Fairer Scotland
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Designing a benefit service with those who will use it
23rd October 2020 by Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP
This week we will be sharing details of what our new disability benefits will look and feel like for those who interact with our new benefit system. In a series of policy position papers we will set out the journey from application right through to the appeal process. Something that permeates through all our plans...
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Period Products in Schools Regulations coming in to force
19th October 2020 by Aileen Campbell
Having your period is natural and normal. Period products are not a luxury. That’s why the Scottish Government is campaigning to tackle the stigma around menstruation and period products, and why we are investing and taking action to make sure that everyone has access to vital products. Today marks a significant milestone in our journey...
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World Food Day: Growing, nourishing and sustaining together
16th October 2020 by fairer-scotland
The theme of this year’s World Food Day is to grow, nourish and sustain together. The coronavirus pandemic has placed huge strain on people and communities all over the world. But it has also accelerated action at a local and national level to tackle food insecurity here in Scotland. Lindsay Graham is a member of...
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Responding to the mental health challenge of COVID-19: Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey
9th October 2020 by admin
Today is World Mental Health Day, and this year’s theme is ‘mental health for all’. I doubt there is a single one of us who hasn’t thought about our own mental wellbeing, or worried about others, at some point during 2020. We have all been through a lot, and the introduction of temporary measures now...
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Updated plan to tackle homelessness
9th October 2020 by Kevin Stewart MSP
The shared vision to end homelessness and rough sleeping has not changed during the pandemic but our determination has increased. Fundamentally we want everyone to have a warm safe home to live in and so for anyone affected by homelessness we want them to have access to the housing and support they need. The emergency...
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Social Renewal Advisory Board: A Recovery for Everyone – Emma Ritch, Executive Director of Engender
9th October 2020 by fairer-scotland
Covid-19 has exposed faultlines of inequality and injustice that that have long existed in our society and in our homes. The way in which we recover from this public health crisis could either see a rollback of women’s rights or a step towards a world in which women have more equal access to resources, power,...
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Social Renewal Advisory Board: Communities, Kindness and Compassion – Fiona Lees, Chief Executive of East Ayrshire Council
8th October 2020 by fairer-scotland
Covid-19 may be a global pandemic, but its impact and our response is found in local communities. In the worst of times we have seen the best of humanity. People have reached out to help one another and communities have felt empowered to do what needed to be done. Kindness and compassion have shone through...
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Social Renewal Advisory Board: Building Back Better – Bill Scott , Senior Policy Advisor at Inclusion Scotland and Chair of the Poverty and Inequality Commission
7th October 2020 by fairer-scotland
The Covid 19 pandemic has heightened existing inequalities in Scottish society. Before the pandemic struck almost one in four children lived in poverty , however this rate was considerably higher for some families and groups including lone parents The economic impacts of the pandemic could see more Scots households facing financial insecurity – with many...
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Social Renewal Advisory Board: Compassion and Equality – Maureen Sier, Director of Interfaith Scotland
6th October 2020 by fairer-scotland
Four words are carved on the Mace that sits in the heart of the Scottish Parliament. These are words that embody the values of the people of Scotland. They are universal values and are deeply meaningful. ‘Justice’, ‘Wisdom’, ‘Integrity’ and ‘Compassion’ – powerful words, which require powerful action. As Scotland plans its recovery, the economy must...
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The Social Renewal Advisory Board: Housing, Homelessness and Equality – Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of Crisis
5th October 2020 by fairer-scotland
As we went into lockdown, people experiencing homelessness who were rough sleeping or staying in night shelters were quickly moved to safe emergency accommodation, in a move that has certainly saved lives and demonstrates the determination of the Scottish Government to end homelessness. The creation of the Social Renewal Advisory Board shows that there is...