Help Shape a Falkirk Third Sector Response to the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry!
Let’s Be Heard is an opportunity for people to contribute to the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry, and seeks to better understand and analyse individuals and communities’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, from March 2020 – December 2022.
The Inquiry is investigating how the response to the pandemic impacted on people in Scotland, including whether there were any unequal impacts for different groups and individuals. The team behind the Inquiry will publish several reports showing what it finds out, and to ensure recommendations can be made so that lessons can be learned for the future. (It will focus only on matters devolved from the UK Government to Scottish Government.)
To achieve this, the Inquiry is looking to hear from as many different people as possible.
Falkirk’s Third Sector Response to Inquiry
Our team at CVS Falkirk & District is facilitating a drop-in session for the local third sector and partners (in particular those groups and organisations who were active during the pandemic lockdown period) to submit a collective response to the Inquiry.
Our local community response supported many vulnerable people to stay safe and well in their homes during the pandemic. You can refer to the Review of the Falkirk Third Sector Response to COVID-19 report, which we published in October 2020, for more information about the initial response in Falkirk District.
To ensure the voices and experiences of our sector are heard throughout the Inquiry, we are inviting staff and volunteers to a drop-in session, where you can share your experiences of the pandemic and lockdown period with us. Your thoughts and discussion will help us to formulate a Falkirk District third sector response to the Inquiry, and we will also pull supplementary information from our COVID-19 report linked above to include in the response.
This session is open to Falkirk third sector groups, organisations and partners (including staff and volunteers), particularly those who were active during March 2020 – December 2022.
Drop-In Information Session Details
This drop-in information session takes place on Tuesday 5th December, 3pm – 5pm, at our office in Unit 7b, The Courtyard, Callendar Business Park, Callendar Road, Falkirk FK1 1XR. People can also join online via Teams.
To register your interest in attending and to receive the Teams link, please contact Eloise Wilson by phone: 07825232057, or email: eloise.wilson@cvsfalkirk@org.uk
Inquiry Questions to Consider Ahead of the Session
The below questions are the focus of the Inquiry; those attending the session should please consider their thoughts around these questions, in order to make it easier to share their thoughts.
- What were your experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic?
- What were the impacts of these experiences on you or the people you know?
- What lessons do you think people could learn from your experiences?
Alternative Ways to Get Involved
If you cannot attend the session on Tuesday 5th December, but would still like to contribute to the Inquiry as part of a wider Falkirk District third sector response, there are still ways for you to get involved – please contact Eloise Wilson at the contact details above to discuss this further.
The Inquiry team are flexible about what evidence they will accept; as such, we may be able to use components of a report that your own organisation has written, or perhaps your organisation, group, or community developed something creative during the COVID-19 pandemic which illustrates your experiences or feelings at the time. This could be included along with a descriptor about the art piece or item.
To discuss alternative ways to get involved, contact Eloise at the details above, and she will discuss your idea and work with you to include it in the Inquiry response.
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