’s three new resources for older people and the people who work with them
At the end of last year Outside the Box held three events looking at creating
more opportunities for older people to do the things they love. We held events
in Inverness, East Renfrewshire and in Falkirk at the Sensory Centre in
Camelon. Thank you to everyone who came along to the Camelon event and
gave your perspectives to contribute to some really interesting discussions.
We have now launched the report from our We’re Here Too events last year. The report provides details on
what we heard from the people who came along and how this is being taken forward. It was great hearing
how open people were to share things like what they needed to experience good mental and physical
wellbeing alongside giving lots of examples of amazing work being done across Scotland to make life
better for older people. You can read the report by clicking here.
From events like We’re Here Too, as well as many of our other projects where we work
with older people, we know that encouraging good mental health and wellbeing among
older people is very important. That’s why we have published two new sets of hints and
tips. The first is a collection of suggestions we have heard from our Happiness Habits
cafés we have been running as a part of our Flourishing Borders project. In this booklet
older people share information on what keeps them well. You can read the booklet here.
We also have a second booklet which was designed for people who work with older people in community
settings. You can use the booklet to have your own Happiness Habits Café, or you can use the ideas here
as part of what happens in groups and activities that you support. You can read the resource here.
Be sure to follow Outside the Box on Facebook and Twitter (both are @OTBcommunities) to stay up to
date with our work.
OUTSIDE THE BOX July 2017 issue, page 7
POLICE SCOTLAND
It’s not ok.
In fact, it totally frustrates me and makes me angry that in 2017 anyone
suffers bullying, harassment or is a victim of any other crime because of
faith, gender, race, disability, gender or sexual orientation.
You may hear these things referred to by the general term, ‘hate crime’.
Whatever we call it there is one thing that I am certain about. It is not
acceptable.
That’s why your police service in the Forth Valley area works hard to
prevent such things happening. And when a hate crime or incident does
occur we want to work with you to identify offenders, bring them to
justice and to find ways to stop things happening again.
But to be effective we need you to talk to us. I urge you to get in touch, call 101 if it isn’t an emergency
but always dial 999 if it is, if someone is being abused or attacked and the incident is ongoing.
The person who answers your call has been trained to help you, whatever your language – we can link
in with translators to help understand what is needed.
There may be reasons why you do not want to call the Police yourself. To help, there are organisations
who will support you and who can make a report for you. Details can be found on line at; http://
www.scotland.police.uk/contact-us/hate-crime-and-third-party-reporting/third-party-reporting-centres
CSREC also offer a full range of support if you need to speak to the Police; http://www.csrec.org.uk/our
-services/third-party-reporting-centre/
These services are free to use and I encourage you to speak to them if you think you need the Police
but are worried about speaking to us directly.
It has been a challenging time across the UK this year with several terrorist incidents taking place.
Although there is no specific information to suggest anything will happen in Scotland the risk of further
attacks in the UK is high.
We should all work together to be prepared and to make sure we are ready to protect our families and
friends should something happen.
There is a lot of helpful information such as Run, Hide, Tell which gives you the opportunity to plan how
you would respond to a firearm threat and stay safe. You can watch the video at; www.youtube.com/
watch?v=QUCW_mk35Xc&spfreload=10
Back here in Forth Valley we are working hard to improve the ways we engage with you by making
much better use of social media. Look us up and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or YouTube
where we provide updates about things going on in your area as well as helpful advice to prevent
crime.
Our latest star is ‘PC Gav’ – you can watch him here – if you enjoy his videos please tick subscribe on
the YouTube page to receive updates of his next release;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InDIyp4TCbY
July 2017 issue, page 8 CSREC Newsletter
We welcome organisations to advertise in the CSREC Community Newsletter. This service is available
for a contribution of £100 or £250 depending on the size and placement of the advertisement. To find
out more, please contact Gillian Currie on 01324 610950 or email [email protected].
Our newsletter is published every quarter in January, April, July and October of each year.
ADVERTISING
CSREC Newsletter
POLICE SCOTLAND CONTINUED July 2017 issue, page 9
I believe it is always important to keep a balance and perspective on things. We live and work in a beautiful
part of the world and every day I am reminded of the joy, the hope and the aspirations of so many positive
people.
