Promoting
equality and human rights across the Highlands & Islands of Scotland
HIEF
Events
ORKNEY: HIEF and Highland LGBT Forum Roadshow - still time to book!
5th September, 9.30am - 4.30pm
St Magnus Centre, Kirkwall
HIEF and the Highland Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Forum (Highland LGBT
Forum) are looking forward to visiting Kirkwall for our next
roadshow. This free event will provide
a greater understanding of issues surrounding gender and sexual orientation,
and difficulties faced by LGBT people, as well as looking at wider issues of
equality and human rights. Find out more and book your
place
SHETLAND: Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
3rd October, 10.00am - 4.00pm
Shetland Museum and Archives, Lerwick
For our Shetland event, HIEF and the Highland Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Forum (Highland
LGBT Forum) have teamed up with the British Institute of Human
Rights (BIHR) as part of the BIHR Human Rights Tour
2013. This free event is about
raising awareness and applying human rights in everyday life as well as
providing a greater understanding of issues around gender, sexuality
and diversity. Find out
more and book your place
NEW! INVERNESS:
Older People Taking Action
22nd October, 10.30am - 3.00pm
Spectrum Centre, Inverness
HIEF, Outside the Box Development
Support and the Highland
Senior Citizens Network
(HSCN) are running a free event to explore how community led action
can remove the barriers to older people's wellbeing in the
Highlands. The event will look at some of the work already happening,
support available and provide an opportunity to share ideas and
experiences and propose solutions. Find out more and book your
place
Latest
News
Hopes that areas in
Highland will be exempt from bedroom tax
It has emerged that some parts of the Highlands could be eligible
for exemptions from the bedroom tax. A Westminster committee has recommended
that the spare room subsidy should be lifted in rural areas with settlements of
less than 3,000 residents. Find out more
Bedroom tax forcing cutbacks
A report by the Papworth Trust states that nine out of ten disabled
people in social housing are having to make cuts across a range of essentials,
including food and medicine, if they are refused discretionary housing
payments. Find out more
Concern over food banks being
used to subsidise welfare funds
With the news that a £33m welfare fund is being considerably under
used, poverty campaigners are concerned that councils are using food banks to
subsidise state benefits. They claim that staff are trying too hard to
save council's money and directing people to food banks instead of using the
welfare funds available. Find out more
Lochaber food bank closer to opening
The first food bank in Lochaber is one step closer to opening after
trustrees of the Lochaber Foodbank project were granted planning permission to
turn an empty shop unit in Fort William into a storage and distribution
facility for emergency food aid. Find out more
Moray charity wins Queen's Award
Moray Fresh Start has won a Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. The
charity, which supports homeless people who are moving into new
tenancies, last year helped around 200 people who had been affected by
homelessness. Find out more
Patient Opinion - health services
feedback requested
Patient Opinion, an independant non-profit feedback platform, is
looking for your stories and opinions about the health service with the
aim of improving those services. "Tell us your story and let's work
together to make health services even better". Find out more
Faith Journeys Beyond the
Congregation - summary of research
The Church of Scotland has published a summary of insights gathered from
research in the Highlands and Islands. The research was initiated to develop a
better understanding of the experiences and perspectives of people who are
committed Christians but not engaged in a church congregation. Find out more
Gypsy and Traveller hand-held
record report
NHS Health Scotland have published their report 'Insight into the use of
the Hand-Held Record and other methods of NHS engagement with Gypsy/Travellers
in Scotland'. One of the aims is that the report will be used to stimulate
local discussion about further work to improve access to services for the Gypsy
and Traveller community. Find out more
Events
Immigration Law Basics - 10th
September, Inverness
The Ethnic Minorities Law Centre are holding a free session which
will give an introduction to immigration law, highlighting the changes to the
requirements for partners joining their British sponsor in the UK. The event
will also discuss changes in the right of appeal for family visitors
and forthcoming changes in the English language requirement. Find out more
Intercultural Understanding event - 10th
September, Inverness
Global Education - Xchange Scotland is delivering an event to
explore differences between culture groups, a sense of belonging,
individuality and identity. For more information or to book your place contact
Christina Mclinktock. (christina.mclintock@highlifehighland.com)
Safer, Stronger, Fairer conference - 13th
September, Inverness
LGBT Youth Scotland is running an event with the Highland LGBT
Forum and Merkinch Partnership to consider how to meet the needs of the
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in the Highlands. The
conference aims to develop dialogue between decision makers and policy makers
in Highland and those responsible for providing services to LGBT
people.Find out more
Violence Against Women Interfaith
event - 31st October, Inverness
This event will examine the multi-agency partnership response to
violence against women in Scotland, how faith communities are already tackling
these issues and how we can work together to address violence against women and
support those affected. For further information or to book your place contact
Gillian Gunn. (gillian.gunn@nhs.net)
Funding Opportunities
Bank of Scotland - Small Grants
Programme
The Bank of Scotland is offering grants of between £1,000 and £20,000 to
registered charities in Scotland. The grants are available to support projects
that develop and improve local communities or help with financial literacy
and financial inclusion. Application deadline is 14th October. Find out more
GC Gibson Charitable Trust
The trust is offering up to ten grants of £2,000 each to support
innovative education or training projects that benefit disadvantaged young
people. Application deadline is 31st October. Find out more
The Law Society Charity Grants
Grants of between £5,000 and £15,000 are available to voluntary
sector organisations for projects concerned with human rights, access to
justice and legal education. Application deadline is 8th November. Find out more
HIEF Representation
Highland Public Services Partnership
Equality and Diversity Strategy Group
HIEF, along with the Highland Third Sector Partnership, is
represented on this group to provide a voice for third sector organisations and
community groups as part of the partnership's work to promote equality and
diversity in Highland and eliminate unlawful discrimination. Find out more
Inclusive Cairngorms
HIEF is represented alongside other third sector organisations,
community groups and individuals as part of Inclusive Cairngorms, the advisory
group to the Cairngorm's National Park Authority, to support the group's aims
to promote social inclusion and involvement in the Park. Find out more
Make sure your voice is heard!
Please help us to ensure that your voice is included in HIEF's
representation work by getting in contact with us at hief@scvo.org.uk, or
calling 01463 251 727, to share your views and experiences and tell
us what the key issues are for you and the people you work with.
HIEF on Twitter
and LinkedIn
Join HIEF's new LinkedIn online
discussion group
The 'Highlands and Islands Equality Forum (HIEF)' discussion group on LinkedIn
is another great way to keep up to date with HIEF news, stay connected with the
HIEF network and share your news and views. Visit our HIEF Online Discussion Group.
Follow HIEF on Twitter
HIEF has joined the world of Twitter! So, if you're a fan of the tweet
then please follow us @SCVO_HIEF and discover how the Highlands and Islands is
changing the world, 140 characters at a time! Visit our HIEF Twitter page.
Contact
HIEF
HIEF continues to provide information, support and signposting to
organisations and community groups. If you think HIEF can help you then
please feel free to get in touch with us through our SCVO Information Service and your enquiry
will be passed to the HIEF team:
Freephone number: 0800 169 0022
Or, you can get in touch with the HIEF Team directly:
Matt Tyrer, HIEF Project
Leader
Telephone: 01463 251 727
Sasha Devine, Equality
Development Officer
Telephone: 01463 258 801
Barbara Love, Development
Officer
Telephone: 01463 251 725
