Challenge Poverty Week 2022
North Lanarkshire Council · 3 February 2023
Back to Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee — 3 February 2023 and its agenda
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref AG/JC Date 03/02/23 From Alison Gordon, Chief Social Work Officer E-mail gordonal@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 01698 332001 Executive Summary North Lanarkshire Council, took part, in this year’s Challenge Poverty Week, which took place from 3rd to 9th October 2022. The week, which is coordinated by the Poverty Alliance, is an opportunity to highlight what is being done to address poverty and to commit to more action in the future. This report highlights the background and themes underpinning Challenge Poverty Week and the activities and messaging undertaken by the Council and its partners during the week and its links to our wider Tackling Poverty Strategy and actions. Recommendations It is recommended that the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee: (1) Note the content of the report and the intention to incorporate analysis and feedback into our ongoing Tackling Poverty actions. (2) Endorse the Council’s future participation in Challenge Poverty Week. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority All priorities Ambition statement (11) Increase economic opportunities for adults by understanding, identifying, and addressing the causes of poverty and deprivation and barriers to financial inclusion Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee Challenge Poverty Week 2022
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1. Background 1.1 North Lanarkshire Council first took part in Challenge Poverty Week in 2019. Challenge Poverty Week, which has been coordinated by the Poverty Alliance for the last nine years, is an opportunity to highlight what is being done to address poverty and to commit to more action in the future. The Aim of the week was to: Highlight the reality of poverty and challenge the stereotypes. • Showcase the solutions to poverty. • Increase public support for action to solve poverty. The themes for the week were as follows; • Cost of Living • Work and the Economy • Social Security • Energy and the Environment • Our communities • Health and Care, and • Housing and Public Services 1.2 Local activity was overseen by the Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group which established a sub-group to plan, prepare and deliver the Council’s and Partners events for the 2022, Challenge Poverty Week. 2. Report 2.1 The Challenge Poverty Week Sub-Group devised a Programme for the week which included a mix of online sessions and activities which residents, community planning partners and elected members could attend online or in person in addition to thematic global messages which were issued daily throughout the week. The Programme is attached as Appendix 1. 2.2 The Programme was published on the Council’s Website with a social media campaign prior and during the Challenge Poverty Week. 2.3 The Council launched the Fuel Hardship Payment scheme and the NL Child Payment which were approved by the Policy and Strategy Committee on 29th September 2022, during Challenge Poverty Week. 2.4 The Council also arranged publication of its updated Tackling Poverty Strategy/Action Plan and the 2021/22 Local Child Poverty Action Report which were also approved at the Policy and Strategy Committee on 29th September 2022 to coincide with Challenge Poverty Week. 2.5 To launch the week the Food Poverty and Insecurity Group held a seminar at the Gartlea Community Centre with the participation of Elected Members, Foodbanks, Other Food Initiatives, Trussell Trust, Council Services and Community Planning Partners with a focus on revising and renewing the ‘Food Poverty Referral Gateway’. All participant organisations signed a pledge to the referral gateway, a key vehicle in supporting the ‘cash first’ approach which in turns support income maximisation and the addressing of issues which underpin food poverty. 2.6 An analysis of local engagement during the week, is detailed in Appendix 2 which highlights the impressions and hits via the daily messages issued on the Councils social media feeds. This highlights that the total impressions were over 100,000 with 847 users engaged. The posts were shared 318 times, with 393 reactions and received 136 comments.
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2.7 The posts on ‘Scottish Child Payment’ and the ‘Introduction of Poverty Week’ had the highest reach and number of engaged users, respectively. Next Steps 2.8 Challenge Poverty Week continues to provide a real, practical opportunity to begin to change what we think as a society can be done about poverty in Scotland. At a time when life is becoming tougher for many people, it is vital that we build the case for change. The Tackling Poverty Action Group will with communication team colleagues reflect on the impact and levels of engagement with the messaging and events held over the week and integrate any learning into both our ongoing Tackling Poverty work and the planning of future local activity for Challenge Poverty Week 2023. 3. Measures of success 3.1 The delivery of the planned activity and social media messages, Incorporation of views from services and partners on tackling food poverty and insecurity to shape the continuing development of the Council’s Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix 1 - Challenge Poverty Week Programme 4.2 Appendix 2 - Challenge Poverty Week Analysis Alison Gordon Chief Social Work Officer
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5. Impacts ( http://connect/report-template-guidance ) 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Challenge Poverty Week is fully aligned with the requirements of the Fairer Scotland Duty, its purpose being to reduce the inequalities caused by socio economic disadvantage. If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts have been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts have been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts have been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact
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Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group has developed a Communications Plan with Corporate Communications. 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? Tackling Poverty has been identified as a Corporate Risk, with the Chief Social Work Officer as the risk lead. Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire - Tackling Poverty Strategy sets out a planned approach which seeks to eliminate poverty or make very significant reductions in the level of poverty resulting in benefit to the residents and including improvement in the overall level of health and wellbeing of communities. 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services.