At the start of July, myself and a few colleagues were delighted to be
at Eid in the Park in Falkirk.
The organisers laid on a great day and a fabulous range of events.
Officers from Forth Valley spent the afternoon demonstrating police
equipment and discussing policing in the area.
It was privilege for Sergeant Liam Harman and I to receive a gift from
the organisers on behalf of Forth Valley Police which we greatly
appreciated.
We met so many friendly people and look forward to next year’s event.
I have only been able to touch on a few brief points here. We are your
Police service so, if you have any concerns, need to talk to an officer,
have an idea for improving the safety of your community or want to
know more about our work please do get in touch – or just come up
and say hello when you see an officer on patrol.
http://www.scotland.police.uk/your-community/forth-valley/
Written by Martin Fotheringham, Superintendent, Police Scotland and a member of the leadership team for
Forth Valley Division. He has responsibility for developing partnerships and community relationships.
You can support our work by making a donation. The money you donate to CSREC will make a huge
difference in allowing us to carry out our work to promote equality, fight discrimination and improve
community cohesion. You can make the donation online by following the link below:
https://mydonate.bt.com/donation/start.html?charity=159027
To find out more about other ways of donating or about our please contact our Administration Officer
Gillian Currie on 01324 610950 or email [email protected].
DONATE TO CSREC
JOIN CSREC AS A
MEMBER
Membership of CSREC is open to any
individual or organisation who is
interested in supporting our work, and
who believes in our aims and
objectives, which are:
To promote equality & equal opportunities
To fight discrimination
To foster good relations in our communities
To build partnerships with likeminded organisations & public bodies
You may join CSREC regardless of where you live, or are based, although to be eligible to vote you must reside in the Central Scotland area, our "area of benefit". We welcome membership from diverse groups so we are better represented, especially by those pro-tected characteristics and organisations that represent them. We would be much obliged if you would consider joining us and also help us by encouraging individuals and organisations known to you to join CSREC. In return for your support, you will be invited to attend any CSREC meetings or events, will be eligible to vote, providing you have been a member for six months, and providing you reside in CSREC's"area of benefit", you are eligible to nominate and be nominated to membership of the Board of Directors, and will receive copies of CSREC News, Annual Report and other publications.
To become a member, simply complete: 1. Membership Application Form 2. Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form These can be collected from our office or on our website www.csrec.org.uk/about-us/join-us-as-a-member Completed applications should be returned to us by either: Email: [email protected] Or post to: CSREC, Community Education Centre, Park Street, Falkirk FK1 1RE
July 2017 issue, page 10 CSREC Newsletter
NHS FORTH VALLEY
NHS Forth Valley has recently appointed a new member of staff to
the Detecting Cancer Early Programme. Margaret-Anne MacMillan
will be working with the Health Promotion team across Stirling and
Clackmannanshire and will be delivering training to organisations,
their members and service users to encourage people to go along
for breast screening, do the bowel (poo) test and to attend for
regular smear tests. The training helps us to learn about our bodies,
tells us what to look and feel for and are fun and interactive,
delivered by an experienced team.
The Government tell us that 1 in 2 people will be affected by cancer
as they grow older. Therefore it is important that we all go for
screening regularly to detect any changes early. If you decided not
to do the bowel test and have changed your mind, you can re-order
a kit on 0800 0121 833 and it’s FREE, so go on, give yourself the
best chance of a healthy old age.
Margaret-Anne and the health promotion team will be setting up pop
-up clinics for smear tests in Stirling and Clacks. If you or your
service users are interested in coming along to a relaxed and
friendly clinic let us know. Call on 01324 673522 or email
[email protected] for further information.
July 2017 issue, page 11 CSREC Newsletter CRIMINAL JUSTICE SOCIAL WORK SERVICES
Criminal Justice Social Work (CJSW) Services in Edinburgh decided to use Scottish Government funding
to explore how we can strengthen our response to hate crime in order to reduce the harm caused to victims
and communities, and promote the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders. As such I was tasked with
undertaking research into hate crime and exploring effective interventions with offenders (please see http://
www.cycj.org.uk/resource/hate-crime-causes-motivations-and-effective-interventions-for-criminal-justice-
social-work/).
