Another year flown by!
2022 has been exciting, challenging, busy, inspiring, sometimes disheartening – we’re used to ups and downs in the third sector, but this year really kept us on our toes!
We’re looking aback at 22 highlights from CVS Inverclyde from the past year.
Inverclyde rallies to help Ukraine
Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine ended nearly a century of peace on our continent. But Inverclyde rallied to offer support. A huge pop-up donation Hub opened on Cathcart House and quickly became inundated. CVS Inverclyde were drafted in to help support the call-out for volunteers required to empty delivery vans, sort, and re-package donations for their onward journey to Poland.
Read more here. https://inverclydelife.com/community-spotlight/ukraine-how-inverclyde-rallied-together
Time to Talk Day video with our Community Link Workers (CLWs)
The Community Link Worker team delivered a powerful message as part of Time to Talk Day, a campaign to encourage us all to talk about our mental health.
“Talk to people, surround yourself with people who know you, even if you don’t want to talk about your mental health, just be around people who actually accept you for just who you are with, no explanation.”
Watch the video here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnG_O0ODwso
Strategic Plan 2023 – 25
In 2022, we launched our three-year strategic plan. In our plan we set out our mission, values, beliefs and principles and what actions we will take over the next three years to help create a confident, inclusive and successful Inverclyde.
Read our Strategy: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kiV3nOTGKSoYi0yvUp-rem8y3WB5AoD2/view?usp=sharing
New CLW Recording System
Our Inverclyde CLWs have implemented a new recording system, in partnership with SCVO, to enable more detail to be recorded in relation to patient needs. This in turn influences how they report on gaps in services and helps identify where there is a need for more resources.
Team Activities
The CVSI team had some fantastic team events throughout the year. It was a brilliant day at our photo/social event during the summer – just great to spend some time together as a team. It’s so important to make these little moments to connect and laugh when we have the chance.
Volunteers’ Week event
Every year, during the first week of June, we celebrate and recognise the incredible contribution volunteers make in Inverclyde and all across Scotland. In June we gathered for a get-together in Battery Park. The sun shone for us and we had a lovely day celebrating with volunteers (though the doggos in Battery Park definitely stole the show!)
CLW team growing
We have added to our CLW team this year and have enjoyed welcoming our new colleagues into the service – our CLWs come from a range of disciplines which reflect the range of patient needs across all areas of life.
Inverclyde’s Third Sector Conference 2022
The CVSI team delivered an outstanding conference in November! We focused on the cost of living crisis: how it’s impacting both our communities and also our third sector groups. We had an incredible line-up of local and national speakers.
Read more here. https://www.cvsinverclyde.org.uk/news/2358-cvs-inverclyde-thanks-partners-for-successful-and-impactful-conference
Cost of Living Campaign
This year the cost of living crisis has affected almost all aspects of our lives and has pushed many to the brink. Inverclyde Life has been running a campaign to highlight what support is available to support people including financial support and mental health support.
Discover more: https://inverclydelife.com/services/browse/advice-money?tag=cost-of-living-crisis
Inverclyde’s Volunteer Three Year Plan
The Plan was officially signed off by Inverclyde’s Alliance Board and was formally launched on the 1st April 2022. The three year plan includes five priorities: Participation and Promotion, Volunteering for the Future, Volunteering for All, Employment and Deprivation, Revive and Recovery. The plan will be rolled out over the next three years by the delivery group. The partners include CVSI, Inverclyde Council and various community organisations.
Appointment of I-Promise coach and modelling practitioner
In 2022, CVS appointed Jennifer Leith as a I-Promise coach and modelling practitioner for Inverclyde’s third sector. Jennifer works as part of a team across the third, public sector and wider stakeholders to improve practice, culture and systems to #keepthepromise for children and young people in Inverclyde, ensuring that they grow up loved, safe and respected, and realise their full potential. Jennifer said: “We hope to change the language that is currently in use which the young people have highlighted as making them feel different to their peers and we will encourage all professionals to think about the language they use when supporting their young people.”
