How does this impact on Community Wellbeing? Countless community organisation work with the most vulnerable people across Scotland on a day to day basis. The burden on communities and local people to fund the 'core elements of keeping community spaces open detracts from the delivery of these services. At the Ripple eg we gave space free of charge to a local organisation so that they can start a men's band night and have since put on their first income generating show. We have given space to a local person to start a massage and reflexology self reliant group charging subsidised rates for local people to access wellbeing services at an affordable price. We run a youth service for 150 young people per week. We can only do this if we have a warm and open building. Core costs for the running of the building and building staff have to be divided between 5 different funders. Whilst we are delighted for the funding we receive there is a disconnect between the ability to fund services and the place where there are delivered from Why should the Committee focus on this as part of their future work? It would be extremely helpful if the committee could help strategic decision makers think about the links between high level outcomes like the national performance framework and the sustainable development goals and the day to day practical running of community spaces to lessen the burden on organisations when it comes to their continuation and ability to deliver services to the most vulnerable in our society.
People living in their communities know the issues and are the best people to know what the solutions might be.
We are a small mental health charity in the north east of Scotland. Our 6 part-time staff has seen the demand for our range of services increase from 100 people to over 400 people a month in a 2 year period. Core investment would provide stability in terms of building and staff costs and leave use better able to try and access funding for project based activities as identified by our community. It is time invest in the 3rd sector rather than always looking to the public sector for solutions.
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