When exploring the different causes of hate crime, it is evident that the formation of prejudice and prejudice
-related offending can occur at individual and structural levels, linking to the role of shame (felt by
perpetrators due to their own difficulties and status in life), social hierarchies, ‘ingroups’ and ‘outgroups’,
socio-economic disadvantage, perceptions of threat and loss, and peer group influences, as well as wider
political rhetoric and the media.
The literature agrees that those who commit hate crimes tend to be young, white males who may be
unemployed or in low-income employment, with their offending potentially exacerbated by substance use
and with previous convictions for general offending. However, reducing offenders to a certain type or
category is cautioned against due to the range of offenders, offences, and causal factors we may deal with.
Nevertheless, a ‘typology’ of hate crime offenders was proposed by McDevitt et al in 2002: Thrill-Seeker;
Defensive; Retaliatory; and Mission offenders, with thrill-seekers being the most common. This typology,
however, does not fully account for offences against disabled people, where exploitation may be a key
motivation.
It is apparent from the literature reviewed that there has been a distinct lack of research pertaining to
CJSW and how it fits in to the landscape of tackling hate crime. There is also very little research on
assessing risk with hate crime perpetrators - my review mainly draws on the work undertaken by the
London Probation Trust in this area. In looking at dynamic risk factors (i.e., those factors that are amenable
to change), the research in London demonstrated that offenders tend to minimise and deny the aggravated
offending and engage in victim-blaming; have an absence of victim empathy and distorted sense of
provocation, leading to a tendency towards violence as a form of conflict resolution; and have a sense of
entitlement and alienation and a poor sense of their own identity, as well as a distorted idea about the
victim and perceived difference. These risk factors would therefore shape any intervention undertaken with
the offender.
Addressing the wider causal factors related to offending (as well as attitudes) will be of key importance.
Crucially, the addition of restorative practices could lead to better outcomes for victims and a potential
reduction in analogous offending.
As such, a Restorative Justice and Hate Crime service is being developed by CJSW in Edinburgh to bring
together victims and offenders in an attempt to address the harm caused; this has never been attempted in
a statutory adult criminal justice setting within Scotland (http://scottishjusticematters.com/the-journal/
restorative-justice-april-2017/)
Developing this service with hate crime offenders seems essential, given the Report of the Independent
Advisory Group on Hate Crime, Prejudice and Community Cohesion’s recommendation that “the Scottish
Government and partners should explore the use of restorative justice methods with victims and
perpetrators of hate crime”. In this way, CJSW can further strive to ameliorate the significant harms caused
by prejudice-motivated offending.
Written by Rania Hamad, July 2017
July 2017 issue, page 12 CSREC Newsletter
Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland is celebrating the first birthday of the
Learning Centre, a new, state-of-the-art training centre in Glasgow.
The Learning Centre offers high quality, accredited training that al-
lows professionals to gain new skills and qualifications in HIV, Sexual
Health and related topics.
A great deal has changed in HIV over the past 35 years. For
example, we have new prevention technologies such as PrEP, medications have
dramatically improved, and people diagnosed with HIV today can expect a normal lifespan. We also now
know that people who are compliant with HIV medication can’t pass on the virus to others.
Unfortunately, general awareness and understanding of HIV hasn’t kept up with medical advances, and
that’s why training is so important. It is hoped that the centre will tackle the high levels of stigma,
misunderstanding and myths that still surround HIV in Scotland, even in professional settings like
workplaces and healthcare.
The HIV and sexual health training we’re offering will allow people to update their knowledge, manage risks
appropriately and support people at risk. Sexual health can also be a difficult subject to approach, and we
aim to give people more confidence to speak about the issues.
Since our launch a year ago, we have developed 12 unique courses and delivered more than 30 training
courses to approximately 400 people in Scotland.
Specifically, we are pleased to be the first centre to offer Professional Development Awards in
Understanding HIV & AIDS and Sexual Health Training. These two new courses are accredited by the
Scottish Qualifications Authority at SCQF Level 7.
Other popular courses on offer include our CPD certified HIV Awareness course and Women & HIV, which
is accredited by the Royal College of Midwives.
