SLCVO Blog 20 March

This week’s blog highlights the work of Uig Community Trust, explores key discussions from the Children & Young People Wellbeing & Support Forum, and considers how NDTi can support the development of our local Community Outreach Hubs. It also provides a brief update on SCDC’s review of co‑production within the HWWS Collaboration and outlines recent changes to SLCVO’s team structure, including the introduction of a new role.

Team Update

With Michelle away on a well‑earned holiday, it was just Jo‑Anne and Matt at the helm this week—though that certainly didn’t make things any quieter!

Early in the week, Jo‑Anne met with the new Development Officer at Uig Community Trust to hear about their upcoming plans and an exciting new website. It was a great chance to learn more about their direction of travel and explore how we can support their growing work.

Both Jo‑Anne and Matt also met with NHS Highland and NDTI to discuss the progress of the HWWS Collaboration and its developing Community Outreach Hubs. The conversation focused on how these hubs could link more closely with public‑sector Social Work Services, helping strengthen connections and improve pathways for families across the area.

Wednesday was a particularly full day. It began with the HWWS Children & Young People Wellbeing & Support Forum, followed immediately by the SLCVO Board meeting, and rounded off with an early‑evening session with SCDC, who are carrying out an independent review of co‑production within the HWWS Collaboration. A long day—but a productive one.

As the week drew to a close, the focus shifted to writing job descriptions, preparing adverts, and pulling together the blog posts and summaries from the Children & Young People Forum.

All in all, it’s been another busy and fast‑moving week. With the end of the financial year approaching quickly—and the launch of the new Community Hubs on the horizon—we’re very much expecting the run‑up to Easter to be just as full and energetic.

Uig Community Trust

On Monday Jo-Anne met with Rohan Lightfoot Uig Community Trusts Local Development Officer. It was great to catch up with the trust which was established in 2018, to advance community development in all its forms, supporting both long‑term regeneration projects and everyday local needs.

At the heart of its mission is a commitment to managing community land and assets, preserving the area’s heritage, and improving the quality of life for residents. Over the years, the Trust has led or supported a wide range of impactful projects. These include securing the future of the village filling station to protect vital fuel access for locals and visitors, improving the village hall with new toilets and chairs, installing community noticeboards, and helping coordinate the placement of defibrillators. The Trust has also supported food provision through the Kindness Cabin and funded the development of the new Uig Skye website.

Alongside its practical work, the Trust is also helping shape the long‑term future of the area by developing a local development plan, ensuring that future projects reflect the aspirations of the community itself. These forward‑looking efforts demonstrate the Trust’s dedication to sustainable, community‑driven development that benefits both current residents and future generations.

Find out more about the trust on the Uig Skye website https://www.uigskye.co.uk/  

Conversations about Community Hubs with NDTi

On Tuesday, Jo‑Anne and Matt met with Ian Thomson, Head of Service: Quality Assurance, Adult Social Care at NHS Highland, and Lou Close, Associate at the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi). The discussion focused on the work of the Skye and Lochalsh Health, Wellbeing, Welfare and Social Care Collaboration and the development of the upcoming Community Outreach Hubs.

The National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) is a UK social change organisation focused on helping people at risk of exclusion—such as disabled people, older adults, and young people—live the life they choose. Their work centres on inclusion, human rights, and supporting organisations to redesign services so they are person‑centred, accessible, and rooted in community. They are also  a national leader in developing and evaluating Community Hubs, showing how local, welcoming spaces can transform access to health, care, and support.

SLCVO has spent the past three years working closely with local and regional third‑sector organisations, as well as public‑sector teams, through the HWWS Collaboration. Through this work—supported by ongoing research and community engagement—we identified a strong need to bring services closer to the communities that rely on them. The Community Outreach Project responds to this need and aligns with the national shift toward Community Hubs that:

• Are easy to reach, fully accessible, and supported by reliable local transport.

• Bring together a range of professionals, services, and community‑based support in one welcoming, familiar setting.

• Help people understand and access the support available, with volunteers often playing a key role in guiding and signposting.

• Reach all members of the community, including those who may be isolated or excluded, through social media, local networks, and word of mouth.

The meeting explored how the local Outreach Hubs can strengthen support in the community, improve accessibility, and align with wider regional and national approaches to community‑based services. It is hoped that Lou, NDTi’s local Associate—who has strong insight into rural health and social care through her experience living in Wester Ross and serving as Vice Chair of GALE Action Forum in Gairloch—will support the work of the Skye and Lochalsh HWWS Forum. Her involvement would help further develop the hubs and bring NDTi’s training and research into the Collaboration, offering valuable support for the next stage of local development.

