Job Title - Football Development Officer Post 

Amount Requested: £15,000.00 

We are a local Youth Football Club based in Castle-Douglas providing structured coaching and competitive association football to over 200 children and young adults ranging from pre-school through to under 18 level. 

In 2017 with support from the SYFA and local businesses we established our current pitch at Birkland Park, Castle Douglas. This involved the installation of changing rooms and storage facilities, car parking and connection of utilities. The pitch is leased from Dumfries & Galloway Council and is securely fenced to provide a safe environment for the local community to use. Our current facilities are not able to support all of our needs throughout the year, the pitch is not floodlit so has limited availability during the winter and the single grass pitch is not able to support the number of teams we have wishing to carry out training because of wear on the playing surface. As a result during the winter period we supplement our own facilities by hiring the 3G pitch at Dalbeattie High School, this puts considerable strain on the clubs finances and also greatly increases the cost to parents with the additional travel involved during the winter months. It also has the potential to exclude some children from football where they do not have access to transport to and from training.

We also aim to ensure that each and every one of our services can be accessed by children from all backgrounds and that young people from under privileged backgrounds are given exactly the same opportunities as all other children and young people from our local area.

Our Football Development Officer Post will Co-ordinate bookings for all pitches and Games Hall for both club use and external users, promote spare capacity to local groups to maximise the use of the facilities, maintain four sport pitches and provide training to additional volunteers on grounds maintenance which will lead to improved qualifications and potential new job opportunities, promote and manage all appropriate training for coaching skills, first aid etc, support our Club in meeting its Aims & Objectives and develop all programmes and activities to ensure that children and young people from low-income households can attend all sessions.

Job Titles - Customer Service Team Leaders 

Amount Requested = £15,000.00 

The funding will provide the opportunity to fund existing volunteering posts where no funding has been in place and volunteers give of their time voluntarily. The objective will be to create new posts, ensure sustained provision of existing volunteers and more importantly provide for succession planning for future replacement of the two Directors

From one DG Home to another  

Newstart’s vision is to provide a local led solution to local problems and demonstrate financial self sustainability. The team collect donations of second hand furniture and household goods from the public and local organisations and from the many household clearances that we undertake. The social enterprise offers every conceivable household item for sale at much reduced cost, which helps fund the project and provide affordable help and support in the fight against poverty and homelessness. Approximately 30% of goods that we collect are provided free to families and individuals on referrals from their support groups.

Newstart has become a vital tool in the peoples fight against Poverty. In our experience the benchmark – the Poverty zone- are people and families in our community that are unable to meet their Basic needs in a sustainable way. We have testaments and Case studies that clearly evidence how we helped them overcome that challenge. Removing the stigma of seeking help is vital and DG Councils anti-poverty strategy polices underpins Newstart’s aims and objectives and are central to our processes and systems. 

We now have another unit to complement our free school and baby wear.  A warm winter clothing room offers free clothes, shoes, blankets for all ages! This has been a huge success. Over 22,000 items have been donated and 12,000 items given out.

A successful partnership was developed with Gretna Gateway who now collect donated goods for our free Unit. They created and provide a shop unit for the very purpose of collecting clothes, both new and used. A link exists on their Web site and Social media site. Before lockdown one post achieved 37k views! Even in the current lockdown situation we are collecting a Van full of Goods this month.

A further room at our Warehouse now provides a complete range of mobility equipment, wheelchairs, Zimmer frames, rise recline beds and chairs. These are mainly collected at house clearances. Again, these are loaned out free of charge. We currently have 39 wheelchairs loaned out! 

We currently work with partner organisations and respond to their requested referrals for disadvantaged on an almost daily basis. The groups include DG Social services, Community Link workers, Sonas, DGHP, Loreburn, British Legion, SSAFA, Women’s refuge, SW Scotland rape crisis abuse centre and most local Care homes and Shelter.

By providing every kind of essential household items either at very reasonable cost, payable free of interest, or (on referral from support groups) completely free, we help the vulnerable to become independent. It is crucial that we plan for this to continue and this will not be possible without recruiting staff to deliver this.

Job Title - Continuation of Project Worker & Support Worker Posts 

Amount Requested - £14,951.00 

Over the past year of the lockdown the Fed Up Café has delivered 29,464 hot meals to over 200 people who were isolating from the corona virus.  The service has proved essential to many people and in particular to families who otherwise would not have managed with staying at home.  For this we have to thank the staff and volunteers, as well as those of the Community Reuse Shop who provided the transport and delivery services.  These people put their lives at risk throughout the lockdown to serve the community.   

We are now looking to continue offering a free 3 course hot meal 5 days a week as a vehicle to combat social depravation from coming out of the lockdown, as well as isolation and, more important, help improve people’s mental health. 