We also partner with other organisations to deliver training that meets emerging and complex needs. For
example, we partnered with Alzheimer Scotland to deliver a training course on Sexual Health & Dementia.
And on 29 September, 2017 we will partner with Scottish Drugs Forum to deliver a course on Chemsex in
Scotland.
The feedback from the training has been phenomenal. Nearly 100% of candidates have reported
themselves satisfied with each training course, with around 95% reporting that they were “Very Satisfied.”
Some examples of feedback:
“Lots of great up-to-date information, very informative and lots of scenarios and opportunity for questions.
The slides were excellent and informative. The trainer was so knowledgeable. I learned a lot more than I
imagined.”
“I found the training day such a benefit. The information the trainer
provided, in the manner she did, helped settle my mind and has
allowed me address my own issues/prejudices with a clearer,
more balanced mindset.”
“One of the best training courses I have been on in a long time.”
For a full list of our courses, price information and location, please
visit our website http://www.tht.org.uk/learningscotland or contact
us by emailing [email protected] or calling
0141 332 3838.
TERRENCE HIGGINS TRUST
July 2017 issue, page 13 CSREC Newsletter
Are you... Looking for an interesting and enjoyable volunteering opportunity? Able to speak, read and write English to a reasonable standard? Sociable and friendly? Interested in people, other countries and cultures?
If you answered “YES” to the above questions then we have the opportunity for you.
What – Introduction to ESOL tutoring
English for Speakers of Other Languages
When – 6th September to 18
th October 2017
What time – 1:30 – 4:00 on a Wednesday afternoon.
Where – Park Street Community Education Centre, Falkirk.
For more information or to book a place:-
Call Mary Scrimgeour on 01324 503674
Email [email protected]
ESOL Volunteer Tutor Training
July 2017 issue, page 14 CSREC Newsletter
Support for adults who experienced abuse or
neglect as a child in care
Future Pathways is a new service, set up to support adults who experienced abuse or neglect while they were living in care as a child in Scotland.
Established in September 2016, we help individuals access person-centred support that will help them work towards a positive future, whatever that looks like for them.
Eligibility
To be eligible for support from Future Pathways, an individual must have experienced abuse or neglect in a care setting. ‘In care’ means:
Residential care
Boarding school (state, private, independent)
Foster care
Young Offender’s Institution
Having a long-term stay in hospital
To register, an individual must be aged over 18 now, and any abuse or neglect they experienced must have taken place before they were aged 18.
Support available
We work with each individual to help them to identify what is important to them in their life, then arrange and pay for support to enable them to achieve their outcomes. We work flexibly, and tailor support to suit each person’s needs and circumstances.
The most common types of support accessed so far include:
trauma support and counselling
access to care records and family histories
community activities
support to get into work or education.
How to register
Registration is simple and confidential. Our Freephone registration line is open 10am – 6pm Monday to Friday, on 0808 164 2005. You can also email [email protected] We treat individuals’ information in the strictest confidence, and only require a name and contact information so we may get in touch. When you register, you don’t need to tell us about your experience, or provide records of your time in care.
We’ll make arrangements for you to meet with a Support Co-ordinator at a time and place that suits you. You can choose whether you’d prefer to work with a male or female Support Co-ordinator. They’ll work with you to think about what support you might want to access, then make arrangements to put this in place.
For further information, please visit the Future Pathways website: www.future-pathways.co.uk
Working with service providers
If you are an organisation working with people who may have experienced in care abuse and would like more information, or copies of our leaflets, please contact us. We would also be happy to come and visit you, your team and any individuals you work with to explain more about what we do.
We are also keen to link in with organisations or individual practitioners who are interested in working in partnership with us to provide support. If you would like to explore how we can work together, please contact the Communications and Engagement team on 0141 465 9229 or email [email protected]
FUTURE PATHWAYS
July 2017 issue, page 15 CSREC Newsletter
Help Promote Equality and
Fight Discrimination
Volunteering is a great way to get involved, give something back to your local
community, and make a difference.