Galoshans Festival
The iconic Inverclyde Festival returned for its eight year in October. The ten day festival is centred around Halloween traditions and its aim is to celebrate the wealth of art and culture that Inverclyde has to offer. The theme for 2022’s festival was based on Scotland’s rich culture of storytelling, celebrating the traditions of passing tales and fables through the ages and incorporating the mystery and magic surrounding them.
Discover more here. https://www.galoshansfestival.com/
Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund
Third Sector Interfaces were tasked with administering this Scottish Govt fund. In 2021-22 Inverclyde was awarded over £240k to support adult mental health in our area. Our funding team awarded funds to local groups who have used the money to support mental health in the wake of the pandemic.
You Can read stories of how the money was used on Inverclyde Life’s Community Spotlight Blog. https://inverclydelife.com/community-spotlight
Kindness Awards
As part of the Inverclyde Cares initiative, the Inverclyde Kindness awards recognise every day acts of kindness. All year we have been handing out awards to local people who show kind actions making Inverclyde a caring place to live, even small acts which make a big difference.
If you would like to nominate yourself or someone you know for an act of kindness, read more here.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JCd8qg8WlHjbESn6BCqG0wib1Mat752j/view?usp=sharing
Challenge Stigma Events
All year we ran events to challenge stigma in Inverclyde. In February we launched the series with an event with special guests Louise Long, Inverclyde Council CEO, and Dr Katy Proctor, lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Glasgow Caledonian University. Our second event, entitled ‘Oor Bairns 5 Years on,’ revisited one of the workshops from the first event and looked at the circumstances of fictional children and the what stigma they could face in their lives. Our third event was on Overdose Awareness Day and involved participants from Jericho House who shared stories and experience of how language can contribute to stigma. Out forth event was featured as part of our conference line-up and focused on poverty and stigma with special guest Dr Greig Inglis, lecturer in psychology at the University of the West of Scotland.
Challenge Stigma Lived Experience Videos
Lived experience is at the heart of our Challenge Stigma project and one of the ways we have captured the feelings and perspectives of those who have experienced stigma is through our video series. Watch here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnVOAEZvbxzoGK33IpKLKYYstu2BHL6g
Recovery Opens Doors Event
August 31 was International Overdose Awareness Day and third and public sector organisations worked in partnership to plan a Recovery Opens Doors event in Inverclyde. On that day, organisations opened their doors to all so everyone could learn more about what recovery support is available locally and how we’re tackling drugs death in Inverclyde. CVS Inverclyde featured one of our Challenge Stigma events as part of the programme for the day.
Improved CLW Practices
The CLW have fully implemented Group Reflective Practice sessions which enable them to, anonymously discuss more challenging situations so patients have the whole team behind them when required, rather than just their allocated practice CLW. This has also provided excellent learning opportunities for the team as a whole.
Bereavement Charter Mark Award
CVS Inverclyde is the first employer organisation in Scotland to be awarded the Bereavement Charter mark. The Bereavement Charter for Scotland is a set of statements which describe how people and communities who are bereaved in Scotland can be supported. The Charter, created based on a human rights approach, is for everyone in Scotland, and it aims to make a difference to the experience of people who are facing death, dying and bereavement in their community. In order to gain the Charter mark, CVS Inverclyde has adopted a range of new policies and measures to offer bereavement support to our employees after a period of consulting and workshopping with our team.
Winter Wellness Week
In February, workers from across the HSCP, 3rd and Independent Sectors and Primary Care Staff were invited to take part in a week of self-care and wellbeing activities. We worked with Inverclyde’s HSCP to deliver the week’s line-up including yoga, drawing, back care, nutritional support and more.
Warm Hand of Friendship Fund and Mapping
As part of the cost of living crisis support, Inverclyde Council has made funding available for third sector groups to create a warm space or activity to support anyone struggling to keep warm this winter. CVS Inverclyde administered the fund and created a Map of what activities/spaces are available in each area of Inverclyde.
New CLW Team Members and Sharing Success
We have added to our CLW team this year and have enjoyed welcoming our new colleagues into the service – our CLWs come from a range of disciplines which reflect the range of patient needs across all areas of life. While we have had a range of very challenging external factors to deal with over 2022, it has been equally important that we share our successes, both as a team and as part of our reporting processes. There have been a high number of successes reported and these have all, no matter how small or large they may appear, have had a significant impact on patient lives.