Dear members and friends,
I live alone by choice – enjoy it – but most people don’t understand this – assume some personality disorder – it`s not important. I manage my household tasks like cooking and laundry ‘nae bother’ – but my cleaning’s not great – I get behind – so a friend with a marvellous cleaning lady persuaded her to visit me for half a day each month. As the time draws near for the first session I get anxious – spend days getting the house in a fit state to be cleaned. My view is that if this stranger and I are to share responsibility for something as intimate as my living space – then we need to have a relationship of mutual respect. We eventually meet yesterday and I believe we like each other; I smile at pictures of her two kids – and she admires my Botticelli triptych of the virgin and angels. She’s probably Catholic.
Driving to Glasgow with Doug and Ian – two long trusted colleagues – both married for ever – with grown up kids. Ian is missing Sally who’s in Venice for 5 days – ‘with the gals’ – Doug is making sympathetic noises – but I’m not. "If 5 days upsets you so much – how would you cope if you lost her?" – "It would destroy me" he says simply. "Not destroy" I protest – but he turns to Doug, "Could Janis destroy you?" – "like that!" he clicks his fingers. I realise they both mean it. I tell them I can’t think of anyone who could destroy me – no-one that close. I feel pleased being able to say this – but they seem sorry for me – as though being self-sufficient is a kind of failure. Maybe it is.
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Scotland’s Third Sector is moving into a period of change – to which our first 4 items this week refer. Senscot’s long term readers are aware of the position we hold – that the third sector comprises 3 separate elements – the Voluntary, the Community and the Social Enterprise sub sectors. Our work, national and local, is informed by this overarching principle that each of the sub sectors has the right to be both recognised and represented. Senscot is part of the Local People Leading Campaign – working towards more effective national representation for the community sector; the same process is ongoing within the social enterprise community. At the local (community planning) level – the principle’s the same – to ensure that every third sector single interface, includes three distinct voices.
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Christine Carlin, head of the Scottish Govt Third Sector Division, spoke at the Senscot AGM on October 1st and has very helpfully provided a summary of her remarks – a concise overview of how her division seek to engage with the sector going forward. She twice refers to Community Planning Partnerships as the ‘new centre of power’ and talks of social enterprise as "not part of the public sector – but with most of its business from the public sector". Is that true? See here, https://senscot.net/?viewid=10314
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Scottish Govt is shortly to launch a tendering process for three contracts to deliver a reshaped support infrastructure for the third sector. Attached are the draft outcomes required from these – consortia bids are being invited. There is impressive commitment in contract three to helping social enterprises capitalise on market opportunities – particularly with regard to central and local govt contracts. Let’s hope that the procurement process for these three contracts provides an example of how it should be done. See here, https://senscot.net/?viewid=10313
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The three new contracts mentioned above will replace the Enterprising Third Sector Action Plan, elements of which, you may not be aware, have been evaluated. You may want to read the executive summary. See here, https://senscot.net/?viewid=10315
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Someone sent me this piece about an amazing American social enterprise called Habitat which has built 350,000 social homes. The model involves sweat equity – volunteers and 0% mortgages. I wish I was younger – I’d bring this to Scotland. https://senscot.net/?viewid=10316
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NOTICES: We can’t flag all notices here, but more jobs, events and tenders available on our website. See http://www.senscot.net/jobsevents.php . This week:
JOBS: Ecole Enterprise, SKS Scotland CIC, The Glendale Trust, FAIR Limited, The Scottish Fair Trade Forum, Gift Street Fundraisers (Glasgow & Edinburgh), Comas, The Preshal Trust
EVENTS: Hatches, Matches and Dispatches, 19 Oct; Scotland’s National Community Energy Conference, 26 Oct; Attracting Social Investment, 27 Oct; Good Deals 2010: The UK Social Investment Conference, 16 Nov
TENDERS: Historic Scotland, Glen Oaks Housing Association, Stirling Council, Orkney Islands Council, Highland Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Reactive Maintenance Service, Fife Council
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NETWORKS 1st: The theme of year’s Social Enterprise Ceilidh is ‘Working Together’. As always, we’re delighted to attract investors for the Dragons’ Den – this year includes contributions from two prominent social enterprises – Unity Enterprise and Employers in Childcare. In addition to the Dragons` prize of £5k, we intend ask the audience to take part in a spot of ‘crowd sourcing’ investment by making a donation to enter the `Den`. Senscot will then match the sum raised by the audience (within reason!). However, any further offers of investment would be very welcome – please feel free to bid in! To book your place, see http://www.senscot.net/networks1st/ceilidh10booking.php For more Networks News, see http://www.senscot.net/networks1st/showart.php?articleid=161
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Since 2003, Senscot has been sub-letting office space at our premises in Manor Place. We’ve been fortunate in that we have had a steady group of tenants with little turnover. This is now changing as Firstport moves to larger offices round the corner in Melville Street. We now have a couple of rooms available to rent. If you’re interested, contact aidan@senscot.net
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At a Single Interface event in Glasgow last week, Labour deputy leader, Johann Lamont commented, "There is a danger we get wrapped up in too much technical detail and forget about who we are actually supporting. Changes to the way voluntary organisations operate, whether through mergers or interfaces, must serve the purpose intended – namely to help the communities and individuals they serve." She clearly has a good grasp of the impact of capable anchor organisations in communities – as opposed to regeneration by bureaucracy. She’ll be speaking at the Glasgow and West of Scotland Housing Forum’s annual conference at the Radisson Hotel in Glasgow on 5th Nov. I’ve already booked my place. For more, see https://senscot.net/?viewid=10318
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Sad to see this week that New Start has thrown in the towel as a print magazine – I’ve been a subscriber since its launch and once tried to do a deal for a Scottish edition. The UK community sector needs consistent, quality think pieces – but the future seems to be online. See here, https://senscot.net/?viewid=10317
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Social Investment Scotland (SIS) contacted us this week with an update on the latest round of awards from the Social Investment Fund. £4.4m has been allocated to seven organisations. These include, amongst others, an award to Impact Arts for the purchase of a building in Ayrshire; Princes Royal Sports and Community Trust to part fund the construction of new sporting and community facilities in Banff. For full list, see, https://senscot.net/?viewid=10309
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Good news for Sports SEN member, Mid Argyll Community Pool in Lochgilphead, who are to receive an investment of £60,000 from Scottish Gas. The pool was saved from closure last year when local residents fundraised to pay staff wages. It also runs entirely on green biomass fuels. See more,
See here, https://senscot.net/?viewid=10308
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This week the bulletin re-visits an Inverness-based social enterprise, first profiled in 2007, that has recently embarked on a major new £1.2m extension that will increase its warehouse capacity and provide new services. New Start Highland was established 10 years ago to give vulnerable or socially excluded individuals an opportunity to rebuild and enhance the quality of their lives. Their services now include furniture supply, employment training, painting and decorating, job and housing support. Their new development will, in time, see the creation of 14 new jobs as well as increased training and volunteering opportunities. For more, see https://senscot.net/?viewid=10310
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Ralph Dahrendorf 1995. ‘Wealth Creation and Social Cohesion in a Free Society’.
"The private world of love and friendship, and the market world of interest and incentive, are not the only dimensions of human life in society. There is a public domain with its own values… In the public domain people act neither out of the kindness of their hearts, nor in response to incentives, monetary or otherwise, but because they have a sense of serving the community."
That’s all for this week. Good luck with your adventures
Best wishes,
Laurence
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