We need volunteers to assist us with:
Administration
Research and Fundraising
Community Engagement
Events
Graphics
Media and communications
Experienced Law Volunteers who can assist our Support and Advice
Service
For more information go to: www.csrec.org.uk/volunteer
Phone: 01324 610950
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.csrec.org.uk
Central Scotland Regional Equality Council
Community Education Centre
Park Street, Falkirk
FK1 1RE
Get in
touch
July 2017 issue, page 16 CSREC Newsletter
Older persons from economically deprived
backgrounds are more likely to spend more years in
later life ‘unhealthy’ compared to those who come
from economically advantaged backgrounds. Food
Train services allow older persons to stay in their
home longer and helps bridge the gap between
health inequalities in older persons. Food Train
Stirling provides a low cost grocery-delivery service
to people over 65years of age who are unable to do
their shopping which may be due to disability, frailty or mobility issues. Our service is it is not means
tested or health tested so anyone over 65 who is struggling can access the service. It differs from online
shopping services as volunteers might for example; use key safes to enter customers home if they are
bedbound or immobile, prompt customers if they forget essential items and there have been times where
volunteers have contacted emergency services when a customer has been found in distress.
Volunteers do the shopping for customers on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday which is then
delivered to customers on each day. Shopping can be put away by volunteers and jars opened if needed.
Volunteers who visit customers in their home to pick up lists and deliver shopping always work in pairs
and are police checked to ensure our customers safety as well as volunteer’s safety. We have a diverse
set of volunteers and we are really proud of this, in 2013 we were the first organisation in Stirling to be
awarded the ‘Volunteer Friendly’ award by the Provost and in 2016 we received another award for
sustained excellence. To receive this award we had to demonstrate how we involved our volunteers in
decision making on how our service is run.
We have bi-monthly meetings with volunteers and weekly roundup letters to ensure we have open lines
of communication. In 2015 we also won the ‘Inclusive Volunteering Award’ from Stirling Voluntary
Enterprise because we have such a diverse range of people who volunteer for us; we have volunteers
who are unable to work independently but they are able to volunteer for us with their support worker, we
also have a partnership with Youth Services who bring young people from traumatic or challenging
backgrounds so they can learn new skills and develop independent living skills through volunteering. We
also work with groups such as Richmond fellowship, Enable and Scope who introduce us to volunteers
with learning difficulties or mental health issues.
Overall Food Train supports a very diverse range of volunteers and customers with the aim of reducing
health inequality between older persons. Our service also addresses social isolation and loneliness that
can affect people in later life. Many of our volunteers are older themselves and wish to remain healthy,
active and social whilst also helping look after those in their local community.
If you are an older person living in Stirling or the surrounding area and need help with your shopping, call the Food Train on (01786) 450536. If you would like to find out more about volunteering with Food Train, check www.thefoodtrain.co.uk, email: [email protected] find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/foodtrainstirling
THE FOOD TRAIN
July 2017 issue, page 17 CSREC Newsletter
Support and Advice Service
For help with:
Discrimination
Hate Crime
Accessing public services
Employment
Education
Housing
Welfare
CSREC01 @CSREC01
Contact us
Central Scotland Regional Equality Council (CSREC)
Community Education Centre, Park Street, Falkirk, FK1 1RE
By telephone: 01324 610 950
By email: [email protected]
Our Service is available in your language
www.csrec.org.uk
July 2017 issue, page 18 CSREC Newsletter
Scottish Disability Equality Forum (SDEF) is a national charity working to achieve full access and inclusion for disabled people. SDEF promotes access in its widest sense, including access to the built and natural environment and access to the same opportunities as are enjoyed by others in our communities thus promoting a life of dignity, respect and independence. This extends beyond physical access to include access to information, access to inclusive communication and inclusion in decision-making, whether with planners over inclusive design or transport providers about accessible travel. SDEF’s aim is for every disabled person to have the opportunity to participate in a fulfilling life. SDEF represent the views of individuals with any type of impairment, as well as disability organisations and groups who share SDEF’s values. SDEF is a membership organisation and as such listen to the views of disabled people and champion on their behalf. They work to influence the policies of the Scottish Government which affect how disabled people live, and work to encourage others to be inclusive and informed in their attitudes towards disabled people. SDEF is also the umbrella organisation for all disability Access Panels in Scotland and is the principal provider of support and guidance to the Access Panels presently representing disabled persons at a local level throughout Scotland. Access Panels are committed to improving access and equality in its widest form which means access to the physical environment, Education, Housing, Health, Transport, Leisure & Recreation and Social Justice amongst other areas. In September 2016, when Scotland’s first Accessible Travel Framework was unveiled, SDEF
launched the Accessible Travel Hub http://accessibletravel.scot/. The Accessible Travel Hub works
in partnership with the Accessible Travel Framework and joins the other Hubs developed by SDEF:
Inclusive Communication and Inclusive Design.