For more information about NDTi, visit their website: https://www.ndti.org.uk/ 

To learn how Community Hubs are being used across England, you can download the University of Birmingham report Community Hubs: Making Wellbeing Accessible and Local from the NDTi website:https://www.ndti.org.uk/resource/community-hubs-are-transforming-access-to-local-health-and-care-new-report-finds/

Children & Young People Wellbeing & Support Forum

On 18 March, partners from across Skye, Lochalsh, and the wider Highland region gathered for the latest Children and Young People Wellbeing & Support Forum. Representatives from Mikeysline, The Highland Council, Lochalsh & Skye Housing Association, Public Health Scotland and SLCVO joined to explore key issues affecting local children, young people and families. The meeting was rich in insight, full of constructive discussion, and focused on strengthening cross‑sector working.

The Forum began with an update on the Skye and Lochalsh Community Outreach Hub, developed through the HWWS Collaboration. With two years of secured funding, these hubs will bring essential services closer to families across the region by reducing travel barriers and offering a welcoming space for confidential support. A key addition to the hub model is a morning play session delivered by Corry Capers, giving children a safe and calm space to play while parents speak with visiting services such as SLCAB, Connecting Carers, and employability teams.

The Forum also discussed the rising use of nicotine pouches among young teens, an issue first flagged by the Youth Development Officer and now widely recognised by partners across the area. These small, flavoured products are easy for young people to conceal and can lead to rapid nicotine addiction. The Forum agreed the need for greater awareness for parents, combined with coordinated action to support young people. Suggestions included adapting the My Future Fridays model to focus on health and wellbeing, linking with PSE classes in schools, and working with the local police team to identify purchasing hotspots and improve awareness among local businesses.

The session then moved to an overview of Planet Youth Highland, which uses the Icelandic Prevention Model to understand young people’s experiences and reduce substance use. Locally, the programme is working closely with Plockton High School and a Community Action Group to tailor interventions to community needs, supported by youth survey data and strong partnership working.

Another key theme was the growing need for life‑skills development among young people, particularly those leaving school early or preparing to live independently. Areas identified as priorities included basic budgeting, applying for housing, completing essential documents, and understanding processes like obtaining a National Insurance number. The Forum agreed that while online information exists, many young people need one‑to‑one help and simple, practical tools. SLCVO will work with Social Work teams to explore existing resources and identify gaps, with the aim of creating a clear, user‑friendly package of guidance for frontline workers.

The Forum also received an update on the Alternative Education Opportunities project, which aims to explore flexible learning delivered by local organisations in partnership with Education services. Although there was strong third‑sector support, the Education team is currently pursuing other routes, so the project is on hold. The idea remains active, and Columba 1400 is still exploring funding opportunities to support local young people.

The next Children and Young People’s Forum will take place on 13th May at Portree UHI, starting at 1.30pm. You can register here. https://www.slcvo.org.uk/forum-registration

Read the full blog from the forum here https://www.slcvo.org.uk/post/forum-notes-18-march

SLCVO – New Roles and Team Structure

On Wednesday, the SLCVO Board agreed to a small restructuring of the staff team, creating a new position: Community Hub and Service Coordinator. Alongside this, Matt Davis will take on the new role of Service Manager, with responsibility for overseeing all direct support services delivered by SLCVO. This includes Befriender Skye & Lochalsh and the Community Outreach Hubs. Matt will be the primary contact for the operational delivery of the Hubs and will be supported by the new Community Hub and Service Coordinator as this part of the organisation develops.

Michele Seviour will continue to lead support for third‑sector organisations through SLCVO’s work with the Highland Third Sector Interface contract.

Jo‑Anne will divide her time between ongoing third‑sector support services and the further development of the HWWS Collaboration, including initiatives that contribute to outcomes in the Skye & Lochalsh Caring Communities Plan 2025-2030  https://www.slcvo.org.uk/caring-communities-plan

If you are interested in the new Community Hub and Service Coordinator role, or would like to help us promote the position, please visit:👉 https://www.slcvo.org.uk/slcvo-job-vacancy

Review of Co-production

The Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC) is Scotland’s national lead body for community development. They work with communities, practitioners, and policymakers to strengthen participation, build community capacity, and support more inclusive, community‑led decision‑making. Their programmes, networks, and training help people take action on what matters to them and improve wellbeing in their local areas.

SLCVO has been fortunate to work with SCDC for over eight years, and they are currently supporting co‑production within the Skye and Lochalsh HWWS Collaboration. SCDC facilitated one of our first co‑production meetings in March 2024, helping local groups shape the early development of the Collaboration. They are now working with us to evaluate our co‑production methods and strengthen how we work together.

This week, Francesca Lynch, a Development Manager with SCDC, has been in Skye and Lochalsh meeting HWWS Collaboration Steering Group members and Forum participants. Her work will form a case study highlighting the co‑productive activities being developed through the Skye and Lochalsh Health, Wellbeing, Welfare and Social Care Collaboration. Alongside this, SLCVO will be inviting Collaboration members to take part in a deeper review of the partnership and share their views on how it should evolve.

This work is essential to ensuring the Collaboration remains current, effective, and genuinely community‑led.

For more information about the work of SCDC, visit their website: https://www.scdc.org.uk/