Agenda Document Pack - Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee - 02/02/2024
North Lanarkshire Council · 2 February 2024
Back to Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee — 2 February 2024 and its agenda
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23 January 2024 Members of the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee Chief Executive’s Office Archie Aitken Chief Officer (Legal & Democratic) Civic Centre, Windmillhill Street, Motherwell ML1 1AB www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk Notice is given that a Meeting of the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee is to be held in the Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Windmillhill Street, Motherwell, ML1 1AB on Friday, 02 February 2024 at 10:00 AM which you are requested to attend. The agenda of business is attached. Archie Aitken Chief Officer (Legal & Democratic) Members : Clerk Name: Andrew Rose Clerk Telephone: 07951 409714 Clerk Email: rosean@northlan.gov.uk G Woods, C Costello, D Ashraf, C Barclay, B Baudo, H Brannan-McVey, J Cairns, G Currie, F Fotheringham, W Goldie, J Jones, P Kelly, A Khan, J Leckie, H Loughran, B McCluskey, A McCrory, F McNally, J McPhilemy, L Mitchell, L Nolan, P Patton, G Robinson, A Thomas, C Williams. Page 1 of 66
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Agenda 1 Declarations of Interest In Terms of the Ethical Standards In Public Life Etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 2 Cash First Project (Approach) Submit report by the Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice and Integrated Practice) (1) detailing the Scottish Government's Plan to help improve the response to financial hardship, which includes the creation of a financial fund; (2) explaining the bid made by the Council to the fund, and (3) outlining the proposals to extend the Cash First Approach to include access to Fuel Crisis Payments, together with details of the respective funding arrangements. 5 - 22 3 Challenge Poverty Week 2023 Submit report by the Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice and Integrated Practice) (1) explaining that the Council took part in Challenge Poverty Week, which took place from 2 to 8 October 2023, which is coordinated by the Poverty Alliance, and is an opportunity to highlight what is being done to address poverty and to commit to more action in the future, and (2) highlighting 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 the wider Tackling Poverty Strategy and actions. 23 - 58 4 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire – Tackling Poverty Strategy Submit report by the Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice and Integrated Practice) providing an update on the Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026, Local Child Poverty Action Report and associated Action Plans, with a particular focus on the driver of Income from Employment. 59 - 66 Page 3 of 66
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref AG/JC Date 02/02/24 Cash First Project (Approach) From Alison Gordon, Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) E-mail gordonal@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 01698 332001 Executive Summary In June 2023, the Scottish Government published a Plan to help improve the response to financial hardship – Cash First: Towards Ending the Need for Food Banks in Scotland. committing to collaborative measures to improve the crisis support available and help reduce the need for emergency food parcels. The Plan is supported by a ‘bid-in’ programme fund of 1.8m through which both funding and practical assistance will be provided for up to eight area-based Partnerships to improve urgent access to cash in a crisis alongside wider holistic support. North Lanarkshire’s Tackling Food Poverty and Insecurity Working Group in partnership with the Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group (TPOAG) submitted a successful bid to this fund to enhance the Council’s current ‘Cash First Approach’ – The Food Poverty Gateway’ and this report provides detail of the funding allocated and outlines to the Committee how the Cash First Project will operate in North Lanarkshire. Whilst the national fund is focussed on food poverty it is also proposed that the Cash First Approach is extended to include access to Fuel Crisis Payments for residents experiencing fuel poverty crisis, using the criteria and process for Food Crisis. This proposal will require the Council to provide funding from earmarked Tackling Poverty monies to the amount of £100,000 over the lifetime of the Cash First Project Recommendations It is recommended that the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee: 1) Acknowledges the Cash First Project application and success of the bid on behalf of North Lanarkshire Council and the TPOAG. 1. Approve the extension of the Cash First Approach to included access for emergency Fuel Crisis. 2. Approve £100,000 over the lifetime of the Cash First Project for Fuel Crisis payments to residents, to be drawn from the reserve from the LACER Fund earmarked for Tackling Poverty Initiatives agreed by Committee on 5th May 2023. Item 2 Page 5 of 66
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1. Background 1.1 In June 2023, the Scottish Government published a Plan to help improve the response to financial hardship – Cash First: Towards Ending the Need for Food Banks in Scotland. 1.2 The Plan recognised the significant challenges facing households and frontline services across the country and committed to nine collaborative measures the Scottish Government will take over the next three years to improve the crisis support available and help reduce the need for emergency food parcels. 1.3 The Plan contained a commitment to a new £1.8 million Cash-First Programme providing an important opportunity for a number of local authorities and their partners to be supported in taking forward improvement activities through a process that open to all areas. The Programme provides funding and practical assistance for up to eight area-based Partnerships to improve urgent access to cash in a crisis alongside wider holistic support with each Partnership provided with up to £200,000 over 24 months to recruit a coordinator and take forward improvement activities, supported by a learning partner who will share good practice more widely. 1.4 North Lanarkshire’s Learning partners are Animate and Nourish Scotland who will be coordinating the work on this project with the Co-ordinator. 1.5 The Tackling Food Poverty and Insecurity Working Group in partnership with the Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group (TPOAG) submitted a bid based on enhancing the Council’s current ‘Cash First Approach’ – The Food Poverty Gateway (Appendix 1) 1.6 The Scottish Government advised the TPOAG in October 2023, that the bid was successful, and a Grant Offer Letter was received and return in November 2023, The Grant funding is payable over three financial years, with allocations in 2023- 2024, 2024-25 and 2025-26 based on satisfactory progress and the funds being made available through the Scottish Budget process. 1.7 Our application scored strongly overall, and the assessors noted in particular: 1.7.1 Partnership - There is good cross-sectoral partners participating, with specific specialism in supporting referring partners. Each role and responsibility is defined, with clear links to local poverty strategy plans. 1.7.2 Activities – Assessors considered this to be an extremely strong example of crisis management. The alleviation support available 24/7 using Social Work Emergency Services, enabling easily accessible emergency cash payments was particularly acknowledged. 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 Programme of Work Resilient People Page 6 of 66
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1.7.3 It was also noted that continuous feedback from people with direct experience of crisis situations and network partners will shape the continued delivery of the model. 1.7.4 Costs - Costs align over 3 financial years, within a 24-month period. They are proportionate and 50% of the funding will be deployed to fund cash-first payments. 1.7.5 Monitoring – assessors noted the strong monitoring systems in place with data capture from the Tackling Poverty Team and referring emergency food providers providing a valuable tool to evaluate outcomes. 2. Report Cash First Project 2.1 The ethos behind North Lanarkshire well established Food Poverty Referral Gateway ‘Cash First Approach’ has always been “no one is left without food”. The project covers all of North Lanarkshire to ensure that people are not disadvantaged due to a postcode or a ward, ensuring that everyone in North Lanarkshire has equitable access to funds and services. 2.2 North Lanarkshire Council Tackling Poverty Team are the lead organisation working in partnership with all our Partners in the Food Poverty and Insecurity Group. This group is made up of emergency food providers including; The Scottish Pantry Network and Lanarkshire Community Food and Health Partnership who carry out a role in education around food as well as being a support to emergency food provision across all of North Lanarkshire together with those who may refer to them including; NHS Lanarkshire, Social Work, Housing, CABx, Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire (VANL), Education, Barnardos, One Parent Families Scotland etc and the Scottish Welfare Fund. 2.3 The Food Poverty and Insecurity Group, the TPOAG and users of the Food Poverty Gateway identified the main barrier to the Gateway was the waiting time for the SWF Crisis Grants decisions which is in line with the Scottish Governments legislation and guidance requiring SWF Teams to make decisions within 24 to 48 hours following an application. 2.4 There are two strands to the new Cash First Project, the first is to overcome the identified barrier to using the Gateway i.e. The potential to wait 48 hours for a decision on a crisis grant. 2.5 The second strand is to employ a co-ordinator who will work with the foodbanks across North Lanarkshire to have a consistent way of recording who is using foodbanks and why. There are a number of emergency food providers who are currently not able to report on for example the priority groups or tell us the reason why the person is using them. This information is vital to move our strategic response forward. The co- ordinator will also work with internal services identifying all emergency payments made across all services and the role they play in both support, when working with someone, and in prevention to avoid people/families requiring more intense supports. Page 7 of 66