The aim is for their members and the wider public to be as informed as much as possible about the
issues that affect disabled people in Scotland and SDEF believe that the network of Hubs does just
that.
James Davidson their Online Access Worker is responsible for all the online content and he had this
to say about what the Hubs mean for you:
“Our network of Hubs means that you can instantly look up a piece of information about inclusive
communication, inclusive design or a topic relating to the Scottish Government’s Accessible Travel
Framework and know it to be accurate. Better yet, they provide Access Panels a place to gather
and share their knowledge about these topics, enabling so many to grow and learn from their lived
experience.”
If you want to find out more about Inclusive Communication, Inclusive Design or the Accessible
Travel Framework or to simply have your say on issues that matter to you, then the next time you’re
surfing the web why don’t you visit the Hubs. The addresses are below and don’t forget to leave
some feedback. It’s the only way SDEF can make them even better.
Inclusive Design Hub: www.inclusivedesign.scot
Accessible Travel Hub: www.accessibletravel.scot
Inclusive Communication Hub: www.includeusall.org.uk
Have Your Say… www,your-say-on-disability.org.uk
Access Panel Network Scotland: www.accesspanelnetwork.org.uk
If you are an individual or an organisation, you can join SDEF membership for FREE and help to
further their aims.
Contact: Scottish Disability Equality Forum T: 01259 272064 E: [email protected] W:
www.sdef.org.uk
SCOTTISH DISABILITY EQUALITY FORUM
July 2017 issue, page 19 CSREC Newsletter
SAVE ENERGY
you can take to
Turning your thermostat down by
one degree can reduce your
annual heating bill by 10%
One minute less in the
shower each day can save up to £10
a year per person
Switch lights off
when not in use
Turn switches off at the
wall when not using
appliances
Dry your
clothes
naturally
Insulate
your
home
Use lids on
pots and pans
when cooking
When making
a cuppa,
only boil the water you need.
Draught-proof windows and doors
to save up to £25 from your annual
heating bill
Replace standard light
bulbs with CFL or LED bulbs and
save up to £35 per year
www.csrec.org.uk/fvc4c
For more information on any of these energy saving tips, or if you would
like to find out more about Forth Valley Communities For Conservation,
please contact us:
Phone: 01324 610950 Email: [email protected]
Ten easy steps
(and save money!)
@FVC4C @FVC4C
July 2017 issue, page 20 CSREC Newsletter
The benefits to your health & wellbeing by cycling more often include:
preventing many health conditions which can impact on your quality of life,
evidence is available to show that years can be added to life if the person does at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week,
positively boosting mental health and wellbeing - people feel great after being out on their bikes,
being more environmentally conscious and reducing CO2 emissions.
Why not sign up to a FREE Cycle Meander Ride in and around Stirling? The Meanders are delivered by Stirling Cycle Hub and are open to all adults. You can choose a 5 mile route or a 10 mile route, details of how to book your place are in the posters. Don’t worry if you don’t have a bike as you can borrow one from Stirling Cycle Hub so long as you mention this when you book your slot at the Meander ride. In addition, NHS Forth Valley is working in partnership with The Cycle Hub in Stirling and on various Wednesday's between now and early November there will be ‘Wheely Wednesday’
events at Forth Valley Royal Hospital. We are really keen to encourage staff, patients and carers to think about cycling again whether for pleasure and / or to travel from A to B by bike rather than the car. To help encourage this, on the dates provided in our Wheely Wednesday poster, Recyke a Bike will be available at the rear staff entrance of the hospital to provide basic bike checks on people's bikes, so an ideal opportunity for you to ensure your bike is safe and ready to use. Once a month (dates in the poster), Stirling Cycle Hub will also be available at Forth Valley Royal Hospital to let you try out an e-bike, chat to you about anything bike related, plan a safe cycle route for you and at 12.15pm there will be a 15 minute led bike ride around the hospital grounds and we would welcome and encourage people to repeat the route as often as they like. We look forward to meeting you at any one of the above events this summer.
