IJB Third Sector Representative: Voting Open

Voting is now open for the role of third sector representative to the Integration Joint Board (IJB).

The role provides the representative with an opportunity to help the IJB with the planning, management and delivery of health and social care services in the Falkirk Council area. The representative will be appointed as a member to the IJB for 2 years.

Only one vote per organisation is allowed; in the event that more than one person votes from an organisation, we will contact all who voted to request for one vote to be cast. The lead representative will be the person who receives the highest number of votes, the substitute will be the person who receive the second highest number of votes.

To submit your vote for your chosen nominee, please click on the button below each nominees’ profile.

Profiles are also available in hard copy; to request a hard copy of these profiles, or for further information, please contact Scott Malcolm by phone: 01324 692010, or email: scott.malcolm@cvsfalkirk.org.uk

The 2019 nominees for the third sector representative to the Falkirk IJB are:

• Angela Price
• Ania Sandland
• Chris Grant
• Peter Kryant

Nominee:  Angela Price

Organisation:  Falkirk District Association for Mental Health (FDAMH)

I am General Manager at FDAMH and was Third Sector representative on the IJB from its inception to May 2018.

During that time the IJB was, in effect, “finding its feet”. It was, after all, a wholly unfamiliar approach to the provision of health and social care and therefore required to lay the foundations of how it would operate regarding governance, audit, accountability etc.

With this work now complete, the IJB can now focus on actualising an integrated approach to the provision of services and it is crucial that the Third Sector has a strong representation on the Board to ensure that the benefits of partnership working for all stakeholders are realised.

Both my roles, that of a manager of a Third Sector organisation and of previously representing the sector on the IJB, means that I have a good understanding of the difficulties faced by both, and there are difficulties. However, that we share the same aim, the provision of quality, effective and efficient services, gives us common ground on which to build effective service provision.

The landscape is complex as we are trying to navigate through increasing demand for health and social care services but with less resources available to provide them.  It cannot have escaped anyone’s notice that we are still impacted by the austerity measures put in place to reduce national debt.

The Third Sector has much to offer not only in respect of being service providers but also as service influencers. We are a more flexible and responsive sector, but we are also capable of innovating and sharing our ideas. To do so at a strategic level, I believe that Third Sector organisations need a representative who has knowledge, skills and experience of local and national issues that impact the sector, has a clear understanding of the need to work in partnership and is committed to this. Most importantly, the sector needs someone who:

1. Understands the responsibility that is attached to the role
2. Can commit the time to reading papers, attending formal meetings and development sessions
3. Is a confident communicator with influencing skills
4. Can navigate their way around multi-faceted issues and
5. Will provide a voice for all Third Sector agencies

I believe that I can deliver the above for the benefit of the sector.

Nominee:  Ania Sandland

Organisation:  Outside the Box

My name is Ania Sandland and I am employed as Community Development Adviser with Outside the Box Development Support, a small charity based in Glasgow but operating throughout Scotland. I work from my home in Dunipace and lead on all the work in the Falkirk Council area. Outside the Box has 6 active projects in Falkirk, working with people with poor mental health, learning difficulties, older people, carers and setting up a community cinema in Dunipace.

I’m interested in becoming a representative as I would like to bring the voice of small groups and organisations to the IJB meetings. As I’m home based, I work very closely with other organisations in Falkirk to deliver activities in the community, utilising their venues and resources. I also visit and offer support to small groups in the area. I have conversations with the staff and volunteers involved in them and I believe I can offer their perspective.

Outside the Box’s ethos, which mirrors my own, is that everyone has a valuable contribution to make and peer support – bringing people together and creating space for them to share their knowledge and experiences – is one of the best ways to identify solutions. The voluntary sector in Falkirk does amazing work and coming together and working in a more joined up way is the way forward.

I have 8 years experience of working in the third sector, including setting up and running one of the first social enterprises in the Falkirk area, the Gingerbread Café in Polmont (now sadly closed). I am a people person, I enjoy problem solving and opportunities to learn and grow. I am a good listener and feel comfortable raising points and asking questions. At Outside the Box we co-produce resources for communities and we always use accessible language. I would use that skill to feedback relevant information to the other third sector organisations in the area.

Nominee:  Chris Grant

Organisation:  Abilitynet

My name is Chris Grant, I’m 26 years old and I’m currently the Scotland Co-Ordinator for Abilitynet which is a UK charity which provides free technical training to anyone over the age of 55 or anyone with a disability.

A conscientious and professional individual with high attention to detail, and experience in industries including oil and gas and large-scale businesses. Strong communication are skills developed from an academic and professional background with the ability to remain professional always, and develop excellent working relationships with clients, contractors and colleagues. I have a passion for innovation to allow effective working practices, and to also be cost effective for the business whilst offering customers the best quality service. I am an professional, adaptable, approachable and friendly individual who enjoys working on both own initiative and as part of a team.

I’m very interested in becoming a representative on the HSCP because in my current role I’m always looking at ways on how technology is supporting people with medical issues for example we’re trying to build a project to see where we can support people that want to try video conferencing that can’t get out to see specialists. So we want to see where technology can support individuals so they can get to appointments virtually.

I’ve done a lot of volunteering since the age of 13 in different roles and now at 26 I’ve racked up over 1100 hours of volunteering in different roles from project management to volunteer development.

I can bring a hardworking and a can-do attitude to ensure the everyone is getting as much help as possible and can bring my expertise learnt throughout different roles.

Nominee:  Peter Kryant

Organisation:  Cyrenians (Falkirk Services)

Working in the third sector started for me as a volunteer in August 2017. From that I became a part time employee of Addiction, Support and Counselling (ASC) in January 2018 going full time later in the year. I have been in my current job as a Senior Community Justice Worker with Cyrenians for six months. Cyrenians services delivered in the Falkirk area support people to develop new skills; often as part of partnership working with Falkirk Community Justice and/or Falkirk Employment Training Unit.

Prior to third sector I worked as a senior manager in sales and management for over ten years, from 2005 to 2016, leading large teams, responsible for data management, reporting and target achievement, until taking a break to be a stay at home father while studying. My work experience has given me a good ability to understand data and present findings. I have the ability to listen and communicate information with the confidence needed to represent the views of the Third Sector, even if those do not match my own.

Over the last two years I have had various speaking commitments, including multiple talks on BBC Radio Scotland and at international events in Ireland, Holland and America on the impacts of alcohol and drugs on the individual, families and friends, trauma and education. I currently hold a HNC in Business and a SVQ level 3 in Health and Social Care. Although I quickly progressed to a management level position in the Third Sector I still also work directly with those who access local Health and Social Care services, this gives me a good understanding of both those working in the sector and those using the services offered locally.

With subscriptions to CVS Falkirk and Third Force News I keep up to date with what is happening in the third sector both locally and nationally. Although I am reasonably new to the Third Sector I have learnt a lot and understand the challenges faced by the sector i.e. funding streams and resources while trying to provide the best possible services being some of the main concerns for local organisations.

My commitment is within the Health and Social Care setting, supporting those who work and access Third Sector services, it is with this in mind that I would urge a vote for me to represent the Health and Social Care sector on the Integrated Joint Board.