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Interim Payments – Food Crisis 2.6 The Cash First Project will enhance the current Food Poverty Gateway for emergency food by ensuring that there is an interim payment in place whilst the SWF Team make a decision on applications. The SWF Team will advise on decision making times. 2.7 The Interim Payment rates will be dependent upon the number of days (not working days) until a decision on a crisis grant application can be made. SWF Guidance states this should be 48 working hours, the rate of payment will be £25 for a single person and £50 for couples and families. The payment will be paid through Social Work Localities via the legislative framework of Social Work Section 12 payments, avoiding any impact on residents benefits, if they are in receipt of income based benefits. 2.8 Discretion may be applied by a manager for varying payments; however, these cannot exceed £99.99, and a full explanation must be provided and recorded. 2.9 The Tackling Poverty Team and the Food Poverty and Insecurity Group have developed and agreed a criteria and pathway, (a household in food crisis only) and the Cash First Project which will be delivered by the Tackling Poverty Team. 2.10 As a first step the Tackling Poverty Team have been trained on the criteria and procedures and implemented the Cash First Project on 4th December 2023 via the First Point of Contact Team (Cost of Living Helpline). 2.11 The Tackling Poverty Team have also begun providing briefing sessions to Social Work Services, Housing Solutions, Education Services and NHS Lanarkshire which covers the aims and objectives of the Cash First Projects, how the Project will work operationally and how to make a referral for people who are experiencing food crisis. 2.12 The Tackling Poverty Team has developed a briefing paper for members on the Project. It is important to stress that the Cash First Project is not advertised to residents as a scheme that they can claim directly rather the Cash First Project is to enhance the Food Poverty Gateway that has been in place since 2015 and is part of the internal resources available to the Council to tackle food crisis supporting the broader agenda of our ‘Tackling Poverty Strategy – Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire – Cash First Approach. Co-ordinator (Cash First Project) 2.13 The Scottish Government’s criteria for the Funds were that each Partnership would recruit a coordinator to take forward improvement activities. 2.14 The Co-ordinator for the partnership will be located within the Tackling Poverty Team and will report to the Food Poverty Subgroup and TPOAG. 2.15 The co-ordinator will work with the foodbanks across North Lanarkshire to improve the consistency of recording across our emergency food providers, allowing us to gain an accurate overview of the issues our communities are facing, allowing us to direct resources accordingly and will also evaluate the impact that this project is having on people in terms of preventative work in our communities. 2.16 In addition the co-ordinator will also identify all emergency payments made across the Local Authority, including those made through housing and Section 12/22 payments made through social work legislation, with a view to considering consider the potential Page 8 of 66
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for a more integrated approach to tackle food insecurity and other crisis support. This is in line with the broader aspirations of both the Resilient People Programme of Work and One Service principles. This will ensure a link with development of wider direct payment initiatives within a supporting framework which is aligned with family support principles with the aim of reducing stigma and empowering families and frontline workforce to tailor solutions and ensure access to advice services. Interim Payments Fuel Crisis 2.17 The Committee will be aware that over the years, there has been a number of initiatives to tackle Fuel Poverty/Crisis in light of the pandemic, energy crisis and the cost-of-living crisis. These initiatives have at times targeted residents receiving out of and in work benefits and residents who received no social security benefits and in receipt of low income. 2.18 All of these initiatives have had mixed take up and success, but fuel poverty (crisis) still remains one of the main reasons why residents approach Council Services and our commissioned Services for assistance and often go hand in hand with food crisis, regardless of whether the household is in receipt of benefits or not. 2.19 The new and refreshed Tackling Poverty Strategy – Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire recognised the need to keep fuel poverty as a key action and to do this through the drivers of ‘Reduce the Cost of Living and ‘Income from Benefits’ which includes income from kind. 2.20 With this Action and the broader strategy of Cash First approach, in mind and with the Cash First Project successfully implemented, the TPOAG seeks to extend this project to include access to ‘cash first approach’ for fuel crisis and requests the approval of the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee for the TPOAG to access £100,000, to be drawn from the reserve from the LACER Fund earmarked for Tackling Poverty Initiatives as agreed by Committee on 5th May 2023. This would deliver a ‘Cash First Approach’ for fuel crisis, from April 2024, to run in parallel and the lifespan of the food crisis Cash First Project with the amount of payment for fuel crisis to be confirmed by the Fuel Poverty Subgroup. 2.21 The rate of payment will be in line with the Food Crisis Payments, £25 for a single person and £50 for couples and families paid through Social Work Localities and via Social Work Section 12 payments, again avoiding any impact on resident’s benefits, if they are in receipt of income-based benefits. 2.22 As for food crisis payments it is proposed that discretion may be applied by a manager for varying payments; however, these cannot exceed £99.99, and a full explanation must be provided and recorded. 3. Measures of success 3.1 The measure of success will be the desired outcome, to improve and augment the Cash First approach to tackling food poverty and insecurity, providing people with access to Advice and Support Services to increase income and reduce the cost of living. 3.2 The introducing and supporting a consistent recording tool across our emergency food providers will tell us, who is using emergency food provision, why are they using it and where in our localities is the demand. Page 9 of 66
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3.3 The development of a Direct Payment initiatives with a supporting framework aligned with the family support principles to reduce stigma and empower families and frontline workforce to tailor solutions to need. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix 1 - Bid Application Alison Gordon Chief Social Work Officer Page 10 of 66
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5. Impacts 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? The Cah First project 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 been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Grant Offer to support food crisis work has been accepted and processes are in place to deliver the project with monitoring from Financial Solutions. Subject to committee agreement the extension of the project to fuel crisis will be funded through £100k of LACER fund reserve previously earmarked by committee for Tackling Poverty initiatives. 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts 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 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? Page 11 of 66
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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 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? 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. Page 12 of 66
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5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In North Lanarkshire we recognise that tackling poverty and inequality does not fall to one Service, or one Sector, we must therefore work together to use our resources effectively and efficiently to ensure that all our communities have access to opportunities that will lead to better outcomes for people in terms of employment, wellbeing and inclusive growth. If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☐ No ☒ Page 13 of 66
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Appendix 1 CASH-FIRST FUND APPLICATION FORM GUIDANCE Section 1 – Applicant details Name of Partnership (maximum 15 words) Food Poverty Referral Gateway – Interim Payments Proposal location and the rationale for this. (maximum 300 words) For example, will the proposal cover a full health board region, local authority, specific town/city, specific ward or particular postcodes? Please explain your rationale. The ethos behind the Food Poverty Referral Gateway has always been “no one is left without food”. The project would therefore cover the full of North Lanarkshire to ensure that people are not disadvantaged due to a postcode or a ward, ensuring that everyone in North Lanarkshire has equitable access to funds and services. There are two strands to the proposal, the first is to overcome the identified barrier to using the Gateway ie the potential to wait 48 hours for a decision on a crisis grant. The second strand is to employ a co-ordinator, the co-ordinator will work with the foodbanks across North Lanarkshire to have a consistent way of recording who is using foodbanks and why. There are a number of emergency food providers who are not able to report on for example the priority groups or tell us the reason why the person is using them. This information is vital to move our strategic response forward. The co-ordinator will also work with internal services identifying all emergency payments made across all services and the role they play in both treatment when working with someone and in prevention to avoid people/families requiring more intense supports. Name of lead organisation North Lanarkshire Council Details of organisations applying. (maximum 300 words) Explain the role of the lead partner to deliver this project and the role of each partner. North Lanarkshire Council Tackling Poverty Team would be the lead organisation working in partnership with all our Partners in the Food Poverty and Insecurity Group. This group is made up of emergency food providers including The Scottis Pantry Network, Lanarkshire Community Food and Health Partnership who carry out a role in education around food as well as being a support to emergency food provision across all of North Lanarkshire together with those who would refer to them including; NHS Lanarkshire, Social Work, Housing, CABx, Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire (VANL), Education, Barnardos, , One Parent Families Scotland etc (the referrers) and the Scottish Welfare Fund. The Tackling Poverty Team – The tackling poverty team would be the hub for this project, with people experiencing food insecurity being referred to them. The TP Team would complete an application for a crisis grant and ensure that the persons income was maximised and provided with help to reduce the costs. The Referrers – The referrers would ensure that those presenting in food crisis are directed to the Tackling Poverty Team to ensure that the cause of the crisis is addressed via income maximisation and money/budgeting advice together with an application for a crisis grant. Page 14 of 66
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Social Work – utilising payment methods already in place (S12/22), grants via this project would be awarded through social work administration methods this would ensure there were no additional costs. Scottish Welfare Fund – The SWF team would not only administer crisis grant applications but refer to the Tackling Poverty Team to ensure that everyone (including those who have applied on-line with no support) has access to advice services. Please provide details of a senior contact from the lead organisation. If successful, this person will be responsible leading engagement with the Scottish Government and accepting the conditions of the grant offer. John Campbell – Business Manager Tackling Poverty Team campbelljohn@northlan.gov.uk Please provide details of the application approver. This is the person who has approved this application and has agreed to this proposal being prioritised. This should be someone from the lead applicant organisation and should not be the lead contact. Alison Gordon – Chief Social Work Officer gordonal@northlan.gov.uk Please confirm if your organisation is submitting any other applications to the Cash-First Fund as a lead organisation or Partnership member, or is applying to the Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund. North Lanarkshire has applied as a lead organisation for Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund. Section 2 – Project details Summarise what you want to use this funding for (maximum 300 words). Please set out the main detail of your proposal here. What activities will you implement if successful? The Project Proposal is two fold Phase One - The proposal for this grant is to ensure that there is an interim payment in place whilst the SWF make a decision on applications. The payment would be a daily rate per person in the household paid through Social Work Section 12 payments, this would therefore take into account if SWF fall behind on the 48 hour waiting time. The SWF would advise on decision making times. The proposal would ensure that crisis grant applications are followed up by the Tackling Poverty Team and challenged when required. Where payments have not been made the TPT would work with the person to identify when they will next receive a payment (benefit / wage etc) and work with the person to ensure adequate supports are in place. The TPT will liaise with agencies which assist with emergency fuel help including CABx to ensure fuel vouchers/payments are accessed. Page 15 of 66