NHS FORTH VALLEY
July 2017 issue, page 21 CSREC Newsletter
PLUS, a Stirling based charity supporting children and young people with disabilities, is delighted to announce that it has secured funding to expand its current services in the Falkirk area. PLUS aims to provide a better quality of life for children and young people with disabilities and their families across the Forth Valley. PLUS’ main approach is to support individuals in a group based social setting, encouraging friendships, whilst reducing the social isolation felt by many children with disabilities and their families.
Since 2012, PLUS has been delivering a limited level of support in the area, with a focus on a model of 1:1 community based support. However in January 2016, with the support of local parent Karen Procek, her family and the Forth Valley Sensory Centre, PLUS has been working alongside
parents and carers on a fortnightly basis facilitating ‘Play and Chat’, which has developed from a Parent and Toddler group into a Peer Support and Friendship Group.
Over the last 15 months PLUS has met over 40 families in the area, with children from birth through to 16 years of age. It has been clear that there are demands for additional services in the area, to compliment the provision currently provided by the local authority. Parents have told us they attend Play and Chat because ‘it is the only group my son fits into. I also fit in, people understand’, ‘I come for peer support. I have friends who are parents and whilst they offer empathy, they don’t truly know how difficult my life is. Play and Chat families just get it.’
Through questionnaires, focus groups, and lots of conversations, the families who attend the PLUS Sessions have been able to provide valuable insight and direction into what gaps exist for them and their families. It was clear that there are many families in the area who are currently isolated, with no access to short breaks at present. As a result, we will be developing the following; weekly networking for parents and carers through ‘Play and Chat’, regular group based events for children of primary age, regular group activities for teenagers and practical information sessions for parents.
Susan Fullerton, Chief Executive Officer at PLUS commented, ‘It has been an exciting journey over the last 15 months, seeing the relationship between families blossom. Our partnership with the Sensory Centre has been fundamental in ‘Play and Chat’ experiencing the success it has had to date. We look forward to offering increased support to a wider number of families in the coming year, and are thankful to our funders Shared Care Scotland and Children in Need for allowing this opportunity to develop.’
In order to begin recruitment to the projects, PLUS hosted a Family Fun Day at the Forth Valley Sensory Centre on Sunday 21
st May. There was a great turn out of families, however there are still spaces available
on the project for school aged children. PLUS looks forward to welcoming families from across the Falkirk area, and would welcome families getting in touch directly to find out more.
Please contact [email protected] or by phone 01786 450086 to find out more about our services.
PLUS (Forth Valley) Ltd , Broadleys Road, Springkerse Industrial Estate, Stirling, FK7 7ST Tel: 01786 450086; Email: [email protected]
Registered in Scotland No. 226225; Scottish Charity No. SC003945; Care Commission No. CS2003035186
PLUS FORTH VALLEY
July 2017 issue, page 22 CSREC Newsletter
Over the last year, the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (SCoJeC) have been working to put central Scotland on the Jewish map with the help of the Central Scotland Regional Equality Council. This area isn't generally known as a hub of
Jewish activity, but, working with Arun Gopinath and his team at CSREC, we have been privileged to celebrate several Jewish festivals, and share the milestone of two hundred years of Jewish Communities in Scotland, with communities in this great region.
Our work spans the whole of Scotland, bringing Jewish people together and putting on cultural events of interest to Jewish and non-Jewish people alike. Though we host events from the very north of Scotland right through to the south, one of our biggest supporters is the CSREC. More than just helping us find venues for our events, they are instrumental in helping us promote our work. In turn, their continued support has increased the success of our activities in the region.
Our most exciting event so far in 2017, took place in Callendar Park, Falkirk, on 14 May, 2017. Our Fire and Light in the Forest event, supported by Forestry Commission Scotland, was a day of outdoor activities where Jewish Communities across Scotland came together to celebrate Lag B’Omer, a minor Jewish festival. The central positioning of Callendar Park helped us to attract more than 200 people from Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dundee and the Central Belt, for a day of storytelling, craft and games, woodlands walks, wild foraging as well as archery, which is traditional for the festival.
