Fairer Scotland

  • Salar Mohammad Rassoul, a COVID -19 response volunteer at NHS Dumfries and Galloway

    22nd June 2020 by

    “Being a volunteer during the pandemic has really pushed me out of my comfort zone and I’ve gained a lot of confidence just by speaking to people. Volunteering has helped me to connect with Scottish people and I have made so many new friends.” - Salar Mohammad Rassoul appears next to his quote written out in white text on a blue backdrop.

    Salar Mohammad Rassoul, age 40, originally from Syria, has been volunteering with NHS Dumfries and Galloway since September 2019 and is currently involved as a COVID-19 response volunteer. “I moved to Scotland from Syria with my family in April 2018 and I found refuge in Dumfries and Galloway. I am so grateful to the Scottish...

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  • Tackling race inequality

    22nd June 2020 by

    The death of George Floyd has sparked protests across the world highlighting the scale of racial inequality as well as calls for change. I am truly saddened to be writing in the aftermath of this event and realise that, as a result of the privilege I experience as a white person, I can never fully...

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  • World Refugee Day

    20th June 2020 by

    For twenty years, thousands of people from across Scotland have come together to show solidarity with refugees by celebrating the Refugee Festival Scotland and marking World Refugee Day. While we cannot physically gather together this year, it is as important as ever to show our support for people who have had to leave their homes...

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  • Putting tackling homelessness at the heart of our COVID-19 recovery

    4th June 2020 by

    We want to ensure that everyone has a warm, safe home that meets their needs. Our focus has not changed during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic but our ambition has increased. When I last co-chaired the Scottish Government’s Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group (HPSG) in early March, I could not have envisaged all that would be...

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  • Volunteers’ Week

    1st June 2020 by

    It’s hard to imagine it’s been nearly three months since it feels like everything changed. Apart from the essential exemptions, most of us have been doing our bit to help with the COVID-19 response by staying at home for the last couple of months. And although some of the restrictions are beginning to ease slightly...

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  • Support for LGBT during coronavirus – Minister blog

    12th May 2020 by

    Blog by Christina McKelvie, Minister for older people and equalities The coronavirus pandemic is affecting us all in a variety of  different ways. I know that as the lockdown measures across Scotland continue, LGBT people may experience difficulties which are magnified by the inequality that they continue to experience. Many younger LGBT people may not...

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  • A Balancing Act

    9th May 2020 by

    We can all agree these are challenging times, beyond what we could ever imagine. The initial response to coronavirus was to stop the spread, save lives and protect the NHS. Many necessary measures have been put in place to suppress transmission and keep people safe, but we are also looking into the impact of such...

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  • Unsuitable Accommodation Order extended

    5th May 2020 by

    Scottish Government Housing Minister Kevin Stewart

    A Programme for Government commitment to ensure everyone experiencing homelessness has access to suitable quality accommodation has been brought forward in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The Unsuitable Accommodation Order, which currently prohibits local councils from placing pregnant women or families with children into bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) or hotels for more than seven...

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  • Thousands of children eligible for new benefit

    9th April 2020 by

    Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville gives an update on a new game-changing Scottish child payment, in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Every one of us is being affected by the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak gripping the world, which is leaving our people, our communities and our economy facing major challenges. Last week I updated Parliament on...

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  • Ending homelessness together and protecting vulnerable people

    13th March 2020 by

    Earlier this week I was joined by Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick at a meeting of the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group, which is tasked with taking forward the Scottish Government’s Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan. Our main focus at the meeting was Covid-19 and how it will impact those who are experiencing, or at...

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