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Phase Two – There is currently a lack of consistent recording across our emergency food providers, this has been acknowledged by the Food Poverty & Insecurity Group, we would work with and support all providers to ensure a consistent approach, thus allowing us an accurate overview of the issues our communities are facing, allowing us to direct resources accordingly. We will evaluate the impact that this project is having on people in terms of preventative work in our communities. We will identify all emergency payments made across the Local Authority including S12/22 payments and consider the potential to pool these payments to tackle food insecurity and ensure access to advice services. Why do you want to do this? (maximum 500 words) Tell us how you know these activities are the right thing to do. Tell us about local intelligence, data, evidence, existing work or strategies which inform your thinking. Please share specific evidence – quantitative or qualitative, published or unpublished – about the challenge you are trying to address and the approach you are taking. Please outline how this links to your wider strategy to improve the response to crisis and prevent future hardship. Do these activities also contribute to linked objectives such as our Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan or the Good Food Nation ambition? North Lanarkshire introduced the Food Poverty Referral Gateway in 2014 taking a cash first and advisor approach to tackling food poverty and insecurity in our communities. Through the Food Poverty and Insecurity Network Group we have been able to monitor its progress, prior to the pandemic we were seeing reductions of up to 20% in foodbank use with people not only receiving crisis grants but receiving advice and supports to provide them a sustainable solution to food poverty and insecurity. Following the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis demand for emergency food is on the rise again. The emergency food providers and referrers have identified the waiting time for a crisis grant to be administered as a barrier to using the Gateway, with families and referrers wanting the immediate crisis addressed. This can at times hinder the process of ensuring income is fully maximised. The addition of an interim payment would augment and enhance the Gateway in providing a more dignified approach to tackling food poverty. The Council and its Partners have just published the new Tackling Poverty Strategy, which adopts a cash first dignified approach to tackling poverty in our communities. The Strategy concentrates on the four drivers; ensuring access to advice and support services, assists with increasing income and reducing the cost of living. This project will help meet the aims and objectives of the Strategy. The TPT carried out over 18,500 benefit checks in 2022/23 generating over £35.4million in vital additional income for residents in North Lanarkshire. Access to advice services is therefore essential in maximising the income to give people sustainable solutions to food poverty and insecurity. This project is vital to ensure that the barrier of the waiting period for a crisis grant communicated to us by people who have had to use foodbanks and the emergency food providers has been overcome. In order to know the true extent of food poverty in our areas, including who is impacted and using emergency food provision, we must have consistent recording across the providers. The co- Page 16 of 66
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ordinator would work via the Food Network to introduce and support consistency in recording. This information is vital in knowing where supports need to be directed to. The monitoring and evaluation of the programme will allow the Council to investigate if emergency payments paid out via various services can be directed more effectively, walking away from the “that’s the way we always do things” to a more co-ordinated approach, this is in line with the Plan for North Lanarkshire which directs us to muster our resources together to achieve the best outcomes for our residents. What are the desired outcomes of the project? (maximum 500 words) Please set out here what you hope to achieve through this proposal. Please be as specific as possible, so even if the project is contributing to a wider overall outcome of improved crisis response, what element will this project deliver? The desired outcome is to improve and augment the Cash First approach to tackling food poverty and insecurity, providing people with access to Advice and Support Services to increase income and reduce the cost of living. We will work together with those who refer to, those being referred and those who provide emergency food to ensure that people are given a dignified and sustainable approach to tackling food poverty and insecurity. In gathering information to help shape and direct our Strategy and Local Child Poverty Action Report, we heard from children and young people who told us the impact food poverty was having on them and their households. The children and young people recognised themselves that it impacted upon their ability to perform in school, socialise with friends as well as tell us about their family experiences. Research tells us that children living in poverty are less likely to perform well in school thus gaining more positive destinations when they leave. This would be a major outcome for our project to ensure that no children are going to school or going to bed hungry as they have told us they are. The project will utilise the existing Section 12/22 payment delivery method used by social work services, this has an added and extremely vital benefit to the Gateway. We often talk about the “4 o’clock on a Friday” issue, where someone has presented so late in the day and week that it become very difficult to get any food provision out to them. Using social work administrative delivery methods, means that the payments are easily accessible 24/7 as these can be accessed via Social Work Emergency Services, this will allow the immediate issue to be alleviated in a dignified manner but will also ensure a referral to the Tackling Poverty Team and Crisis Grant application are also still completed. Tackling Food Poverty is an important preventative measure for our health services, again we know from research the impact poor diet can have on a persons health, the project would help people overcome some of these barriers by accessing emergency cash immediately and working with advice and support services to offer more sustainable solutions. Introducing and supporting a consistent recording tool across our emergency food providers will tell us; who is using emergency food provision, why are they using it and where in our localities is the demand. This vital information will allow resources to be directed appropriately. Page 17 of 66
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The project will allow us to evaluate a new enhanced approach to the Gateway, it is our intention to not only gather statistical data but to also gather “user stories” to inform us how this approach made a difference to people. Who will benefit? (maximum 200 words) Please identify any target groups where relevant. Some household groups are at greater risk of food insecurity and some experience greater barriers to accessing supports – more information on this is available in the impact assessments published alongside the Cash-First Plan. Please be as specific as possible about who is the target of the activities in the proposal. Where the activities relate to coordination or enhancing knowledge, who is most likely to benefit from this if successful? The Tackling Poverty Team launched “The Three Questions” earlier this year, this involved us asking people from all areas of our communities, including children and young people in our schools about the impact the cost of living was having on them, on other people and what they wanted the council to do about it. The project proposal is a direct result of this consultation, food poverty and insecurity came up time and time again as an issue for people. We know from research that the priority groups we identify within our Local Child Poverty Action Reports are at greater risk of food insecurity. Our services and the demands placed upon our team also inform us that those with addiction and mental health issues are also at high risk, with their health issues often being a barrier to accessing supports. This project would allow us to work directly with those delivering services and ensure that there is equitable access for all residents. How will you involve people with lived experience of accessing crisis support in the development and implementation of your project (maximum 200 words)? Engaging with and listening to people with direct experience is central to the Dignity Principles, a key action in the Cash-First Plan and a priority for the Cash-First Fund. Please include any detail on how people with lived experience have informed your proposal and will inform ongoing design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. The Tackling Poverty Team have launched “The Three Questions”, where we take these out to our communities, primary and secondary schools and ask people how the cost of living is affecting them, how it affects other and what they would like us to do about it. This is done by talking to people and then asking them to put stick it notes with their thoughts on to our banners, this means that people can put down what the really want to tell us in a confidential way, this has proven to be really successful in allowing us to gather this vital voice of experience. The Team have also produced a survey which to date has had over 3300 responses from across our communities. This project is developed as a result of these responses. Both the survey and the three questions will continue thus providing us with essential information from our communities. A number of referring partners are included in Food Poverty and Insecurity Network, and we have and will continue to work in partnership with them to ensure that the voice of lived experience is heard and recognised in shaping the work that we do We will also rely upon our partners who are front facing providing emergency food responses, the Food Poverty and Insecurity Network Group provides an excellent vehicle for people to provide this important information. Page 18 of 66
