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FVA Employability Bulletin, Friday 10 October 2014


Dear Colleague,

Ah well, here we are back from our various holiday extravaganzas and delighted to announce that the new Fife Employability and Training Consortium (aka Fife-etc) have been granted funding to pilot service delivery from October 01 2014. Read more below for an update on who is involved and what the team have to offer or come along and join us at the next Fife Employability Forum to meet them in person.

In this issue we also have an update from Fife Council on European Funding and are pleased to publish two pieces of research commissioned by the Opportunities Fife Partnership on employability provision for ex-offenders and for people with health problems and disabilities in Fife.

As always there is news on funding opportunities and plenty going on in Fife with a new team at Momentum Skills, new courses from Springboard, an update on the Digital Skills Courses available through Community Learning & Development, an App called Living Smart from the team at LinkLiving, and much much more!

Lastly good news! The Smith Commission have extend the deadline for SCVO to gather initial third sector views and proposals on the future powers of the Scottish Parliament. The deadline is now Friday 24 October. Responses should still be sent to [email protected]

If you have courses you want to promote or news to share then our next e-bulletin will be going out in November. Please send Christine Davison any content you wish to include by Friday 31th October.

All the best from the team at FVA.


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In this issue:
  » Fife Employability Forum
Funding
  » ESIF 2014-20 and Simplified Cost Update
  » Join the Core with Ben & Jerry's and Ashoka
  » Money for Life Challenge
  » Comic Relief Funding
Training and Learning Opportunities
  » Effective Employment Support for People with Mental Health Conditions, 24 October, London
  » Employability and Skills Scotland, 11 and 12 November 2014, Glasgow
  » Health Improvement Training
  » Digital Skills Courses
  » Springboard Course - Hospitality Futures
Other News
  » Opportunities Fife Partnership Research
  » Fife Employability and Training Consortium (Fife-etc)
  » Know Your Network Event Feedback
  » New Staff at Momentum Skills
  » Scottish Business Diversity Awards 2014
  » Living Smart App Event Launch, 17 October, Kirkcaldy
  » Launch of Scottish Welfare Reform Advisory Service
  » Opportunities Fife Website


Fife Employability Forum

The next Fife Employability Forum will take place on Wednesday 12 November, 9.30am-12.30pm Room 10, Rothes Halls, Glenrothes
The theme for this Forum is ‘Partnership Working’. During the morning you will:
Come along and join us! You never know when a partnership will be born.
Please book your place by contacting Christine Davison [email protected] . Tel - 08456 006 046
Save the date for the first Employability Forum in 2015:
Wednesday 11 February 2015, 9.30am to 12.30pm, Hall B, Rothes Halls, Glenrothes

ESIF 2014-20 and Simplified Cost Update

As always there is a lot going on with European Funding. To read the latest update on ESIF 2014-20 funding and ‘scale of unit’ costs please click here.

Join the Core with Ben & Jerry's and Ashoka

Ben & Jerry's and Ashoka have launched the latest Join Our Core competition to find young social entrepreneurs who are creating new models for businesses that help make a difference in communities. The competition is open to young people (aged 18-34). The deadline for entering is 15th October 2014.

Money for Life Challenge

The Lloyds Banking Group has announced a third year of Money for Life Challenge funding. The programme offers grants of �500 to teams of young people aged 16-24. Applications close on 21st November 2014.

Comic Relief Funding

Comic Relief offer UK grants to organisations working towards one or more of their main themes: Better Futures, Healthier Finances, Safer Lives, Stronger Communities, and Fairer Society. The fund has no deadline and organisations are welcome to apply at any time. To find out more or to apply please click here.

Effective Employment Support for People with Mental Health Conditions, 24 October, London

This seminar will explore current developments in employment support for those with mental health conditions. This will be valuable for anyone involved in the commissioning or delivery of this area of employment support. To find out more or to book your place click here.

Employability and Skills Scotland, 11 and 12 November 2014, Glasgow

Scotland’s Employability and Skills Convention will bring together policy makers and practitioners from across Scotland and beyond to discuss and debate the latest developments in welfare reform, with particular emphasis on skills and employment. To find out more or to book your place click here.

