Season's Greetings!
We would like to let you know that VASLan staff will be taking days off throughout the festive season. Our office and phone-line will be closed on Thursday, 22nd December 2022 at 5.00 pm.
We will be back up to speed on Wednesday, 4th January 2023 at 9.00 am.
This Volunteering Strategy is intended to demonstrate a South Lanarkshire-wide commitment to the importance of volunteering, the benefits to individuals and the impact on our communities, now and in the future. The strategy provides a support framework for individual volunteers, community-based organisations and groups, and Community Planning Partners.
We are absolutely delighted to be launching our new strategy for 2022 to 2024, ‘Moving to Action’.
Our previous strategy ended in 2020, and whilst around 65% to 70% was achieved, we perhaps fell a bit short in a few areas, including our approach to volunteering, and to social enterprise. Through the pandemic, we have been playing our part in supporting South Lanarkshire’s third sector emergency response, our sector stepping up when our communities needed it.
Lanarkshire Division of Police Scotland is committed to engaging with the citizens and communities we serve to best understand what the public want our officers to focus our finite resources on. Although this is a continual process, there is a legal requirement under The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 to formally produce a Local Police Plan every three years.
This VASLan hosted event will allow third sector representatives to have their say on the development of two new strategic plans:
A new helpline is now available for individuals living in South Lanarkshire who are self-isolating/vulnerable and whose usual support network is no longer available.
The helpline will help people to access food and other essential supplies. The Community Engagement Team within the council have been working along with VASLAN to collate activity which is happening within communities, and to make contact with new groups and networks which are developing in response to the current situation.
Disclosure Scotland are making a temporary change to how applications are processed.
They have been working closely with the Scottish Government and key stakeholders on our response to coronavirus (COVID-19).
In addition to their prioritisation of checks for those who have the most vital roles supporting the country during this time, as of Monday 30 March they will no longer be accepting paper applications.
On Monday (30 March) a new page will go live on their website with all the materials you need to continue to submit applications.
The Third Sector Resilience Fund (TSRF) is a £20 million emergency fund for third sector organisations in Scotland. It is part of a £350m support package for the sector in Scotland in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The fund will support organisations across the third sector who are at risk of closure due to a sharp decrease in income or that are unable to deliver their services during this difficult period.
Dear community and voluntary groups,
We know that these are difficult times and that many of you have been working very hard to make sure that the vulnerable people in your communities continue to be supported.
Following on from last night’s announcement by the Prime Minister and the First Minister we now need your ongoing help and assistance in supporting the needs of your local communities.
We will very shortly provide information on how you can to do this safely by following the guidance you will be given.
Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire are following all government advice on how to respond to the coronavirus (Covid-19) situation, we will keep the Third Sector and stakeholders informed of any changes in our working practices and services.
In line with this advice, as of Friday 20th March 2020 we introducing a ‘Work from Home’ model until further notice. Our staff have been provided with the necessary infrastructure to ensure that we can maintain support and contact with South Lanarkshire’s Third Sector and our partners.