News

Scottish Wildlife Trust have a unique volunteer opportunity available on Handa Island, Sutherland. Volunteers will travel to Handa to stay there for one month and assist existing staff and volunteers. Activities will include welcoming visitors to the island from their ferries, giving introductory talks, and ensuring all visitors depart Handa Island safely. Helping out with usual domestic duties that come with communal living whilst on Handa will also be expected.

Thrive Outdoors and Inspiring Scotland have launched the Outdoor Play for Wellbeing Fund, which is now open for applications. The fund will support charities providing outdoor community play opportunities for children and families experiencing disadvantage, as defined by SIMD. Up to £15,000 can be applied for by registered Scottish charities for outdoor community play activities and projects. The deadline for applications is 12pm on Tuesday 3rd May.

Falkirk Council’s Adult Support and Protection team has spaces available on their online Public Protection Training on Thursday 28th April, via Microsoft Teams. (Future dates are also available.) All training will take place 9am – 12:30pm, and is open to those who, as part of their job, are likely to come into contact with adults including adults at risk and other family members and carers, and who carry out direct work with adults (and specifically adults at risk and their families and carers), and form more in-depth relationships with them, or provide specific services to them.

A new advocacy service has now launched in Falkirk. VoiceAbility – who are new to Scotland – has been commissioned by Scottish Government to provide advocacy to people with disabilities across the country, in order to access the new devolved benefits. Anyone in Scotland who self-identifies as disabled can receive advocacy support.

Free Climate Emergency Training is being offered by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB) for people who live or work in the Falkirk Council area, until the end of June. Keep Scotland Beautiful is delivering the Climate Emergency Training as part of Falkirk Canal Connections, a project with Falkirk Council and Green Action Trust.

As part of Strathcarron Hospice’s extended 40th birthday celebrations, they are encouraging local people to share their “stories of connection” on what Strathcarron Hospice means to them across social channels using the hashtag #OurStrathcarron. 

Go! Youth Trust has launched Thrive, a brand new programme developed to support young women aged 16 – 25 years old, particularly those struggling with anxiety, low confidence, loneliness or social isolation. Funded by the Falkirk Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund, the programme is split into three areas which include a weekly support group, one to one mentoring and outdoor adventures.

NHS Forth Valley is holding a “Mental Health and Wellbeing Webinar” on Tuesday 10th May, 1:30pm – 3pm, which is open to everyone living and working in Forth Valley. The webinar will look at digital help and support available for mental health and wellbeing across the area, with a focus on raising awareness and providing information for self-help and self-referral opportunities.

LinkLiving has announced that they will again be delivering the SCQF Level 4 Tenancy Award (comprising of the SQA units – Successful Tenancy, Cookery Skills, & Personal Finance: An Introduction) at Link Academy, this time from Monday 2nd May. The course is for young people aged 16 – 24 years old who are interested in securing their own tenancy, or are currently in a tenancy but looking for some further support.