Home Link Family Support, in partnership with Midlothian Sure Start, Lawfield Primary School, Children 1st and Play Therapy Base have won the award for Charity Partnership with the Third Sector Awards.
We are all very proud of our organisations and the collaborative work which we do and have been taking turns at displaying our award with pride.
We are delighted to have been shortlisted for a national award – the Third Sector Awards – Charity Partnership of the Year, for the Lawfield Community Project
The project is centred around Lawfield Primary School in Mayfield, Midlothian.
Lawfield is a new school created in 2008 following the merger of two local primary schools. It has a school roll of 380.
The majority of pupils are experiencing socio-economic disadvantage with 33% of pupils eligible for free school meals. Attainment in literacy is poor – for example, out of a sample of 85 second level pupils, 52% of these were attaining below expected levels in literacy. The school was facing high levels of exclusions, incidences of violence and the senior management team had a high turnover.
Voluntary sector partner agencies agreed to support the school. A pilot – the Lawfield Community Project was set up test out how to best support the school and show case how the voluntary sector can help meet a specific need in the community by working in partnership with each other and statutory partners to make a difference.
This project led to new ways of working, joint working process, a single allocation process, removal of scatter gun referrals, a single point of access for families and impacts in relation to childrens’ attainment. In addition, the community has engaged with the school
The voluntary sector partnership is between Home Link Family Support, Children 1st, Midlothian Sure Start and Play Therapy Base who are all looking forward to the judge’s final decision in September 2017
We were delighted and impressed to receive a cheque for £900 yesterday from Karen Murray of Cranley Nurseries. It was raised by ten Nursery staff who ran the Edinburgh Marathon for us!
We are very proud of ALL 75 of our volunteers but some have had special recognition this Volunteers Week:
Flora Michalopoulou received the Health and Wellbeing Award in Midlothian, for her gentle persistence with a mother who could not leave the house and is now not only out and enjoying life but also volunteering herself. Mum is delighted with the match: ‘She says I can really talk to Flora I don’t feel pressured and the kids love her. She’s helped me to do my own volunteering and I have been out on my own too. I took the kids to gymnastics alone and enjoyed it and will go back.’
Ingrid Tait received an Edinburgh Inspiring Volunteer Award for supporting a family with complex needs, they said that Ingrid was “fantastic, so easy to talk to. I felt supported and much more confident. The children always love to read with Ingrid as soon as she comes in. We do loads of activities. Ingrid always has great ideas of what to do, and she helped us find new places to go, and work out the bus routes.”
Anna Batink also received an Edinburgh Inspiring Volunteer Award. The mum in the family said her biggest achievement from Anna’s support has been to help her to trust again, make new friends and improve her boundaries. “Anna helped me to trust again and get back my confidence”.
Anna says it has been well worth it because ‘I felt appreciated by the family and that I am helpful to them which is the most important thing for me.’
Mary Lilley also received an Edinburgh Inspiring Volunteer Award Mary has supported 3 families over the past two and a half years. Her most recent family say “Thank you for sending me my Mary, my son loves her so much he has tried to follow her home! She is easy to talk to and is building my confidence – she understands my anxiety issues. The match simply couldn’t have been any better, my son really looks forward to Mary’s visits and I feel like I am beginning to enjoy motherhood at last.’
We are grateful to the intrepid staff of Cranley Nurseries who again have tackled Edinburgh’s Marathons to raise funds for Home Link Family Support.
We are amazed that staff who work all week with little children still have the energy to pound the streets on a baking hot day.
Photos coming soon
You can still donate to the magnificent runners at https://mydonate.bt.com/events/edinburghmarathonhlfs/438427
We’re delighted that Flora Michalopoulou has recieved the health and Well being award at the splendid Midlothian Volunteer awards.
Flora was given the award for her work with an isolated Midlothian family. Flora visited a family in which mum’s mental health meant that she never left the house. Flora’s unstinting support was key to raising mum’s confidence that now a year later she is able to get out and about with the children and is regularly volunteering herself.
The award was sponsored by Midlothian Health and Social Care Partnership.
We are currently running 2 Stay and Play groups and 1 Bumps and Babies group in Edinburgh and 1 Stay and Play group in Midlothian during term time. These groups are open to families with children under 5 years of age and are free for families/caregivers to attend. Parents can just drop in with their children for a chat with the workers or join in with some of the activities on offer. This includes; free play, singing, stories and arts and crafts as well as a great selection of toys to play with. It is a great opportunity to meet new people and for children to get involved in these activities with parents/caregivers. For further details please see below.
Stay and Play Pilton:
Come along to West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre (19 West Pilton Grove, Edinburgh, EH4 4BY) on Mondays from 11am – 12.30pm. This group runs during term time only. For more information please call Lyndsey on 0131 661 0890
Stay and Play Goodtrees:
This group runs every Wednesday 11-12:30pm during term time and is open to parents and carers with children under the age of 5. Come and see us at Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre (11-15 Moredunvale Place, Edinburgh, EH17 7LB) or for further information please call Nadia or Esther on 0131 661 0890
Bumps and Babies:
This group is for expectant parents and parents/carers with babies who are not yet on the move. Come and join us at Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre (11-15 Moredunvale Place, Edinburgh, EH17 7LB) every Tuesday 1.15pm – 2.45pm during term time. For more information please call Helen on 0131 661 0890.
Stay and Play Midlothian:
Based at Newbattle Community Learning Centre (67 Gardiner Place, Newtongrange, Dalkeith EH22 4RT) every Thursday 10-11am. For more information please call Rachel on 0131 661 0890.