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As part of our monitoring and evaluation we will ensure that the voice of lived experience is not only heard but helps shapes our delivery model. If successful, how could your project be embedded in your local practice and/or scaled up? What wider benefit could result from your project? (maximum 300 words) Please set out your plans for sustainability of this project. This could include plans to ensure successful changes are maintained and embedded in processes, building on knowledge generated to adapt existing systems, embedding new partnerships or ways of working, or securing longer term funding to continue the project, if successful. The project will enhance and augment our existing process, we know the Gateway we have in place works, but we know the waiting period due to the demand on crisis grants can be a barrier – this project will augment the process. The project will help embed the Gateway into more services practice. Experience has shown us that where the person is directed straight to a foodbank they are less likely to engage with advice services thus missing out on the support that they need, adding this additional step and providing that necessary reassurance that the referrers need that the person will not be left without food, regardless of day or time is an excellent and vita addition to the service. The project aims to consider all emergency payments across all our services and if we can pool and utilise these services for the better of our communities. The research will make evidence based recommendations to the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee and the Corporate Management Team thus being embedded into long term processes. How will your proposal involve/promote local partnership working? (maximum 300 words) Partnership working between public and third sector organisations is an essential criterion for this fund. Please provide an overview of your Cash-First Partnership structures – are these existing or new? Please also tell us how this proposal has been developed and how different sectors and services will collaborate in delivering the activities. The success of the existing gateway is down to local partnership working, it would not and could not work without this being in place, and this partnership is reflected on the Food Poverty and Insecurity Network Group where representatives from different services across the council, NHS Lanarkshire, the third sector and the emergency food providers themselves are all members. Following an event held in October 2022 we asked referrers and providers to sign up to “The Pledge”, embedding the gateway in our practice across North Lanakrshire. The proposal is central to the cash first approach which is a major component of the Tackling Poverty Strategy, the Strategy is produced by the Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group again a group made up of members across all services within the council, NHS Lanarkshire and third sector organisations. Referrals from all services will come into the Tackling Poverty Team, the team is well equipped to deal with a high volume of referrals and already has a structure in place where emergencies can be dealt with immediately alongside on going work. The TPT will receive daily updates on the process time for applications and therefore be able to advise people when making the application what support from this fund can be provided. The Tackling Poverty Team will ensure income is fully maximised and address any budgeting/ debt issues with the person. Referrals can be made to employability services, vanl etc to assist the person with more sustainable solutions. The introduction of a consistent approach to recording will also enhance our partnership working, this is not something that we would and impose on providers, this is something that would be done in conjunction with them via the Network, identifying why it needs to be done and the benefits to providers and our communities in doing so. Page 19 of 66
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How will you monitor progress and know you are on track? How will you evaluate your project and capture learning? (maximum 300 words) What information will allow you to know that you are achieving the outcomes set out above? What interim information will allow you to know if you are on track? What will you need to know by March 2024 to be able to determine if the project is on track? What plans are there to share learning about this project to help deliver the sustainability objectives above? The Tackling Poverty Team are able to record income generated via existing systems, this same system will also allow for any cash payments paid through this project. The number of referrals received by emergency food providers would also be monitored with the aim for this to be reduced. It is important to gather information from those who are accessing the service, the team will develop an evaluation tool that will be delivered via our text system to allow us to gather user experience. The second part of this proposal is essential in evaluating and learning. We need consistency in recording to ensure that support services, including outreach are directed to exactly where they should be. We need to know if there are groups of people or areas in our communities that need additional/intense supports. Evaluation and monitoring the information we gather via this project is vital in evidencing any future commitments to this. The co-ordinator we would put in post would provide updates to both the Food Poverty and Insecurity Network and the Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group. The progress would also be updated within the Action Plans for both the Tackling Poverty Strategy and the Local Child Poverty Action Report. What is the lead in time for beginning work? Can you start straight away, or would you need to recruit staff and/or bring in others? Please give an expected start date. Please indicate the length of lead in time and what is involved in this preliminary period, e.g. approval processes, procurement, recruitment. The operational side of the project will take around 4 – 6 weeks to begin, the reason for this will be the need to develop procedures, train relevant staff and launch with our partners. The recruitment of a co-ordinator will take a longer period due to issues with recruitment, however, the post will be back filled therefore the delay will not be felt by the Project. Section 3 – Budget How much will your project cost and how much would you like from us? Complete the tables below detailing your costs for the project. Please provide as much detail as you can about the cost of the proposed activities. Activities should be delivered between Autumn 2023 and Autumn 2025 – please provide an indicative forecast of the distribution of costs in the 2023-23, 2024-25, and 2025-26 financial years. This should be based on when costs will be incurred and does not necessarily need to be proportionately split between the years. If there are other sources of funding for this project, for example if there is match funding (either resource or in-kind) from the applicant, or other resources from other partners, please detail these. Page 20 of 66
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The project cost = £200,000 over the 24 month period. The breakdown is as follows; Staffing Costs OCT23- APR 24 - 1 x FTE NL10 post (with all on costs) £25,699 APR24 – MAR25 - 1 X FTE NL10 post (with all on costs) £51,398 APR25 – SEP 25 - 1 x FTE NL10 post (with all on costs) £25,699 INTERIM PAYMENTS OCT23- APR 24 - Based on £50 interim payments x 85 people per month = £25,500 APR24 – MAR25 - Based on £50 interim payments x 85 people per month = £51,000 APR25 – SEP 25 - Based on £50 interim payments x 85 people per month = £25,500 Total payments per annum October 23 – April 24 = £51,199 April 24 – March 25 = £102,398 April 25 – September 25 = £46,403 (the additional £4796 and any additional on costs due to salary increases will be met by the local authority) Discussions are taking place internally with the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee to secure match funding for the £102,000 in payments to people to ensure that the project is given adequate resources should demand increase due to the cost of living crisis. The management of the project will be supported by the Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group and will incur no costs in this project. If you receive any other Scottish Government funding for activities linked to this proposal, provide details and certify that there is no duplication of funding supporting the same activity. Receiving funds from other Scottish Government sources does not necessarily disqualify you from applying to the Cash-First Fund, however please detail here how the funds being requested would provide additionality (where applicable) and either increase or complement impact or learning. Please state clearly that the funds requested will not duplicate existing funding for the specific activities in the proposal. No other funding is provided. Page 21 of 66
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☐ Yes ☒ No Ref AG/JC Date 02/02/24 Challenge Poverty Week 2023 From Alison Gordon, Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) E-mail gordonal@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 01698 332001 1. Background 1.1 North Lanarkshire Council first took part in Challenge Poverty Week in 2019. Challenge Poverty Week has been co-ordinated by the Poverty Alliance for the last ten years. Challenge Poverty Week 2023 was an opportunity to raise our voice against poverty and unite partner organisations across Scotland and locally in North Lanarkshire in calling for a more just and equal society. Executive Summary North Lanarkshire Council, took part, in this year’s Challenge Poverty Week, which took place from 2nd to 8th October 2023. 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 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 Programme of Work Resilient People Item 3 Page 23 of 66
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1.2 The Aim of the week was to: • To raise a unified voice against poverty and show that we all want to live in a more just and equal Scotland. • To build awareness of and support solutions to poverty. • To change the conversation around poverty and help end the stigma of living on a low income. 1.3 The Themes for the week were as follows: (Appendix 3) • Communities and Volunteers • Housing • Adequate Incomes • Transport • Food • Reflection 1.4 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 2023, 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 Council Services 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 also arranged publication of its New ‘Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire’ Tackling Poverty Strategy/Action Plan 2023 to 2026 and the 2023 Local Child Poverty Action Report approved at the Policy and Strategy Committee on 28th September 2023 to coincide with Challenge Poverty Week. 2.4 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. In total the campaign received 129,345 impressions, 195 reactions, 147 shares and 1216 link clicks. 2.5 Appendix 2 also includes the use of the ‘My Town Channels’ which was used to publicise local events in order to make these more relevant and accessible for local residents. 2.6 Staff events for council services and external partners to promote awareness and supportive action were provided by a range of local partners and national organisations. Take up from North Lanarkshire Council staff was reasonable, particularly with respect to more targeted and local offers e.g. on Mental Health Improvement. Page 24 of 66
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2.7 Engagement with events for residents held Monday to Friday was mixed with low numbers for the Savvy Savers events and indeed no attendees at the events on Thursday 5th October. At the other end of the spectrum the Food event in Forgewood Community Centre ‘Pizza no Poverty’ attracted nearly 200 residents whilst the Volunteer Day (Monday 2nd October), resulted in the CABs recruiting 10 volunteers and interest in recruitment also for vacant job posts. Other events provided by Tackling Poverty Team, Social Security Scotland, Wise Group, Business Gateway and NHSL again had a mixed response/attendance from residents and staff. 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 analyse and review 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 2024. 3. Measures of success 3.1 The delivery of the planned activity and social media messages, incorporation of views from residents, council services and partners 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 2023 Programme 4.2 Appendix 2 – Challenge Poverty Week 2023 Analysis 4.3 Appendix 3 – Challenge Poverty Week 2023 Themes of the Week (Poverty Alliance) Alison Gordon Chief Social Work Officer Page 25 of 66
