Forth Sector News
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Visits
the Businesses.
(23 Sept 2010)
The Right Honourable Iain Duncan Smith MP, Secretary of State
for Work and Pensions visited Edinburgh Embroidery Services, The Soap
Co production unit and Parkview Laundry on Wednesday (22/09/10)
The tour of the businesses was organised by the DWP and Susan McLaughlin
of Employability Services and was an opportunity for Forth Sector to
demonstrate its role in helping people back to work. Iain Duncan. Smith
sees social enterprise firms as playing a key role in his reforms of
the welfare system.
Mr Duncan Smith said: "It's absolutely fantastic what's going
on here today. It's exactly what's required, helping people with difficulties
get back into employment."
He said that the Westminster coalition government's new Work Programme
would use such organisations to provide tailored support to the unemployed.
Mr Duncan Smith said: "Stepping stones through organisations
like this, I think, will be absolutely critical and I'll be insisting
on it, that organisations like this are involved in the contracts and
packages.
"The whole thing is a really good lesson to us as we move through the
Work Capability Assessment (WCA) - moving people from incapacity benefit to
work-related programmes.
"It's very important for us to tie in to organisations like this so you
can get that personalised focused support which is necessary for people who
have had difficulties in their lives and find it difficult to get back into
work."
He was presented with an embroidered polo shirt from EES and some soap
from the Soap Co.
From the businesses he left to speak at the Welfare to Work Convention
at the EICC - which following the UK General Election, this annual
Convention will focus on the particular challenges and opportunities
for Scotland’s labour market, employability and anti-poverty
policies.
The Convention provides an opportunity to discuss current issues, hear the latest ideas and analysis, debate on the latest policies and to consider best practice in service delivery to help people into sustainable employment in light of the changing UK political landscape.
Links to news stories - Scotsman Herald
German Interns
Forth Sector was delighted to work with the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce on a series of internships for graduates from Augsburg (Germany) in February and March. The interns were briefed on three separate projects, and were mentored throughout by Forth Sector managers. The work encompassed detailed research on process costs, capacity and productivity in one of the Forth Sector businesses, opportunities for Forth Sector Development to increase its awareness of and involvement with Social Enterprise in Europe, and the effectiveness and efficiency of systems and process employed by Forth Sector’s Finance department. Each intern presented a summary of their work at a presentation on March 18th, attended by Herr Alexander Mundigl, Vice Consul, from the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, and representatives from the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and Forth Sector.
Embroidery in Space!!
One of Forth Sector’s businesses – Edinburgh Embroidery Services – was honoured to be asked to produce an embroidered pennant, marking the occasion of a planned trip into space by Piers Sellars, a NASA astronaut and Edinburgh University alumnus. The pennant, duly embroidered to the usual high standard, was handed over to Professor John Moncrieff at the end of January. Professor Moncrieff will present the pennant to Piers Sellars prior to the next Shuttle flight, and, following its round the world trip, it will be handed back to the University, at a ceremony at Old College.
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