This week 2 charities have joined forces with a Boxing Gym, a Chartered Accountants and Business Adviser and an Edinburgh School to ensure that Lothian families don’t miss out this Christmas. They have been collecting, buying and distributing hundreds of toys and food parcels.
Local charity Home Link Family Support made a list of 45 families who were struggling to afford Christmas this year.
Scott Moncrieff staff members chose a family and went shopping for them, buying amazing presents: scooters, books, farms, dolls and trucks. Freshstart collected up a large van full of gifts and delivered them to Home Link Family Support’s office where their co-ordinators were ready to deliver them to individual families across Edinburgh and Midlothian. The presents are deliberately delivered unwrapped but with plenty of paper and sellotape, so that the parents will get the satisfaction of wrapping the gifts themselves and know what each child is getting.
This year Home Link also received fantastic gifts via Cody’s Xmas Toy Box organised by 8 yr old Cody McManus and Holyrood Boxing Gym.
And just to put the icing literally on the cake – Edinburgh Academy gathered donations of gorgeous festive food – cakes, chocolates, pies and juices for 20 Christmas hampers.
Now the goodies are all delivered to the families ready for wrapping for Christmas Day.
Most of the families had no idea that they were getting anything and they said:
Organisations involved:
Santa’s definitely coming to a lot of families in Edinburgh and Midlothian who weren’t going to be able to afford much this Christmas.
Thanks to heaps and heaps of donated presents from Scott Moncrieff business advisers and accountants, organised by Freshstart.
We gave them the anonymised details of families and Scott Moncrieff staff picked a family and went shopping on their behalf. They bought loads! Dolls, cars, baby gyms, even a ball pool.
The presents will be delivered to families in Edinburgh and Midlothian over the next few weeks. Merry Christmas!
On Tues 29 Nov we held a launch for our new services to support families in Edinburgh. With inspiring addresses from Sarah Burns, SE Edinburgh Locality, Gordon McLean Acting GIRFEC Lead Officer for City of Edinburgh Council, and children’s author Vivian French.
We were joined by associated organisations supporting children and families: Bookbug, Peeple, Advice Shop, Children 1st, Action for Sick Children, Home Start, Sleep Scotland, Teens +, Befriending Networks, Circle, One Parent Families, Multicultural Family Base,
Vital Service for Families to Reach across Edinburgh after Funding Boost
A charity that provides vital help to support struggling families with young children has been given a massive funding boost that will allow it offer services across the whole of Edinburgh for the first time.
Home Link Family Support – which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year – has received £500,000 from the Big Lottery Fund which will fund the expansion of its early years (antenatal) home visiting service for the five years.
The grant – the biggest in the organisations history – will also fund the recruitment of two Early Years Coordinators to enhance the Family Support Service in Edinburgh, which helps parents from all social backgrounds who may have various problems such as health, depression or financial issues.
The charity, which covers both Edinburgh and Midlothian, has now launched a drive to attract more volunteers to support its growing workload – offering the opportunity of a rewarding experience which brings high levels of personal benefits.
Manager Paula Swanston said she feels truly privileged to have staff and volunteers who put in endless commitment and belief into what they are trying to achieve.
She said: “We have over30 years of success delivering family support in the south of the city. But with the Big Lottery funding we will now have the capacity to reach and support more children and their families; helping tackle issues of isolation and children’s wellbeing though our early intervention work. “
“This grant is a massive show of confidence in the great work we are doing and have been doing – much of it largely unknown.
“The majority of our service is delivered by a dedicated, highly trained team of volunteers who give up their own time to visit the families at home.”
“Volunteers are able to build a trusting relationship with families giving them more confidence to access services and opportunities that social barriers prevent them benefitting from.
“We are effective because families let us in where some professionals can struggle. Families know that volunteers are there because they want to be, not because they are paid to be. We are filling the gaps of key partners who have large caseloads and little time to do all the early intervention that is needed– so we can prevent situations escalating into crises.”
Paula added: “Our volunteers tell us that their experience with Home Link Family Support is really rewarding. For some, it is the opportunity to get upskilled for future careers and for those who have retired; it’s a chance to continue to use valuable skills that they have such as ex midwives, nurses and social workers.
“They receive training and supervision that is appropriate to enable them to be competent to meet family need, ensuring they feel properly supported and able to deliver excellent service to families.”
As well as the Family Support Service and Antenatal) Support Service, Home Link Family Support operates a Midlothian Young Parents Support Service and a unique Systemic Family Counselling Service in Midlothian.
Any family with a child under five who is experiencing difficulties can be eligible for a family support volunteer – which often leads to them reporting that they are happier and more able to cope with their children.
Paula added: “We aim to support parents to fully engage with the positive emotional development of their children, to help nurture healthy parent-child relationships, and to encourage parents to fully understand and participate in their child’s early learning.
“Through early intervention we seek to support families to bring up their children so that they can become successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.”
In its last year, Home Link Family Support has provided more than 8000 home visits and 40,000 volunteer hours – equivalent to the economic value of £288,500.
One mother, who was struggling with post-natal depression, commented: “You have so much guilt when you have post-natal depression. She (volunteer) just took so much of that pressure away.
I just appreciated having a kind and friendly person who was genuinely interested in me, my life and my children. She made me realise that I am not alone and that there are wonderful people in the world who are willing to give up their spare time to spend with complete strangers and help them out when they are really struggling.
As a family we’re nearly there now. I feel so much better in myself. I feel so much stronger and that I can do it now.”
Up to 50 new volunteers are being sought any people interested should call 0131 661 0890.
