ISSUE SEVEN AUTUMN 2008 COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER FROM THE COMMUNITY PLANNING PARTNERSHIP IN GLASGOW EAST Local people get ‘the Works’ will be our priority. We will work closely with our local community based partners, integrating employability programmes with their own services to ensure that we are reaching clients that really need our support.” Steven continued: “This will include establishing a number of local employability hubs within The East of Glasgow is to Wheatley College, Momentum, community facilities, such as benefit from funding of up to Tigers, EMEC and a whole host community centres and housing £4 million to help local people of local community based associations, so that local people move from benefits and into organisations. can access Glasgow Works employment. The award was Ronnie Saez, chief executive of programmes within their own announced in July by Glasgow GERA, said: “Over the next 10 locality.” Works, the organisation years Glasgow East will benefit After seeing an advert about formed to reduce the amount of from major employment GERA’s Health & Employability Glaswegians out of work by opportunities arising from programme Kickstart, Kevin 3,000 by helping people access developments such as the decided to respond as he was training and job opportunities. Commonwealth Games site at looking to get some routine in his The funds will be used to Dalmarnock, Clyde Gateway, and help them gain the necessary is now happy to be earning a life and to get out of the hostel he provide local help for people to plus completion of the M74. skills to compete for jobs.” good wage. was living in. Kevin had been move towards and into work. It “However there are a large Glasgow Works funding has The initiative will run until the homeless for two years, and also will be led by Glasgow East number of people living in the already helped local people to end of March 2010 and will had number of barriers to deal Regeneration Agency (GERA) East End who are not in participate in employability engage with nearly 4,000 with including addiction, some and its partners such as Working employment and will not benefit training and access job Glasgow East residents who are criminal convictions and Links, the Wise Group, John from the potential jobs bonanza opportunities. furthest from the labour market, confidence issues. unless they receive assistance to provide over 2,000 of them with After his initial meeting and enable them to develop training and employability “The award of the contract KEVIN’S STORY assessment with our Glasgow employability skills and improve support, and help almost 800 of to GERA has been a Kevin, 33, had been unemployed Works advisory team, it was attitudes towards employment.” them move into work. tremendous achievement and and claiming Job Seekers agreed that he would start on Ronnie continued: “The award Steven Davies, Glasgow Works will enable us and our Allowance since 2005. But Manager with GERA said, Kickstart in June 08. This partners to engage with a of the Glasgow Works contract to through the Glasgow Works “Engaging local people, involved undertaking a 2 day greater number of local GERA has been a tremendous funded Health & Employability Personal development people and help them gain achievement and will enable us especially those who have not programme Kickstart, he has the necessary skills to and our partners to engage with a worked for a number of years or turned his life around from compete for jobs” greater number of local people those who have a disability or Continued on page 2 homelessness and addiction, and illness but would like to work, INSIDE THIS ISSUE: P2: COMMUNITY P4/5: COLLEGE NEWS P6: THE PEOPLE’S 4 PAGE HEALTH REFERENCE GROUPS POLICE SUPPLEMENT 2 • Glasgow East Outlook • Autumn 2008 Community Reference Groups go from strength to strength Over the past few Already members have identified engagement initiatives, and to months 5 various issues that are important comment on local issues. CRG Community including the Commonwealth members have discussed what the Games, Clyde Gateway and the website will look like, its Reference Groups Glasgow Fort extension. In functions and what information it (CRG) have been response to these discussions will contain. The website will established in with Community Reference also be a way for the CRG to Glasgow East. They Group members, two public communicate with the wider have provided an meetings were held, one in the community and will have regular East Centre & Calton area and updates on their work. opportunity for one in the Baillieston, Shettleston This was supported by George community & Greater Easterhouse area. This McGuiness MBE a CRG member residents to come provided an opportunity for over from Baillieston; “As a resident together and 100 residents at an early stage to of Baillieston I want the discuss a range of get clear information and