Health Improvement Training

The Health Improvement Training Programme contains a wealth of fantastic training opportunities. All free and available to people working from any background. We think the following look particularly interesting and at the time of us sending this they still have places available.
The full details of each course can be found in the Training Programme.
Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid – Wed 28 and Thurs 29 January 2015 - The Bay Hotel, Kinghorn
Working with Young Women on Self Esteem – Mon 24 and Tues 25 November 2014 – The Bay Hotel, Kinghorn
Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid: Young People – Mon 23 February 2015 – Cameron Hospital, Leven

Digital Skills Courses

Fife Council Community Learning & Development team have partnered with Fife College to offer basic IT skills training in community learning centres across Fife. To read more about the support available and for contact details of local learning centres please click here.

Springboard Course - Hospitality Futures

Hospitality Futures aims to enable participants to gain practical experience within the hospitality industry to help develop the necessary skills to start their hospitality career. The course is for unemployed people aged 16-24 who have an interest in the sector. Interviews with Springboard take place on Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 October with the course commencing Monday 27 October. To find out more please visit our website.

Opportunities Fife Partnership Research

The Opportunities Fife Partnership recently commissioned two reports on employment provision in Fife, one for ex-offenders and the second looking at provision for people with health problems and disabilities. To read more and for the full reports click here.

Fife Employability and Training Consortium (Fife-etc)

The Fife Employability and Training Consortium (Fife-etc) brings together a range of third sector providers to create a co-ordinated Fife-wide employability service. Consortium partners are: BRAG, Clued-Up, The Gilven Project, FEAT, Fife Voluntary Action, Fife Works, Fife HARCA Ltd, & West Fife Enterprise. The Consortium will offer access to a range of services from early engagement & confidence-building through to job-seeking skills and ultimately employment. The Consortium has started to pilot service delivery with a view to continuing to deliver services beyond January 2015. To find out more about the Consortium please contact BRAG on either 0333 3202258 (free from all mobiles) or 01592 862301.

Know Your Network Event Feedback

On Wednesday 10 September, the Opportunities Fife Partnership planned and delivered a sector-wide networking event for employability and support organisations in Fife. The event was a huge success with 224 attending on the day representing 27 organisations in the morning and 23 in the afternoon. We will publish a feedback report about the event to show what went well and what we could improve.

New Staff at Momentum Skills

We are pleased to welcome Andy Duncan and Simon Rose into their new roles at Momentum Skills. They are delivering Work Choice, a voluntary supported employment programme. To find out more about Momentum Skills please click here.

Scottish Business Diversity Awards 2014

The Scottish Union of Supported Employment has announced the launch of the annual Scottish Business Diversity Awards 2014. The closing date for nominations is Tuesday 28 October so please get your nominations in early to ensure businesses who support people into and to sustain employment are recognised.

Living Smart App Event Launch, 17 October, Kirkcaldy

Living Smart was made by a group of young volunteers at LinkLiving who wanted to help guide other young people to find information about independent living choices to prevent homelessness. The app provides ‘advice at your fingertips’ and links to information on health & wellbeing, financial help and personal safety. To attend the app launch on Friday 17 October, 12.00pm, West Bridge Mill, Bridge Street, Kirkcaldy, please confirm your attendance to [email protected] by Wednesday 15 October.

Launch of Scottish Welfare Reform Advisory Service

The Scottish Welfare Reform Advisory Service offers free advice to frontline support and advice staff throughout Scotland. They offer: A direct access advice line, an email advice service, and live chat with Shelter Scotland staff. For further information on welfare reform or to contact someone for advice please visit the ScotWRAS website.

Opportunities Fife Website

Check out the new look website and most importantly its regularly updated job vacancies list here. Current opportunities include Creative Digital Apprentice and Relief Support Workers




Fife Voluntary Action
Tel: 08456 006 046
E-mail: [email protected]

Fife Voluntary Action is the Third Sector Interface for the Fife Council area.
supporting, developing and representing community groups,
voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering

Website: www.fifevoluntaryaction.org.uk

Registered Office: Craig Mitchell House, Flemington Road, Glenrothes, KY75QF.

Fife Voluntary Action is a Company Limited by Guarantee, Registered in Scotland No. SC203613 and Registered Scottish Charity No. SCO28457.