The Transformation Team, part of faithincommunityscotland,
works alongside local Faith Communities as they work together to make a
difference in the economically poorest communities in Glasgow.
"Our
hope is that the website will be used as a tool for all the folk
seeking to make their communities better places for all. We hope you
find it colourful and fun to use as well as being packed full of
helpful information, both about the work of the Transformation Team and
community development. We have made a special effort to make it as
accessible as possible and would really welcome your comments as you
find your way around its pages." Pauline
Letting It Happen - How to Make Your Church Buildings Work for You
A new and updated edition of this very useful
resource is now being made available to all the Church
of Scotland congregations. Buildings are often considered to be huge
drain on our resources and energy but nevertheless there are ways in which we
can increase their effectiveness by better management and use. This handbook
will help congregations to look after their buildings better and set cost-effective
charging, if used by other groups. An
online edition of the handbook is available at www.churchofscotland.org.uk/priorityareas.htm.
Poverty Truth Commission - Updates
The updates of the Poverty Truth Commission -
a unique event where close to 400 people heard the stories of a dozen people
("Testifiers") from some of the poorest communities in Glasgow - are available
on its blog (www.povertytruthcommission.blogspot.com).
The Commission is currently focusing on 3 key issues: a supportive government
policy for Kinship Carers; ways of freeing up neighbourhoods from the grip of
violence, especially among the young and ensuring a voice for the poor -
stories of hope, goodness and courage - in the national media.
Looking for Volunteers?
At the Transformation Team we
know of people who are keen to support community groups and churches to deliver
the essential services they provide. So... if you have an activity or piece of
work that requires assistance contact Margo (t: 0141 221 4576; e:
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) and we'll do our best to connect you with someone
with the appropriate skills.
Timebank
Have you considered Timebank
as a way of connecting with local people to encourage them to offer skills to
the community? Timebank
operates like a bartering system whereby each skill has equal value and people
volunteer their skill to help someone and this is awarded a ‘credit' which can
be exchanged in the community to secure assistance. For example, someone does
some gardening for a person and the gardener uses the credit for this service
to have someone come and walk his dog! We can see the potential of this scheme
as an opportunity to engage with local people who ordinarily wouldn't volunteer
or ask for help. Consequently, We'd be keen to help a group set up a pilot in
their area. If you'd like to have an initial conversation about Timebank, please contact Margo (t: 0141 221 4576; e:
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).
Measuring Volunteer Impact
Margo,
our Training Development Worker reviews a useful wee resource from Volunteer
Development Scotland. The ‘Volunteer
Impact Assessment' toolkit helps organisations measure and evaluate the impact
of volunteering in local communities.
Common Wealth? - East End Hopes & Fears for the 2014 Games
The Transformation
Team recently worked with Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector (GCVS) and
The Village Storytelling Centre in Glasgow to produce a short video exploring
the aspirations and fears of local people from Glasgow's Inner East End with
relation to the upcoming Commonwealth Games in 2014.
Common Wealth? - East End hopes & fears for the 2014 Games from Peter Gerard on Vimeo.