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Appendix 1 CHALLENGE POVERTY WEEK 2022 – PROGRAMME OF EVENTS 3RD - 9TH OCTOBER, 2022 Opening Message – Sunday 2nd Oct - Challenge Poverty Week starts tomorrow. DEFINITION ADOPTED JRF AND OPEN MESSAGE …. Help us make North Lanarkshire a place where people and communities are poverty free. LINK TO POV ALLIANCE CHALLENGE POVERTY WEEK Challenge Poverty Week – The Poverty Alliance #ChallengePoverty We can #TurnTheTide MONDAY 3rd TUESDAY 4th WEDNESDAY 5th THURSDAY 6th FRIDAY 7th SATURDAY 8th SUNDAY 9th Theme – Cost of Living Theme – Work and the Economy Theme – Social Security Theme – Energy and the Environment Theme – Our Communities Theme – Health and Care Theme – Housing and Daily Global email/ Message North Lanarkshire Council and NHS are committed to tackling the cost of living crisis head on, our tackling poverty strategy (Tackling poverty | North Lanarkshire Council), local child poverty action plan and their action plans lay the foundations for this. Services are available to help reduce the cost of living, maximise your income and help you into employment, together with our partners we will ensure that when you are looking for help, there will be no wrong door for you. Together we can #turnthetide, individuals and organisations can access our services by contacting the tackling poverty team on TPTeam@northlan.gov.uk or call us on 01698 332551 #Challengepoverty Get in touch with North Lanarkshire’s Working to help you find a job or help you get the training you need for your career. No matter the challenges we are here to help you find the right job for you and we have local employers who are ready to recruit. Our employability support can provide the training you need, help with childcare and will be there for you after you go into work. Sign up here Sign-Up - North Lanarkshire's Working (northlanarkshiresworking.co.uk) or call us on 0800 0730 226. #Challengepoverty We can #turnthetide If you find yourself struggling with unexpected financial costs this winter, you may be eligible for a crisis grant to help cover short term costs. This is a grant that does not need to be paid back and can be claimed even if you are in work. You can make a claim by going online at Crisis Grants | North Lanarkshire Council or calling 0300 555 0405 If you need advice about claiming this, contact the tackling poverty team on 01698 335551 or tpteam@northlan.gov.uk #Challengepoverty We can #turnthetide From Monday 14 November 2022 the Scottish Child Payment (SCP) will be extended to under-16s and increased to £25 per child. For more information visit mygov.scot/scottishchildpayment If you are unsure if you will be eligible for the payment you can call Scottish Social Security Agency on 0800 182 2222 Are you struggling to afford to heat your home and looking for advice? Home Energy Scotland offers free advice and are a route to further assistance. North Lanarkshire’s Tackling Poverty Team offer advice to households on low incomes and can be contacted via TPTeam@northlan.gov.uk or 01698 332551 Potential for either the launch of the fuel hardship payment or a health and heating message #Challengepoverty We can #turnthetide There are various financial supports available to help with energy costs, to find out if you are entitled to any of these payments you can check here…… #challengepoverty We can #turnthetide Community and voluntary organisations are working together to #ChallengePoverty by providing a wide range of support to local people in communities to help tackle poverty and poverty-related issues. Get involved by contacting VANL on info@vanl.co.uk we can tackle poverty, we can #TurnTheTide’ #Challengepoverty We can #turnthetide As the cost of living continues to rise, many of us are finding it difficult to make ends meet. There is a common misconception that smoking relaxes us, when such feelings are only temporary and soon gives way to increased cravings and withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, depression and fatigue. Smoking also places a financial burden on you and your family. Calculate how much you could save by quitting smoking 📈📈📈📈 - http://ow.ly/sBmv50KNF00 For free support to quit smoking as well as nicotine replacement products, contact NHS Lanarkshire’s Quit Your Way service, and their helpful and friendly advisers will support you every step of the way! ℹ Call 0800 84 84 84 or visit http://ow.ly/iSvl50D3tDh #Challengepoverty We can #turnthetide Public Services Consultation on our Local Housing Strategy found that fuel poverty is a key priority for you and as such we are committed to upgrading heating systems, insulating homes and providing advice on energy efficiency. Given the cost of living crisis and winter approaching then reducing fuel costs is all the more important. If you are concerned about how to afford to heat your home then help is available. You can call Home Energy Scotland free of charge on 0808 808 2282 or complete Home Energy Scotland contact form. Our Tackling Poverty Team can also offer practical help and advice to households experiencing fuel poverty. TPTeam@northlan.gov. uk 01698 332551 #Challengepoverty We can #turnthetide We can #turnthetide #ChallengePoverty We can #TurnTheTide
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Appendix 1 CHALLENGE POVERTY WEEK 2022 – PROGRAMME OF EVENTS MONDAY 3rd TUESDAY 4th WEDNESDAY 5th THURSDAY 6th FRIDAY 7th SATURDAY 8th SUNDAY 9th Events Host –Tackling Poverty Team North Lanarkshire Commitment to Tackling Food Crisis Event Gartlea Community Centre, Airdrie 0900 hours – 1500 hours Host – Croy Community Hub (Irene Lester (NLC) /Sharon Gusman – (NHS) Food & Financial Insecurity Discussions 1100 hours – 1300 hours Host – Sophie Dornan & Linda Lepkowski, Home Energy Scotland Helping you Save Energy at Home Heating bills are a big worry for many households this year with the energy market crisis. This workshop has been designed to help us stay in control of our future energy bills as well as reduce our impact on the environment. Learn new practical tips & hints and test your own understanding of energy saving. Please contact North Lanarkshire’s Tenant Participation Team on 01698 302 565 or via tenantparticipation@northlan.gov. uk to book a place. Host – Susan Fowler, Housing Operations Manager NLC Housing Solutions Income Maximisation Service Join our online sessions to discuss the routes to income maximisation, prevention of rent arrears and various funding streams, case studies, positive impacts and successes of Universal Credit Assistance Fund (UCAF), Rent Rent Fund (RRF) and Local Authority Council Economic Recovery Fund (LACER). Click here to join the Income Maximisation Service Event Time - 1000-1200 hours
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Challenge Poverty Week October 2022
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