Bonfires and barbecues are also traditional at Lag B’Omer festivities, so the fire juggler and delicious kosher barbecue were also in keeping with the holiday. The event was a huge success, bringing together communities that don’t normally get the chance to interact. It was also a fun way to encourage everyone to enjoy the great outdoors, especially on such a beautiful day.
One young girl aged 7 ¾ said:“Archery was the best bit – I had lots of satisfaction using an arrow. I was the second best archer, and the most improved archer!”
And her father told us “A very nice day out for the
kids, with a bit of tradition behind it – and introduced us to a new park that we’d never been to. It was nice to see other families, some of which we know. And nice to be around Israelis and hear Hebrew spoken by children and adults.”
To celebrate the bicentenary of Scotland’s Jewish Communities, and as part of Refugee Festival Scotland 2017, SCoJeC hosted a series of history talks, discussing the story of Scotland’s Jewish communities – the story of how Scotland has welcomed refugees for the last 200 years. Two of our series were held in the CSREC’s catchment area, in Dunfermline and in Falkirk. Again, CSREC’s support was key in the success of the event, helping us to locate venues and attracting attendees.
Mr. Michael Tobias, a well-known genealogist and researcher, spoke to packed houses, sharing his findings about the history of Scotland’s Jewish Communities, giving the “how”, why” and “where” of Jewish immigration to Scotland. Each talk was free and included a kosher buffet as well as a “sharing our stories” session. One audience member in Falkirk told us “The talk was excellent and well illustrated, showing movement of Jews through the decades. I hadn’t realised so many used Scotland as a stepping stone to the US”.
Central Scotland will continue to feature in our calendar of events over the last half of 2017, with an Interfaith Scotland week paper cutting event being organised for Sunday 12
th November. Abi Pirani and
Maryam Golubeva, a Jewish and a Muslim paper cutter, will share a platform and share their ancient skill of paper cutting with local people – the event will also include SCoJeC’s trademark kosher buffet, of course!
For details about our upcoming events programme, call Joanne on 077245 49817, email [email protected] or visit www.scojec.org/events.html. Our events are free, though donations are welcome.
These events were generously supported by the Netherlee and Clarkston Charitable Trust.
SCOTTISH COUNCIL OF JEWISH COMMUNITIES
SCOTTISH COUNCIL OF JEWISH COMMUNITIES July 2017 issue, page 23 CSREC Newsletter
July 2017issue, page 24 CSREC Newsletter
CSREC made a presentation on hate crime at The
Alliance’s #Change17 conference on 30 May 2017
PHOTO GALLERY
Some participants at our Fuel Good driving session held at Re-Union Canal Boats, 28 July 2017
Energy Awareness Session with Al Masaar’s
Wee Steps Group in Falkirk on 17 May 2017
Kasia and Taya at Forth Valley College
promoting our work on 15 May 2017
Energy awareness session at Cowane Centre, Stirling 14 June 2017
Forth Valley Communities for Conservation team at the launch event, in Falkirk on 20th May 2017
July 2017 issue, page 25 CSREC Newsletter PHOTO GALLERY
Energy Awareness Session at Community
Education Centre in Park Street 6 July 2017
CSREC’s staff and volunteers creating awareness on climate change and hate crime reporting at Eid in
the Park event in Falkirk on 1 July 2017
CSREC’s Board, Staff and Volunteers at Stirling Train Station raising awareness of hate crime reporting on
28 June 2017
Our FVC4C team and volunteers providing energy saving tips and raising awareness on climate change
at Stirling Train Station on 28 June 2017
CSREC staff team at information stall on hate
crime and climate change at Howgate Centre,
Falkirk on 7 July 2017
CSREC staff and volunteers creating awareness on climate change Rainbow Muslim Women’s Group
on 26 July 2017
REPORT
DISABLITY
HATE
CRIME
Report Disability and other
Hate Crimes and Incidents
in confidence by using Third
Party Reporting
Contact Central Scotland Regional Equality Council (CSREC) if you require assistance with reporting hate crime.
07522 032794
fb.com/CSREC01
@CSREC01
01324 610950
www.csrec.org.uk