• Tag: midlothian

    Midlothian Charities Call on UK Government to Reimburse NI Increases

    placement on 14 November, 2024

    Midlothian Third Sector Interface published the following press release this week:

    Midlothian charities are calling on the UK Government to ensure that support is provided to cover costs brought on by the increase in employers’ national insurance contributions (NICs).

    Recent announcements from the UK Budget have raised extreme concern over the impact on charities and community groups across Midlothian. The increase in employer’s NICs from 13.8% to 15% is a further financial burden coming at a time when many organisations are already teetering on the edge of financial crisis. Without support from the UK Government to mitigate the impact of these increases, there is significant threat of redundancies and service closures across the voluntary sector.

    For charities in Midlothian, the impact is already being felt. One Midlothian charity explained,

    “It will cost us close to £100,000 extra per year in increases to NI contributions and the real living wage.”

    Another local charity echoed this concern,

    “The increase in national insurance contributions alone will cost us over £10,000 annually. We are already struggling to meet growing demand for our services.”

    Charities in Midlothian do not operate in isolation; they complement and support public services, from mental health support and social care to youth services and food banks. The loss of these vital third sector services will not only be detrimental to the communities they serve but also to the public sector, which will be further strained, leaving people with nowhere to go.

    These announcements come on top of Midlothian Council’s recent savings proposal consultation, which outlines potential cuts and reductions to public services across the county as the council seeks to lessen its budget shortfalls.

    Unlike the public sector, which has been assured support to offset NIC increases, the voluntary sector has yet to receive any such commitment. We are calling on the UK Government to extend this support to employers in the third sector.

    Volunteer Midlothian’s volunteer-led Conversation Café project.

    END

    Midlothian Older People’s Assembly 2024

    placement on 31 October, 2024

    Join us at our 2024 Midlothian Older People’s Assembly, where you can learn about services, support, and resources that support a good life for all older people in Midlothian.

    Register now!

    Pop in, have a browse of our 20 information stalls and collect your free copy of the new transport guide for Midlothian 2024.

    There will be staff and representatives from various guest organisations that can assist you to achieve the kind of life you want to live. 

    Learn about local services, connect with peers, have good conversations, share experiences and voice your opinions on important issues affecting older individuals. Don’t miss out on this exciting gathering. Register now, to let us know you are joining us!

    Date:

    Thursday 28 November 2024, 11am – 1.30pm. Tea, coffee, and lunch provided!

    Location:

    St John’s & King’s Park Church, Dalkeith, Midlothian, EH22 1HJ (opposite Morrisons).

    Contact Info:

    For more information, contact MVA.

    Third Sector Forum: Discussing local & national budget

    placement on 25 October, 2024

    MVA is hosting a Third Sector Forum to explore the wider budget picture (Midlothian Council, Scottish Government & UK Government). We will discuss the impact of the UK budget, the Midlothian Council consultation, and the potential to influence the Scottish Government as they make decisions around their upcoming budget.

    This meeting is restricted to third sector organisations in Midlothian. Sign-up here.

    This meeting will be hybrid: In-person at the MVA offices (4-6 White Hart Street, Dalkeith) and also online via Teams. Please select the relevant ticket option at checkout.

    If you have any questions or access requirements please email us at: info@mvacvs.org.uk

    The Third Sector Forum is a meeting of third sector organisations in Midlothian, regularly convened by MVA. The aim is to share important information, discuss issues affecting the sector, and formulate a shared voice for the sector within the community planning process.

    VOCAL: Employer support to embed carer-friendly practices

    placement on 25 October, 2024

    Sign-up now!

    VOCAL – Voice of Carers Across Lothian – is a charity that supports unpaid carers. We provide training sessions for employers with a presence in Edinburgh and Midlothian. Our goal is to help employers across the public, private and third sector to build confidence in supporting carers in the workplace, and increase awareness in identifying and engaging with carers. Our training sessions aim to give you a strong foundation if you are looking to apply for Carer Scotland’s Carer Positive accreditation.

    Caring is often a hidden issue in the workplace, making it difficult to talk about and support. One in five carers give up work because balancing caring and holding down a job becomes too much.

    As a leading expert, we collaborate with employers to create carer-friendly workplaces. We can support you in raising awareness, leading team discussions, building carer networks, also reviewing and developing internal policies.

    Programme for third sector managers

    The programme is aimed at supporting managers in the third sector to increase their awareness of working carers, and how they can best support their employees who are juggling work and care.  We will run an introductory session called Identifying and supporting carers at work, which aims to make carers more visible in the workplace.  During this session, managers will reflect on the hidden impacts of caring and learn how to identify and support unpaid carers within their organisations.

    If there is enough interest following the introductory session, we can offer follow-up sessions on:

    • Caring conversations
    • An introduction to Carer Positive accreditation
    • How to develop/improve a carer policy and carer passport
    • How to build and establish a successful carer network
    • How to engage and communicate to create a caring culture

    Registration link: https://forms.office.com/e/RxJJ06b5BZ

    For further information on the training and support we can provide, please contact employers@vocal.org.uk.

    Check out MVA’s blog for a recap of a Think Carer training session our staff participated in!