West Lothian Council delivers

Community advice

 

Regeneration and Employability

Community Regeneration

The role of the Community Regeneration Officers is to work with communities and partner agencies to ensure that communities in West Lothian help identify those issues that they feel most strongly about and are genuinely engaged in the processes involved in addressing these. Partners use this to work together to ensure they provide better and more responsive public services and develop, where appropriate, new projects and innovative approaches to problems.
 
In particular Community Regeneration targets those areas that suffer from higher levels of deprivation as identified by the Scottish Government?s Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. This targeting means that resources can be brought to bear in the areas where need is most required. This is often around key areas such as young people (in particular the MCMC group), employment support, early years, financial advice and health. 
 
Community Regeneration Officers will work with local partners in each area to develop a flexible action plan to help deliver on locally identified needs.

Access2Employment

Access2employment provides West Lothian residents with help and information on finding work as well as training and educationla opportunities. The service is delivered by a team of skilled Employment Advisers in various locations throughout West Lothian.

Access2employment works in partnership with several organisations including Jobcentre Plus, Skills Development Scotland and the Voluntary Sector to ensure that West Lothian Residents receive the help required to move them out of unemployment and into work.

Access2employment offers a wide range of services including:

• Guidance on CV preparation
• Help with application forms
• Interview techniques advice
• Access to the latest vacancies and job search resources
• Advice on local training opportunities
• Free access to computers
• Information on funding to help you move into work

For further information on our locations go to www.westlothian.gov.uk/media/downloaddoc/jobs/a2elocationspdf (new window)

How to contact us?

For further information or to arrange an appointment please contact access2employment on 0800 032 9768, Text JOBS to 60777 or e-mail access2employment@westlothian.gov.uk

Public Health

Who We are

The Public Health Team comprises 3 Public Health Nurses and a Project Officer (Child Healthy Weight, Together for Health). This innovative approach, promoting partnership and multi-agency working was the first of it's type in Scotland and started in 2006.

What we Do

Our overall objective is to provide support and work with partners to improve health and reduce health inequalities in West Lothian.

Key within this work are:

• Reduce inequalities in health by working with vulnerable communities to improve health outcomes and access to services.
• Raise awareness of health issues and support the increase of positive healthy behaviours in communities.
• Increase involvement / participation of community groups in all areas contributing to health by sharing health information to encourage individuals, families and vulnerable groups, to become more active in developing healthy lifestyles
• Improve population health for example reducing alcohol abuse, obesity in children, improvinge sexual health behaviour. & wellbeing
• Promote, develop and contribute to sustainable partnership working

Our priority programmes of work includes the following:

• Alcohol Reduction Project
• Child Healthy Weight (T4H)
• Oral Health
• Sexual Health - Reduction of Teenage Pregnancies
• Older people's project
• National Public Health Campaigns
• Breast feeding

For further information e-mail the team at commteam@westlothian.gov.uk

Voluntary Organisations Commissioning Services and Information Sources

West Lothian Council commissions a wide range of voluntary organisations to provide specific social and community-based services that support individuals and communities most in need.  These services are mainly delivered throughout West Lothian in partnership with voluntary organisations and have a clear focus on the achievement of positive outcomes for service users.

The Council can also refer individual residents of West Lothian to appropriate sources of information regarding voluntary projects that are not for personal benefit.  One local source, the Voluntary Sector Gateway West Lothian, can be accessed by clicking on: http://www.voluntarysectorgateway.org (new window)

Scottish Business in the Community

Scottish Business in the Community in partnership with West Lothian Council, delivers a highly successful Voluntary Sector Development Programme across West Lothian that strengthens the ability of community organisations and groups to build their structures, systems, people and skills so that they are better able to define and achieve their objectives and engage in consultation and planning, manage community projects and take part in partnerships and community enterprises.

The programme was developed through consultation with the sector and therefore includes a wide variety of contents, processes and desired outcomes that are intended to be facilitative rather than directive and empowering rather than encouraging dependency. 

SBC's programme includes aspects of training, organisational and personal development and resource building, organised in a planned and self-conscious manner, reflecting the principles of empowerment and equality.   The three layers of linked activity are identified ? at individual, organisational and community level.

Funding

Attracting external funding to support projects in communities and across West Lothian can be vital to addressing local issues and maintaining services.  Sources of funding are wide ranging but generally fall into the following categories:

• Lottery (Big Lottery, Sportscotland, Arts (Creative Scotland), Heritage Lottery, Awards for All)
• Government
• European
• Charitable Trusts

To help groups identify potential funding sources Regeneration and Employability provide support through the provision of a number of funding related services.
These include:

• Local Funding Newsletter - Produced Quarterly
• Funding Bulletin - one off funding related
• Funding Events - occasional funding and related events
• West Lothian 4 Communities is a Free on line database of funding sources that enables you to search for schemes and funds available in the local area that match your organisation's profile. See West Lothian 4 Community (new window). This project is run in partnership with Midlothian and East Lothian councils and has been part funded by LEADER.

See http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/Community-life-and-leisure/335/347/ (new window) for more information.

Fairtrade

Regeneration and Employability also lead on support for Fairtrade in West Lothian. In September 2011 West Lothian became a Fairtrade Zone following a campaign. See link to Fairtrade pages http://www.westlothian.gov.u/Community-life-and-leisure/335/Fairtrade/ (new window)

Families

Community Regeneration works in partnership with other early years services to support parents and carers of pre-school children to have an active role in the planning of early years services within their communities.

Customer Service Standards

Under review.

Contact information:

Regeneration and Employability
West Lothian Civic Centre
2nd Floor North
Howden South Road
Livingston
EH54 6FF

Updated: 30/01/12