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5. Impacts 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 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 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 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 ☐ Page 26 of 66
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5.6 Technology / Digital impact 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 Sub Group developed a Communications Plan (Global Messages/Events) 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. 5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Page 27 of 66
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Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Activity supports our statutory responsibilities in respect of child poverty which are integrated within ‘Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy and reported annually via the LCPAR. As such a specific CRWIA is not required for the subset of activities within Challenge Poverty Week. If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☐ No ☒ Page 28 of 66
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Appendix 1 CHALLENGE POVERTY WEEK 2023 – PROGRAMME OF EVENTS 2nd – 8th OCTOBER, 2023 Opening Message – Sunday 1st 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 #CPW23 – MONDAY 2nd TUESDAY 3rd WEDNESDAY 4th THURSDAY 5th FRIDAY 6th SATURDAY 7th SUNDAY 8th Daily Global email/ Message Theme – Communities & Volunteers A North Lanarkshire where we value our communities and volunteers. TPT/Corporate Comms Tackling Poverty Strategy/LCPAR 2023 Social Media Post 1: One of the best ways to contribute to your local community is by volunteering. This is a great way to help others and it brings personal benefits at the same time. Volunteers have a key role to play in helping in the fight against poverty, especially now during the current cost of living crisis and there are many opportunities to get involved. For example, you can become a Volunteer Adviser in a Citizens Advice Bureau; volunteer in a Credit Union; help out in a foodbank or become a charity shop volunteer. There are loads of things you can give your time to, so contact Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire (VANL) to find out more: info@vanl.co.uk Social Media Post 2: Would you like to volunteer but worried that it will affect your benefits or cost you money? The Government allows people to claim benefits and volunteer but there are some rules and considerations. Citizens Advice Scotland has Theme – Housing A North Lanarkshire where we have safe, secure and sustainable homes. Housing Solutions It is estimated that fuel poverty has substantially increased in Scotland at a rate of 39% in all households, which is compounded by the squeeze on household incomes from the cost of living crisis. We are committed to upgrading heating systems, insulating homes and providing advice on energy efficiency to tackle fuel poverty. 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 the Home Energy Advice Team (HEAT) at The Wise Group on 080 092 9002 or use our online contact form. You can also call Home Energy Scotland free on 0808 808 2282 or take our Home Energy Check to find out how you could save. Our Tackling Poverty Team can also offer practical help and advice to households experiencing fuel poverty. Email TPTeam@northlan.gov.uk or call 01698 332551. Universal Credit can include an amount for housing costs if you rent your home. If you have not applied for Universal Credit because you are unsure if you are eligible, please contact the Tackling Poverty Team who can carry out a benefit check, advise if you are entitled and support with the Theme – Adequate Incomes A North Lanarkshire where we all have enough to live a decent and dignified life. TPT/Corporate Comms Adult Disability Payment (ADP) is a benefit you could be entitled to if you have a disability or long-term health condition that affects your day-to-day life. ADP provides additional income to support with the extra costs linked to long term health conditions and/or disabilities. To find out more about ADP please call or email the Tackling Poverty Team (01698 332551/ TPTeam@northlan.gov.uk). Our experienced and friendly staff can answer your questions and support you to apply. With the rising costs of living have you had a benefit check carried out to ensure your income is maximised? The Tackling Poverty Team have expert staff who can carry out a benefit check and support you to apply for any benefits you are missing out on. Contact the team on 01698 332551 or email TPTeam@northlan.gov.uk. If you have had a benefit decision in the last 12 months, you did not agree with North Lanarkshire welfare rights team can help you challenge that decision. During 2022/23 our welfare rights officers won 81% of appeals represented. Theme – Transport A North Lanarkshire where we can all get to where we need to go. TPT/Corporate Comms We pledge to carry on improving access for all throughout North Lanarkshire. We will do so by continuing to create walking, wheeling and cycling facilities across the area, in line with the Council’s Active Travel Strategy. U22s Travel Card videos - https://vimeo.com/864408982/ae2 843a354?share=copy Here are some links that may be useful for people who would like to know more about what is being done to improve access for all in North Lanarkshire and the wider region: North Lanarkshire Council’s Active Travel Strategy: https://www.northlanarkshi re.gov.uk/your-council/council- strategies-and-plans/council- strategies/active-travel-strategy Strathclyde Partnership for Transport’s Regional Transport Strategy: https://www.spt.co.uk/abou t-us/what-we-are-doing/regional- transport-strategy/ Recycled Bikes Scotland: https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/ Theme – Food A North Lanarkshire where no-one goes hungry. TPT/Corporate Comms In North Lanarkshire we want to provide people with dignified and sustainable solutions to tackling food poverty. We will help apply for a crisis grant to help with a cash first solution, together with carrying out a benefit check and offering money advice. If you are looking for support in this area contact TPTeam@northlan.gov.uk or call us on 01698 332551. Theme – Reflection A North Lanarkshire where we look after each other and ourselves. Mental Health 1 Worries about money can have an impact on your mental health. And your mental health can affect how you manage your money. The mental health and money advice service has clear practical advice and support for people experiencing issues with mental health and money https://www.mentalhealthand moneyadvice.org/scot/ For help online: www.elament.org.uk www.nhsinform.scot www.lanarkshiremindmatters.s cot.nhs.uk/ https://www.dbi.scot/ #ChallengePoverty #CPW23 Mental Health 2 Right now, just like thousands of other families, you may find that you are struggling financially due to the ongoing cost of living crisis. This might be affecting your mental health as well as your finances. If you are feeling overwhelmed, help is available. Please reach Theme – Reflection A North Lanarkshire where we look after each other and ourselves. TPT/Corporate Comms Tobacco https://www.dropbox.com /sh/aykh13wzbex3bdw/AA DogKE- ge13dTqI_GnccUACa?dl=0 (need to open in chrome, has images and 2 posts for Twitter and Facebook) Page 29 of 66
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Appendix 1 CHALLENGE POVERTY WEEK 2023 – PROGRAMME OF EVENTS some useful information which you can read here You cannot be paid for your time as a volunteer, but you may get money to cover reasonable expenses you incur. These can be for things like: food and drink; travel; childcare costs and any specialist equipment needed to complete the volunteering activity. Any reasonable expenses you are paid as a volunteer with will not usually affect the amount of benefit you get. If you would like to know more, please contact Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire (VANL): info@vanl.co.uk application. The Team can also assist with Council Tax Reduction applications. Give the team a call on 01698 332551 or email TPTeam@northlan.gov.uk A welfare rights officer will be able to provide advice and guidance through the process. If you would like assistance or even just a make a query please call us on 01698 332551 or email TPTeam@northlan.gov.uk news/restored-cycles-benefit- communities#:~:text=We%20are%20 working%20in%20partnershipswith,fo r%20local%20groups%20to%20distrib ute. Elderly (60+) and Disabled National Entitlement Card (NEC): Older and disabled residents can save money on public transport with the NEC. The card gives holders free bus travel in Scotland and, through the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme, reduced fares on trains and Subway in the Strathclyde area. This is supported by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT): https://www.spt.co.uk/tickets/conces sions/ Young Persons’ (under 22) National Entitlement Card (NEC): Young people living in Scotland aged between 5 and 21 years old are eligible for free bus travel with a valid NEC: https://freebus.scot/ Links to external bodies that offer funding for non-infrastructure cycling and walking improvements to community groups: • Cycling Scotland’s community fund can provide funding of up to £25,000 for bikes or facilities that make cycling more accessible: https://www.cycling.scot/what- we-do/cycling-friendly/community • Smarter Choices, Smarter Places (SCSP) Open Fund grants between £5,000 and £100,000 (match funding is required) are available to support public, third and community sector organisations in encouraging people to travel more sustainably if possible. https://www.pathsforall. org.uk/active-travel/smarter- choices-smarter-places-1/open- fund out. Talking to a trained advisor can help: • Breathing Space is a free, confidential, phone service for anyone in Scotland experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety and offers a safe and supportive space by listening, offering advice and providing information: 0800 83 85 87 • Talk to the Samaritans. Call free on 116 123 www.elament.org.uk www.lanarkshiremindmatters.s cot.nhs.uk/ #ChallengePoverty #CPW23 Page 30 of 66
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Appendix 1 CHALLENGE POVERTY WEEK 2023 – PROGRAMME OF EVENTS Restorative Justice Cycling isn’t just a fun and free way to travel – research shows that commuters who regularly cycle have vastly reduced risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer. But only 25% of households in North Lanarkshire have access to a bike. An innovative Bike Recycling scheme is changing that. Due to the hard work of the staff and service users at North Lanarkshire’s Restorative Justice Service over 900 donated bikes have been recycled and distributed to Children and Families who couldn’t otherwise afford a bike. The Project is always in need of bikes in any condition to recycle. If you can donate a bike please call 07939 280972. Page 31 of 66
