Previously titled the Safer Communities Forum, the new Safe and Empowered Communities Forum (SAEC Forum), and its refreshed purpose, reflects a broadened focus to include community empowerment and recognises the intrinsic link between feeling safe in our communities, and feeling a sense of belonging, inclusion and empowerment.
The forum acts a two way conduit for information on the theme, both from and to strategic meetings and relevant local and national partnerships, ensuring the third sector are both well informed and have the opportunity to have their voices heard by decision-makers. The forum is a space for the sector to collectively respond to pertinent local issues through opportunities for consultation, participation or other avenues as appropriate.
Terms of Reference
Members of the forum are working on a new Terms of Reference, which will be available soon.
Dates of Future Meetings
- Wednesday 4 September 2024 and Wednesday 20 November 2024
All meetings will be held via Zoom, 10am – 12pm, unless stated otherwise.
Minutes and Agendas of Previous Meetings
- Minutes of Wednesday 22nd May; Presentations:
- Minutes of Wednesday 21st of February; Agenda 21.02.24; Presentations:
- Minutes of Wednesday 22nd November 2023; Agenda 22.11.2023; Presentations:
- Minutes of Wednesday 23rd August 2023; Agenda 23.8.2023; Presentations:
- Let’s Be Heard: Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry presentation and information sheet
- Safer Communities Youth Action Project
- updates from CVS Falkirk
- Minutes of Wednesday 24th May 2023; Agenda 24.5.2023; Presentations:
- Minutes of Wednesday 22nd February 2023: Agenda 22.2.2023
- Minutes of Wednesday 23rd November 2022
Contact
If there are any issues, speakers or areas of interest you would like added to the agenda of future meetings, please contact Eloise Wilson by email: eloise.wilson@cvsfalkirk.org.uk
Alternatively, to be added to the SAEC Forum mailing list, contact contact Kerrie Hoggan by email: kerrie.hoggan@cvsfalkirk.org.uk
Useful Information
Community justice is made up of the individuals, agencies and services which work together to support, manage and supervise people who have committed offences. The Falkirk Community Justice Partnership aims to secure the best possible outcomes for people with convictions, victims and witnesses, families and communities.
The Partnership aim to prevent and reduce further offending by addressing its underlying causes, and safely and effectively manage and support those who have committed offences to help them reintegrate into the community and realise their potential for the benefit of all citizens. They want to ensure that people with convictions, victims and witnesses, families and communities have access to the support they need to recover from the impact of crime.
For further information on criminal justice in Falkirk (including the Falkirk Community Justice Outcomes Improvement Plan 2020-2023, and how to suggest a community project), please visit the Falkirk Council website.
Safer Communities Scotland Network (SCSN) is a registered charity, and primarily a membership organisation which brings together representatives from across the community safety sector to achieve a shared vision. They also host Home Safety Scotland, a forum of home safety organisations and professionals.
SCSN is the strategic voice for community safety in Scotland, and through working collaboratively with members and partner agencies, aim to:
- provide leadership and be a centre of excellence for the community safety sector
- champion community safety and influence the shaping and development of national policy and local delivery
- be a collaborative learning, developing and sustainable network
They also have a list of useful frameworks and strategies available online.
For further information, please visit the SCSN website.
Community Justice Scotland is the national body working to change the conversation about justice.
They believe that smart justice (based on the best evidence of what works) will prevent offending, repair lives and improve communities.
Their website has dedicated pages for community justice in each area of Scotland; this includes Falkirk, where the Falkirk Community Justice Partnership has provided details on local placements and numbers.
For further information on Community Justice Scotland and their work, please visit their website.
Falkirk Community Planning Partnership (CPP) is the collection of public, private, third and community sector organisations providing local services in Falkirk which serve the local community. It is required by the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 to publish a Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP), which identifies the greatest inequalities for Falkirk’s residents, and how services which make up the CPP, plan to tackle them.
The Falkirk Plan (2021 – 2030) was approved and published in October 2021, after a year-long development process which included a review of local data, extensive engagement with local residents, and a review of local policy and projects that impact the issues raised by local people.
Each of the third sector forums and networks facilitated by CVS Falkirk allows the third sector’s voices, issues, concerns and views to be raised within Community Planning in Falkirk District, and the priorities identified in the Falkirk Plan.
For further information, please visit the dedicated Falkirk CPP page.
Equally Safe: Scotland’s Strategy for Preventing and Eradicating Violence Against Women and Girls is a joint Scottish Government and COSLA strategy to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls in Scotland.
“There is one universal truth, applicable to all countries, cultures and communities: violence against women is never acceptable, never excusable, never tolerable.” – Ban Ki-Moon, United Nations Secretary-General (featured in the strategy)
Their vision is to create a strong and flourishing Scotland where all individuals are equally safe and respected, and where women and girls live free from all forms of violence and abuse – and the attitudes which help perpetuate it.
For further information, including the strategy’s priorities, associated funding, and the delivery plan, please visit the Scottish Government website; the strategy is also available to view or download as a pdf.