ask community to have a say in the questions on these major services provided. That is why I issues in their local developments in the east. would like to encourage people community. The role Marjory Maxwell, CRG to join the Community Reference of the CRG is to member from Easterhouse, says; Groups, their input and support give local people “As with all new ventures it takes is vital in making this a better a voice in the time to get into the swing of community to live in.” things, but I can honestly say that Members discussing all the skills, knowledge and experience they bring The next schedule of CRG services that are the CRG groups are working to the Community Reference Group. meetings will commence in provided in their well, hopefully with time all September, dates to be area. The CRG members on the group will have becoming more and more Reference Group to help achieve confirmed. If you would like to a greater understanding of what disjointed. People don’t talk to this aim and build a better life for be part of the Community brings a broad each other as much as they used themselves in the process.” range of interests will work in their areas, the Reference Groups, or for further sharing and exchanging of to. Texts and emails have taken The CRGs have also been information, please contact; together to discuss information gives good insight over from person to person involved in developing a Baillieston Shettleston & how to tackle into what is needed, what has contact. My vision for community engagement website Greater Easterhouse area; issues in their been done, and how we can Community Reference Groups for Glasgow East: Cecilia on 0141 781 4194 or would be to help put the heart www.engaGEme.org.uk community. progress in the future. [email protected] Jane, CRG member for East back into communities and get The website is a way for local East Centre & Calton area; Centre, says, “As the years have people talking to each other people to find out information on Leah on 0141 781 4193 or gone by I, like many people, again. I would encourage people Community Reference Groups, [email protected] have noticed communities to join their local Community and other community Continued from front page hoped that Kevin will move on to arranged for me to join McVicar sustainable employment. Printers on a short placement, Programme called GOALS which during which I was paid a weekly encourages participants to make DEBBIE’S STORY wage, which made all the positive life choices in relation to difference to my income and self- Debbie Henderson is an their health and fitness. esteem.” important member of staff at her The Kickstart programme also Jim McVicar, owner and East End employers – she’s provided a forum for participants Managing Director of the responsible for paying to share their life experiences company, based in Queenslie, everybody’s wages! allowing them to make positive says: “As a keen supporter of 21-year-old Debbie from life choices in relation to health Glasgow Works, which aims to Craigend had been on Job and lifelong learning. help thousands of Glasgow Seekers Allowance and joined Kevin also went on a trip to residents into employment, I was McVicar Printers through East Manchester to see delighted to participate in the GERA’s East Works ILM regeneration brought to the area Works programme. programme, an initiative under by Manchester’s commonwealth “It meant that Debbie could get Glasgow Works which aims to games. used to the company and the way help hundreds of East End By visiting the area Kevin was we work, and because GERA residents find jobs. able to see at firsthand what paid her wages for a few weeks Debbie says: “I had been impact the games had had on the it’s the most cost-effective way unemployed for several months city and how this might relate to we have ever recruited anyone.” and had been applying for jobs Glasgow’s own Commonwealth Now a full time McVicars all over the place, so when games in 2014. employee, Debbie’s success story GERA first spoke to me about With the support from the doesn’t stop there. “Through the opportunities available I was Glasgow Works team, Kevin’s Glasgow Works, GERA’s helping a bit unsure. confidence grew quickly and he me to study SAGE payroll, so I “However, when I joined I has joined GERA’s transitional can have qualifications to knew right away I had made the Employment programme. complement my salary. I can’t right decision. I attended He has moved out of his hostel believe this has happened so interviews and undertook training accommodation and moved back quickly, I can honestly say I’ve that helped me feel much more in with his parents, and with the never been happier.” confident, and the team then Debbie Henderson with Jim McVicar, owner and Managing Director continued support of GERA it is of McVicar Printers Glasgow East Outlook • Autumn 2008 • 3 Red Hot Chilli Dancers ‘Break’ the Mould Local Heroes..