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Appendix 1 CHALLENGE POVERTY WEEK 2023 – PROGRAMME OF EVENTS MONDAY 2nd TUESDAY 3rd WEDNESDAY 4th THURSDAY 5th FRIDAY 6th SATURDAY 7th SUNDAY 8th Events – Staff/ Services Host - Mental Health Improvement (Elaine & Daniel) Ask, Tell: Save a Life Workshop Via MS Teams 09.30am – 11.30am To Inform everyone about mental health and the prevention of suicide so that they may be able to promote good mental health, respond to distress and help people seek help. To book a place publicmentalhealth@lanarkshi re.scot.nhs.uk Host - NHSL Staff Health and Wellbeing Event University Hospital Monklands (NLC Tackling Poverty team attending wellbeing hub offering money advice/support/referrals: Lynn Daniels and Mandy McRorie – contacts, for onsite NHS staff only) Host – OPFS/Tackling Poverty Team Carers Project Bellshill Cultural Centre, John Street, Belllshill ML4 1RJ 10.00am – 12noon Host – Housing Housing Solutions Income Maximisation, Claire Smith 10.00am – 12noon Routes to Income Maximisation, prevention of rent arrears and the various funding streams available with some case studies showing the positive impacts made. Please join the event here Housing Solutions Income Maximisation Service Host – The Wise Group Helping you save energy in the home 2.00pm The Wise Group work in partnership with North Lanarkshire Council to offer a bespoke home visit service for residents impacted by fuel poverty, providing support and advocacy to vulnerable households to ensure no one has to struggle between choosing to heat or eat. Our mentors will help households experiencing energy crisis through the provision of independent, tailored advice, working together to optimise their relationship with fuel consumption and energy efficiency, helping households stay in control of future energy bills. Please contact Emma_Howe@thewisegroup.co.uk to book a place. Please join the event here Helping you save energy in the home Host – Money Advice Scotland Adequate Incomes: Panel Discussion The Boardwalk, 105 Brunswick Street, Glasgow G1 1TF 12.30pm - 3.30pm Challenge Poverty Week was launched by the Poverty Alliance in 2013, with many of the themes of CPW underpinning the work of those across the sector. This year the Poverty Alliance has highlighted five themes for the week. Our in-person panel discussion is focused on the topic of adequate incomes. To Book your free ticket please click the link below: Challenge Poverty Week - Adequate Incomes: Panel Discussion Tickets, Wed, Oct 4, 2023 at 12:30 PM | Eventbrite Host – Mental Health Improvement (Elaine & Daniel) Ask, Tell: Save a Life Workshop Via MS Teams 09.30am – 11.30am To Inform everyone about mental health and the prevention of suicide so that they may be able to promote good mental health, respond to distress and help people seek help To book a place please go to publicmentalhealth@lanarkshire.scot. nhs.uk Page 32 of 66
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Appendix 1 CHALLENGE POVERTY WEEK 2023 – PROGRAMME OF EVENTS Events – Public Host – NHS Health Improvement/LOIP Poverty Group Community Breakfast 09.30am – 11.30 am in Orbiston neighbourhood Centre Host – CABs Volunteering Day 10.00am – 3.00pm • Airdrie CAB 61a Stirling Street, Airdrie • Coatbridge CAB Unit 10 Fountain Business Centre, Ellis Street, Coatbridge ML5 3AA • Motherwell & Wishaw CAB 90 Brandon Parade East, Motherwell ML1 1LY • Bellshill CAB 6 Hamilton Road, Bellshill ML4 1AQ • Cumbernauld CAB 16/17 Carron House, Town Centre, Cumbernauld G67 1ER There is a broad range of volunteering roles available in CAB – from advisers to behind- the-scenes support. Anyone can use their knowledge, skills and experience to make a real change to people’s lives. CAB volunteering is a great way to spend your free time – giving something to your community, building skills, gaining experience and working with a fantastic team. You don’t need any knowledge of advice-giving or dealing with Host - (CLD/TPT) (Sum It Up) 9.30 – 12 pm Savvy Savers (Drop in for residents) Airdrie Chapelside Centre 12.30 – 2.30 pm Savvy Savers Airdrie Chapelside Centre Host – Housing Housing Solutions Income Maximisation, Claire Smith 10.00am – 12noon Routes to Income Maximisation, prevention of rent arrears and the various funding streams available with some case studies showing the positive impacts made. Please join the event here Housing Solutions Income Maximisation Service Host – The Wise Group Helping you save energy in the home 2.00pm The Wise Group work in partnership with North Lanarkshire Council to offer a bespoke home visit service for residents impacted by fuel poverty, providing support and advocacy to vulnerable households to ensure no one has to struggle between choosing to heat or eat. Our mentors will help households experiencing energy crisis through the provision of independent, tailored advice, working together to optimise their relationship with fuel consumption and energy efficiency, helping households stay in control of future energy bills. Please contact Emma_Howe@thewisegroup.co.uk to book a place. Please join the event here Helping you save energy in the home Host – Coatbridge CAB Asda Supermarket, Coatbridge 11.30am-1.30pm Host – Tackling Poverty Team Benefit Advice Drop-in Surgery Newmains & St Brigid’s Hub 2 Stewart Crescent, Newmains ML2 9DH 9.00am - 1.00pm Host – Business Gateway Lanarkshire (Siobhan Quinn) Business Start-up Awareness Webinar 0930am - 1230pm Have you ever considered being self- employed and having your own business, but did not know how to assess the viability of your idea and take the steps required to make it a reality? The business start-up awareness workshop will cover the process of setting up a business and highlight the various factors that should be considered to set up and run a successful business. The session will also outline the extensive local advice and support that is available in relation to researching, planning, funding and launching of a business venture. Business Start-Up Awareness Webinar | Business Gateway (bgateway.com) Host – Social Security Scotland Drop-In Sessions – 10am-2pm • Centre Point, 70 Smith Avenue, Wishaw ML2 0LD 10.00am – 2.00pm SSS/NHSL Health Improvement, Alcohol & Other Substances Team • Forgewood Community Centre, 49 Dinmont Crescent ML1 3TT Host – Social Security Scotland Drop In Sessions – 10.00am – 2.00pm • Cumbernauld & Carbrain Community Hub, 5 Tay Walk, Cumbernauld G67 1BU SSS/NHSL, Quit Your Way (Stop Smoking Service) Thursday 12th October) • Cumbernauld & Carbrain Community Hub, 5 Tay Walk, Cumbernauld G67 1BU SSS/North Lanarkshire Disability Forum Host – NHS Health Improvement/LOIP Poverty Group Motherwell Community Breakfast Motherwell Baptist Church, 43-47 Windmillhill Street, ML1 1RT 9.30am - 11.30am Come along for Breakfast and Blether Host - (CLD/TPT) (Sum It Up) 1 pm – 2.30 pm Savvy Savers (Drop in for residents) Kirkshaws Neighbourhood Centre Host – Motherwell & Wishaw CAB Food Poverty – Awareness Day Venny Centre, Craigneuk 11.00am - 1.00pm Drop-in Coffee/Tea Morning Host – Motherwell & Wishaw CAB and Forgewood Housing Co-op Forgewood Community Centre, 49 Dinmont Crescent, Motherwell ML1 3TT 5.00pm - 7.00pm Food Poverty – Raising Awareness Face Painting, Giant Jenga, Arts & Crafts, Connect 4 Host – Community Partnership Team - Cumbernauld Food & Financial Insecurity Events • Salvation Army Building, Clouden Road, Kildrum 10.00am - 12 noon • Abronhill Community Centre Wednesday 12noon – 2pm Wednesday 11th October, 23 • Cornerstone House 11.00am – 1.00pm Thursday 19th October, 2023 Page 33 of 66
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Appendix 1 CHALLENGE POVERTY WEEK 2023 – PROGRAMME OF EVENTS the public. Comprehensive free training and support is provided and CAB warmly welcome all applicants with all levels of experience. Advisers are not the only type of volunteer we are looking for. The bureau also needs people to help in other roles - receptionists, administrators, social policy workers and charity trustees. Citizens Advice are calling on anyone who wants to make a positive impact in their local community. You won’t regret it! Host – NHS Health Improvement/LOIP Poverty Group Community Breakfast Orbiston Neighbourhood Centre 09.30am – 11.30 am SSS/NHSL, Quit Your Way (Stop Smoking Service), NLC Tackling Poverty Team – How to Challenge Benefit Decisions • Croy Hub, 4 McSparren Road, Croy G6y5 9HN SSS/NHSL, Quit Your Way (Stop Smoking Service), NLC Tackling Poverty Team – How to Challenge Benefit Decisions Host – NHS Health Improvement/LOIP Poverty Group Community Lunch (Bellshill) 12.00noon – 2.00pm Tannochside Miners welfare, supported by Thorniewood Community Council Host – CPAG/Poverty Alliance Enough. It’s Time to End Poverty – CAP, CPAG and The Poverty Alliance. Online Event 11.00am-12.00pm. Book online: https://www.povertyalliance.org/eve nt/enough-its-time-to-end-poverty/ Host – Cumbernauld CAB Community Cares Event Lanternhouse, South Kildrum Ring Road, Cumbernauld G67 2UF 9.00am - 3.00pm https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/working-communities/your-area/community-boards Page 34 of 66
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Appendix 2 Challenge Poverty Week, 2 – 8 October 2023 Campaign focus: The week is focussed around daily themes and throughout the week we shared information about advice and support available to help families struggling with income or money worries. Unfortunately, the campaign week coincided with the announcement to close community and leisure facilities (a decision later reversed) so all council communications were receiving extremely negative feedback, the vast majority of which were not related to the subject of the posts. The campaign also took place within a pre-election period and in order to follow guidance and as many of the comments were of a political nature, a decision was made to suspend social media activity on Monday and Tuesday. Comments were also limited to ensure our channels remained impartial. Social media communications on main NLCpeople channels Date Daily theme/ social media text Social media communication Stats Sun 01/10/23 INTRO POST Challenge Poverty Week starts tomorrow. Find out all week about the support available. #ChallengePoverty #CPW23 Cost of Living | North Lanarkshire Council Facebook Impressions: 17,087 Reactions: 37 Comments: 55 Shares: 10 Link clicks: 66 Engagements: 102 Engagement rate: 0.6% X (twitter) Impressions: 17,682 Reactions: 16 Comments: 18 Shares: 12 Link clicks: 57 Page 35 of 66
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Engagements: 333 Engagement rate: 1.9% Mon 02/10/23 COMMUNITIES & VOLUNTEERS Are you looking for a way to volunteer and make a difference in your community? Find an opportunity near you; Volunteering – Working Together for a Better North Lanarkshire (voluntaryactionnorthlanarkshire.org) Social media communications suspended Tue 03/10/23 HOUSING Get help to reduce your fuel costs. Call The Wise Group: 080 092 9002 Arrange a Home Energy Check: https://homeenergyscotland-advice.est.org.uk/ #ChallengePoverty #CPW23 Social media communications suspended Page 36 of 66
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Wed 04/10/23 ADEQUATE INCOMES If you have a disability or long-term health condition, you may be entitled to an Adult Disability Payment. Find out if you’re eligible: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to Adult Disability Payment (ADP) | North Lanarkshire Council #ChallengePoverty #CPW23 Facebook Impressions: 13,084 Reactions: 21 Comments: 5 Shares: 13 Link clicks: 404 Engagements: 39 Engagement rate: 0.3% X (twitter) Impressions: 7,113 Reactions: 8 Comments: 1 Shares: 5 Link clicks: 78 Engagements: 153 Engagement rate: 2.2% Page 37 of 66
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Thu 05/10/23 TRANSPORT If you’re aged 5 to 21, then you’re entitled to free bus travel. Apply now: https://freebus.scot/ #ChallengePoverty #CPW23 Facebook Impressions: 8,399 Reactions: 13 Comments: 0 Shares: 13 Link clicks: 78 Engagements: 26 Engagement rate: 0.3% X (twitter) Impressions: 6,176 Reactions: 13 Comments: 0 Shares: 11 Link clicks: 93 Engagements: 325 Engagement rate: 5.3% Page 38 of 66
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Fri 06/10/23 FOOD If you need emergency help to pay for essentials like food, gas or electricity we can help you apply for a crisis grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund. It’s a one- off payment which can be given to cover the costs of an unexpected emergency. Contact us: Welfare rights services | North Lanarkshire Council #ChallengePoverty #CPW23 Facebook Impressions: 17,153 Reactions: 39 Comments: 6 Shares: 42 Link clicks: 259 Engagements: 87 Engagement rate: 0.5% X (twitter) Impressions: 5,909 Reactions: 6 Comments: 1 Shares: 9 Link clicks: 64 Engagements: 173 Engagement rate: 2.9% Page 39 of 66
