Community Skills Exchange

This voluntary skills exchange is intended to help Skye and Lochalsh community groups to link up and learn from each other. Your experience and skills acquired through working on a local project will be invaluable to other groups just starting out. Help them to feel less daunted and isolated by passing on practical know-how, useful contacts and good practice tips. Your advice could provide a shortcut to their success.

A few lines describing your areas of expertise and the type of help you can offer is all that is needed, plus a contact person for your group. Simply submit your details online through the Contact Us facility for display on this page. Remember, you may find another group can help you achieve something in return.

Skye & Lochalsh Mental Health Association (SLMHA)

The Association runs drop-in centres for anyone affected by mental health problems at Am Fasgadh in Portree and the community hall in Kyleakin. These provide a home from home environment where people can relax, meet other people and talk in confidence about their problems. Advice and practical help on a range of issues are available. Low cost high quality meals are always available. The facilities at Am Fasgadh include pool and snooker, free internet access, a range of games, Nintendo Wii, shower and laundry. There are opportunities to get involved in art and craft activities and gardening, plus other groups that run from time to time according to interest.

 We can help other groups with

• Mental health awareness – we run an introductory training course
• Grant applications – we have been successful in getting many different kinds of funding
• Any other aspect of our experiences of providing a service, governance, training, budget control etc.

Contact: Alex Jones, 01478 613533  

More on SLMHA 
 

Skye and Lochalsh Women @ Work

The WEA Scotland's Women@Work  Project is a Highland-wide women's network which provides information, learning and support for working women, paid and unpaid. The Project helps women to understand issues, develop skills and enables them to speak out about issues that matter to them in the home, at work and in the community.

Women@Work  provides: lunchtime and evening meetings in seven Highland areas; networking opportunities; newsletters; conferences; training days; e-bulletin; consultation; participation; opportunities to publicise your business.

If you would like to be included on the Skye and Lochalsh mailing list please contact: Fiona MacEwan 01599 566766 or fiona.macewan@btopenworld.com or for more information visit www.weawomenatwork.org.uk

 Skye & Lochalsh Citizens Advice Bureau

• Training for volunteers in CAB work
• Training for management committees
Contact: Morag Hannah

More on CAB

Skye and Lochalsh Young Carers Project

The Young Carers are children and young adults under the age of 18 whose life is in some ways restricted because they need to take responsibility for the care of someone who is ill, has a disability, is experiencing mental illness or who is affected by alcohol or substance abuse.
Our support groups provide:
• An independent service for us as young carers
• Supporters we can trust to listen, understand and support us
• Time out and space from responsibilities
• Advice and advocacy support when we need it
• Information we can make sense of
• Friends who understand us, whom we can trust
• People to recognise and involve us in decisions
• Outings and opportunities to improve our skills
• All information we share is treated with respect and nothing is shared unless we want it to be. The project works by us being able to trust the project support workers and volunteers.

The weekly support groups meet after school:
• on Mondays in Kyleakin for young carers from south Skye and Lochalsh
• on Tuesdays in Portree for primary school youngsters from north Skye
• on Wednesdays in Portree for secondary school age young people from north Skye
• on Thursdays there is an Arts / Media training group

The project pays for all transport, including getting us home after group meetings, and for respite outings; it also pays for activities and meals or snacks.

You can join Young Carers by contacting the project yourself, or by asking a friend, family member or teacher to contact us for you.
Phone 01478 613617
Email mjagger@slccf.fsnet.co.uk
Send a letter to Victoria Cottage, Hedgefield Road, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9GF