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Sat 07/10/23 REFLECTION Money worries can affect your mental health and how you manage your money. Get advice and support: https://www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org/scot/ #ChallengePoverty #CPW23 Facebook Impressions: 9,287 Reactions: 8 Comments: 4 Shares: 6 Link clicks: 29 Engagements: 18 Engagement rate: 0.2% X (twitter) Impressions: 4,234 Reactions: 4 Comments: 0 Shares: 6 Link clicks: 11 Engagements: 49 Engagement rate: 1.2% Page 40 of 66
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Sun 08/10/23 REFLECTION Facebook Impressions: 12,081 Reactions: 9 Comments: 9 Shares: 6 Link clicks: 34 Engagements: 24 Engagement rate: 0.2% X (twitter) Impressions: 3,767 Reactions: 2 Comments: 0 Shares: 2 Link clicks:4 Engagements: 15 Engagement rate: 0.4% In total the campaign received 129, 345 impressions, 195 reactions, 147 shares and 1216 link clicks. There were 107 comments, the majority of which did not relate to the posts. Page 41 of 66
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My Town channels – publicity of local events The programme of events for service users was promoted via local channels in order to make it relevant and accessible to local residents. Challenge Poverty Week Date Platform Impressions Reactions Comments Shares Link clicks Engagements Engagement rate Subject My Town Airdrie 3/10 Facebook 250 0 0 1 1 1 0.4% Business Gateway Airdrie 3/10 Facebook 344 3 0 0 3 0 0.9% Wise group Bellshill 3/10 Facebook 191 1 0 1 2 0 1.1% Business Gateway Bellshill 3/10 Facebook 272 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Wise group Coatbridge 3/10 Facebook 200 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Business Gateway Coatbridge 3/10 Facebook 255 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Wise group Coatbridge 4/10 Facebook 410 2 0 0 2 0 0.5% Savvy Savers Cumbernauld 3/10 Facebook 105 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Business Gateway Cumbernauld 3/10 Facebook 86 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Wise group Page 42 of 66
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Cumbernauld 4/10 Facebook 123 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Social Security Scotland Cumbernauld 5/10 Facebook 118 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Community Partnership Kilsyth and villages 3/10 Facebook 221 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Social Security Scotland Kilsyth and villages 3/10 Facebook 158 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Wise group Kilsyth and villages 3/10 Facebook 161 0 0 1 1 0 0.6% Business Gateway Motherwell 3/10 Facebook 1578 9 6 7 22 0 1.4% CAB Motherwell 3/10 Facebook 218 0 0 1 1 1 0.5% Wise group Motherwell 3/10 Facebook 121 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Business Gateway Motherwell 3/10 Facebook 161 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Social Security Scotland Motherwell 4/10 Facebook 111 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Community breakfast Motherwell 5/10 Facebook 277 2 0 1 3 0 1.1% CAB Motherwell 6/10 Facebook 177 1 0 0 1 0 0.6% CAB Northern Corridor 3/10 Facebook 64 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Wise group Page 43 of 66
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Northern Corridor 3/10 Facebook 56 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Business Gateway Shotts 3/10 Facebook 162 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Wise group Shotts 3/10 Facebook 264 1 2 0 3 1 1.1% Business Gateway Wishaw 3/10 Facebook 173 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Business Gateway Wishaw 3/10 Facebook 217 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Social Security Scotland Wishaw 3/10 Facebook 180 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Wise group Totals 129,345 195 107 147 1,216 1,347 0.6% (average) Page 44 of 66
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Gov Delivery email communications Gov Delivery bulletins were also issued to a variety of subscribers: Council News, Benefits and Money and Housing. 32,205 people were contacted and sent information. Of these bulletins 7,593 were opened – a 23% open rate which is above average. Date Daily theme/ social media text Social media communication Stats Mon 02/10/23 COMMUNITIES & VOLUNTEERS Subscribers of Council news (9893 recipients) Delivery metrics – details Total sent: 9,893 Delivered: 9,583 (97%) Bulletin analytics Total opens: 2,196 Total clicks: 70 Wed 04/10/23 ADEQUATE INCOMES Subscribers of Benefits and Money (8907 recipients) Delivery metrics – details Total sent: 8,907 Delivered: 8,670 (97%) Bulletin analytics Total opens: 2,425 Total clicks: 108 Page 45 of 66
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Thu 05/10/23 HOUSING Home energy advice and help available Subscribers of Benefits and Money and/or Housing 13, 405 Delivery metrics – details Total sent: 13,405 Delivered: 13,042 (97%) Bulletin analytics Total opens: 2,972 Total clicks: 99 Page 46 of 66
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref AG/JC Date 02/02/24 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire – Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026 Update From Alison Gordon, Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) E-mail gordonal@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 01698 332001 Executive Summary In line with the Plan for North Lanarkshire and new Programme of Work (Resilient People), the purpose of this report is to provide an update on the Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026, Local Child Poverty Action Report and associated Action Plans with a particular focus on the driver of Income from Employment. The Policy and Strategy Committee approved the refreshed ‘Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire’ Tackling - Poverty Strategy for 2023-2026 and the Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023, on 28th September 2023. The new and refreshed Tackling Poverty Strategy is closely aligned with the Resilient People strand of the Council’s Programme of Work and encompasses an integrated multi service approach, alongside an increased focus on working externally with all community planning partners, communities, and people with lived experience of poverty co-ordinated through the Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group (TPOAG) Recommendations It is recommended that the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee: 1) Approve the update of the tackling driver ‘Income from Employment’. 2) Acknowledge that reports on the remaining Tackling Poverty Drivers will be submitted to the Committee over the course of 2024 to 2025. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority All priorities Ambition statement All ambition statements Programme of Work Resilient People Item 4 Page 59 of 66
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1. Background 1.1 The Policy and Strategy Committee approved the refreshed ‘Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire’ Tackling - Poverty Strategy for 2023-2026 and the Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023, on 28th September 2023. The Strategy and Action Plans sets out our ambition to continue to tackle poverty and child poverty, building on our previous actions and some of the positive foundations achieved through the previous strategy for 2020-2023. The new and refreshed Tackling Poverty Strategy encompasses an integrated multi service approach within the Council, alongside an increased focus on working externally with all community planning partners, communities, and people with lived experience of poverty. 1.2 The Tackling Poverty Strategy supports the Plan for North Lanarkshire’s new Programme of Work priorities and ambitions, promoting the strengths and skills of individuals and families, increasing economic activity, and providing practical and holistic support intervening upstream wherever possible to prevent the longer-term harms associated with poverty. 1.3 The holistic and integrated approach is fundamental to the Plan for North Lanarkshire and whilst maintaining strong links with other elements of the Council’s Programme of Work, Tackling Poverty will be a core strand of the ‘Resilient People’ Programme, whose principal aim is to deliver whole family support locally, when families need it, in a way that is consistent with The Promise Principles and The Tackling Poverty Strategy. This will involve an integrated approach, working with partners, to provide an earlier and more effective response to need. This includes promoting the strengths and skills of individuals and families, increasing economic activity, and providing practical and emotional support, integrating this family support with the roll out of town and community hubs to maximise opportunities for community-led and strengths-based approaches. 1.4 The Tackling Poverty Strategy within the Resilient People programme of work recognises the importance of a holistic approach reflected also in the addition of holistic support within the national framework set by Best Start, Bright Futures and that often the most direct, efficient and effective way of helping families is to provide responsive financial support and economic opportunities to achieve lasting change. The new Strategy reflects this in being structured around the four key drivers of: - • Increasing income via employment. • Maximising income via social security benefits. • Reducing the cost of living; and • Holistic Supports. 1.5 The new Tackling Poverty Strategy also continues the approach of incorporating the Local Child Poverty Action Report (Action Plan), aligning both Plans into the same lifespan from 2023 to 2026. Both the local authority and NHSL have agreed that the Local Child Poverty Action Reports should be an integral part of the overall strategy also enabling our statutory duty to report to Scottish Government on an annual basis and recognising that child poverty is integrally linked with poverty and wellbeing within the wider community. To support reporting and measuring impact amongst targeted groups the action plan will detail which “strategy/plan” each action relates to, identifying those actions that are specifically aimed at the child poverty priority groups. Page 60 of 66
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1.6 The Action Plan within the Tackling Poverty Strategy details the key elements and priorities of the new Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire – Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026. 1.7 The Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group (TPOAG) remains our key vehicle for bringing statutory and community and voluntary sector partners together to co-ordinate and drive actions and has been critical to the development of our refreshed Strategy. 2. Report 2.1 At the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee on 3rd November 2023, the Committee was advised that the TPOAG had agreed new monitoring templates for the tackling poverty drivers to allow us to track ’How we will know if are making a difference’, with each tackling poverty driver being the focus of TPAOG meetings, to allow TPOAG to analysis in detail each action, using national and local data (quantitative and qualitative) to ensure that the Actions within the driver, and the outcomes set by Scottish Government and our Action Plan are being met. 2.2 The TPOAG are currently revising/creating 20 new measures as part of the Strategic Performance Framework which to be approved by the Resilient People Board in January 2024 and presented to Committee in May 2024. 2.3 In 2021/22, The Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group also implemented a RAGG system that will continue to be applied to the Action Plan, for each poverty drivers and support management of the programme: the details of which are: • Red – Action remains outstanding. • Amber – work has started on this action but requires further work to complete. • Green – action is completed and remains on-going. • Grey – action has been completed and requires no further action. 2.4 Using this approach, the Tackling Poverty Officer Action Group will identity tasks that are completed (or ongoing), tasks that are amber or red which required to be taken to the Resilient People Board for further consideration. Update - Income from Employment 2.5 There are eight Actions in the ‘Income from Employment’ – (Appendix 1), four of the Actions (Numbers 1,2, 4, and 8) are reported annually from either internal or external sources, for Actions (3, 5, 6, and 7,) updates are as follows. 2.6 Action 3 - (Parental Employment Support Fund) – In 2022/23, this action, supported 104 parents with 40 parents secure employment and 18 employed parents attaining additional work progression. From April 2023 to December 2023, 42 unemployed parents have been supported into work, with 77% sustaining employment for at least 26 weeks and 23 employed parents on low incomes supported into better paid employment. Following funding from the Scottish Government under the Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2022/26. North Lanarkshire Employability Partnership Group who had received authorisation to allocate funds in relation to employability projects in 2021, by the Enterprise and Growth Committee (19/5/2021), awarded grants totalling £547k to 9 projects which included partners such as New Lanarkshire College, One Parent Families Scotland, Enable and Motherwell CAB which started in October 2023 targeting support on low-income parents. Page 61 of 66
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2.7 The Employability Service have decided to rename the Parental Employment Support Fund to ‘Working Families’ to reflect a more inclusive approach to assisting families into employment and to recognise the higher levels of support which will be delivered. Locally the ‘Working Families’ Programme, from June 2023 is working with 65 parents (23 are in employment and 42 unemployed). The name change will be reflected in the future Action Plans and Update reports. 2.8 Action 5 - (Supported Enterprise) – In 2022/2023 the Supported Employment Service supported 210 people on the different stages of the 5-stage employment model, with 129 people receiving various levels of work support and 41 people in the job finding phase. From April 2023 to December 2023, Supported Employment are currently working with over 200 clients with 43 entering employment. The service has high levels of sustainable jobs, compared to other employability projects. 2.9 Action 6 - (No one Left Behind) – In 2022/2023 - No one Left Behind, engaged with 101 people and supported 49 into employment. The focus was on 2 groups, the over 50s and those of any age who are long term unemployed. From 2023 to 2024, the over 50s and those with long term unemployment are now being supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and No One Left Behind is targeting 16 - 24-year-olds and all age unemployment. 2.10 Action 7 – (No One Left Behind Phase 2) – There was no baseline for Action 7, in 2022 to 2023 however from April 2023 to December 2023,140 unemployed or economically inactive 16–24-year-olds have been supported into employment with 72% sustaining employment for at least 26 weeks. Following funding from the Scottish Government under the Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2022/26, North Lanarkshire Employability Services have also awarded grants totalling £807k to 8 projects such as Street League, SAMH, LAMH and Princes Trust to name a few, starting in August 2023 targeting support on all age unemployed with barriers to the labour market. 2.11 The Tackling Poverty Officer Action Group agreed that in the next review/update for ‘Income from Employment Driver’ Actions 6 and 7 will be merged into one named Action (Action 6) and to add new Actions to capture the work around Self Employment and activity on the work being done with those who are currently economically inactive, a cohort which is high within North Lanarkshire. 2.12 Following the review of the ‘Income from Employment’ Actions and data sources provided at the Tackling Poverty Officer Action Group meeting on 15th December 2023, it was agreed that all Actions at this point would be marked as Amber under the RAGG system. 3. Measures of success 3.1 The successful delivery and outcomes of 2023- 2026 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire – Tackling Poverty Strategy – Action Plan. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix 1 - Updated Action Plan ‘Income from Employment – April – December 2023 Alison Gordon Chief Social Work Officer Page 62 of 66
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5. Impacts 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? The Council’s Towards a fairer North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy 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 ☒ There are no new funding requests linked to the recommendations contained in this paper. The activities and programmes described in the report are supported from core Service budgets coupled with earmarked funding received from the Scottish Government. If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts 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 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 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 ☐ Page 63 of 66
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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 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 TPAG has a Communication Subgroup who takes forward any communications/activities for residents/staff on behalf of the TPOAG 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. Page 64 of 66
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5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In North Lanarkshire we recognise that tackling poverty and inequality does not fall to one Service, or one Sector, we must therefore work together to use our resources effectively and efficiently to ensure that all our communities have access to opportunities that will lead to better outcomes for people in terms of employment, wellbeing and inclusive growth. If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☒ No ☐ Page 65 of 66
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TP Strategy and LCPAR TP Strategy No Action Brief Description Baseline April 2023 Current Status Dec 2023 RAGG Identify if applies to TPS &/or LCPAR Lead Team Monitoring Information 1 North Lanarkshire to increase the number of people employed and receiving the real living wage Payment of the living wage by employers is amongst those interventions that can support people out of poverty and is part of wider Fair Work commitments 123 employers have achieved accreditation, with 7053 employees benefiting from the living wage Annual Update from External Source amber TP Strategy and LCPAR NLC Employability VANL for CVS * Number of employers paying the living wage * Number of employees receiving the living wage 2 Social Values North Lanarkshire will look to integrate social values and the objectives into the tendering process that will allow the weighting for fair work to be flexible to ensure that social values and community benefits are embedded in the contract . 5% current weighting applied Annual Update from Internal Source Amber TP Strategy and LCPAR Procurement Number of tenders where higher weighting was applied to living wage providers 3 Parental Employment Support Fund Support families who are in or at risk of poverty to support/ access into work. Refreshed publicity to partners and public required 22/23 - 40 parents have secured employment. Further 18 employed parents have progressed within employment. 104 parents have registered and are engaging with the Project. 42 unemployed parents supported into work with 77% sustaining employment for at least 26 weeks and 23 employed parents on low incomes supported into better paid employment. Nine grant funded projects totalling £547k started in October 2023 targeting support on low income parents. amber TP Strategy and LCPAR Employability Routes to Work Number of parents entering and within target groups progressing in employment 4 Identify pathways within labour market growth sectors or areas of high replacement demand which will provide progression routes out of low pay in North Lanarkshire. As part of the Council's Workforce for the Future Strategy and associated plan, work progression pathways will be identified for key labour market growth sectors or those with high replacement demand. These will focus on progression routes out of low pay and strategies for engaging young people (in schools) and those economically active in the labour market (through Routes to Work) to consider increasing their qualification levels and job prospects to improve average weekly wage levels and alleviate “in work” poverty. Average weekly wage in North Lanarkshire £548.90 Annual Update from External Source amber TP Strategy and LCPAR Enterprise Team Number of people progressing to higher paid jobs within North Lanarkshire Noomis statistics for levels of qualifications within working age population and average weekly wage 5 Supported Enterprise Targeted employability support on people with disabilities or other significant barriers to help them secure fair and sustained work. Also support for disabled parents to enter employment. 22/23 - Supported Employment currently supporting 210 people on the different stages of the 5 stage employment model - 129 people currently receiving various levels of work support 41 people currently job finding Supported Employment currently working with over 200 clients with 43 entering employment. High levels of sustainable jobs amber TP Strategy and LCPAR Employability Number of people progressing to higher paid jobs within North Lanarkshire Noomis statistics for levels of qualifications within working age population and average weekly wage 6 No one Left Behind Targeted employability support for vulnerable young people who have mental health problems, the BAME community and over 50s, with delivery through CVS organisations. In addition funding identified to support 200 young people. 22/23 - Engaged with 101 people and supported 49 into employment. The focus is on 2 groups, the over 50s and those of any age who are long term unemployed. The over 50s and those with long term unemplyment are now being supported by the UK Shared Proseprity Fund and NOLB is targeting 16 - 24 year olds and all age unemployment in 2023/24. amber TP Strategy and LCPAR Employability Number of people in target groups employed. Number of young people supported to gain qualifications 7 No One Left Behind Phase 2 implement grant programme in 2022/23 to distribute £1.6 million to employment projects across North Lanarkshire which target support on groups who may be in poverty due to unemployment N/A No One Left Behind: 140 unemployed or economically inactive 16-24 year olds supported into employment with 72% sustaining employment for at least 26 weeks. Eight grant funded projects totalling £807k started in August 2023 targeting support on all age unemployed with barriers to the labour market. amber TP Strategy and LCPAR Employability Number of people in target groups employed 8 Living Hours Adequate income is reliant on both living wage rate and also sufficient working hours to provide a liveable income. Living hours are part of wider Fair Work commitments N/A Annual Update from External Source amber TP Strategy and LCPAR NLC Employability VANL for CVS number of employers providing living hours employment. Number of employees working living hours Tackling Poverty Strategy Action Plan 2023 - 2026 INCREASE INCOME VIA EMPLOYENT Page 66 of 66