We aim to feed those who are most in need of it and also in need of company and a break from the monotony of day to day life. We also make deliveries of free hot lunches to those who, for whatever reason, are unable to make their own way to the café for the meal.  We will however encourage people to use the café and to interact with others in the same situation as themselves, and when there is someone in need of help we can point them in the right direction with good sign posting. 

We provide opportunities for volunteers to come and learn new skills, increase self-esteem and gain self-confidence as well as gaining a sense of being part of a team. We aim to provide them with transferable skills to assist our volunteers gain paid employment making them contributors to the state instead of recipients from to state. 

We are always looking to evolve and stay fresh whilst maintaining our core values and ensuring those who need assistance get it. Our service enables people to have the power to choose what direction their lives may go, and we try to aid them along the path they choose. We encourage the wider community to help in whatever way they can and try to involve as many as possible in everything we do. We are a service that does not discriminate. 

Video: https://youtu.be/FjPJb9MrmA0 

Job Title - Food and Budgeting Co-Ordinator 

Amount Requested = £10,663.00 

Currently, DGMA is accessible to any public member, women, men, families with children, homeless and low-income individuals and families, for people in work poverty, fuel poverty, refugees, asylum seekers, members of Minority Communities, pensioners, over 50s, young people, unpaid carers, and disabled people.  

DGMA with this project, Food and Budgeting Coordinator aims to ensure the people of Nithsdale, especially those in deprived, marginalized, hard to reach, vulnerable, disadvantaged, and seldom heard groups to have their voices heard, and work with them to improve their livelihood, maximize their household income, have improved equal access to healthy food, and access to information and services are maintained.

Video: https://youtu.be/HHanUsiSCAY 

Job Title- Project Co-ordinator and Bike Mechanic 

Amount Requested: £8,640.00 

Wheels of Fleet is a recycling, repair bicycle project, based in the grounds of the Mill on the Fleet in Gatehouse.

We have two paid self-employed workers, with 14 regular volunteers, and a waiting list of 3 wanting to come along, learn and help out.

Our aims are to make cycling more affordable to many, to offer bike confidence lessons, basic bike repair workshops to help make individuals’ bikes more sustainable and economical to run.To increase awareness of local journeys to work or interviews, using our local printed maps. Promoting cycling as a health activity to improve personal fitness and raise mental health awareness of these benefits. To increase a cycle community to help people meet others through this healthy activity.

We have created a very friendly, approachable project, which has given many the confidence to take up cycling again or indeed for the first time. We promote widely, costs are based on ability to pay or free, depending on individual circumstances, while also encouraging many to learn new skills in a safe and positive environment. Appointments can be made so privacy can be allowed for anyone who requires this.

To sustain a positive and close relationship with the local community, producing updates on events, workshops and availability of bikes. To coordinate between customers and the bike mechanic, using useful local knowledge and judgement of character to help run a smooth operation.

Our two new posts will complete all of the following: To promote a sustainable project with its main ethos of promoting cycling and staying true to always being affordable to many, coordinate volunteers, fulfilling their needs for learning and at the correct pace and energy that fits with each individual. To create a positive atmosphere for all involved ,with regular meetings, in a group, and with individuals, assuring all have a voice and are being heard.

To produce publicity on a regular basis, encouraging a network with other bicycle projects throughout the region.  

Job Title - Anti-Poverty Outreach Worker      

Amount Requested = £12,000.00 

At River of Life, we’ve loved helping people through our surplus food drop-in services over the last couple of years. We’ve always been passionate about meeting practical needs and access to food is the most basic need everyone has. We collect and distribute from Aldi, M&S, Tesco and Lidl stores on a daily basis. Good food that would otherwise be thrown away now supplies vital needs almost 365 days a year!

We’ve gained a reputation as welcoming, non-institutional and non-judgmental in our approach to anyone who comes to us for help and we’ve developed precious relationships with hundreds, or even thousands of people.

Through the last year of crisis, we’ve noticed some important opportunities to help people even more, by helping them find longer term solutions to the difficulties they face.

What we want to do, if successful, is employ an Anti-Poverty Outreach Worker to find loads of other sources of help – financial, skills, work and life skills – to help people build a better life for themselves and their families. Often folk just need to know where to turn and some encouragement that getting out of poverty permanently is possible. 

The outreach worker would come to our drop-in sessions to chat and be available to meet up for coffee with people who want to discuss their opportunities further. They’ll be a listening ear with knowledge to help access tangible services and assistance.   Please vote for our project and help lots of ordinary people get out of poverty for good!

Video: The Pantry at River of Life.mp4 - Google Drive

Job Title - Community Engagement Worker 

Amount Requested = £11,009.00 

It has always been an aspiration of Kate’s Kitchen to have a Champion to spread the word about all of the good work we can do to support individuals to make their way out of poverty and improve their health and well-being.  Our aim is to empower people to “do for themselves” reach their full potential and ultimately improve their day to day quality of life.  Having the opportunity to employ a part-time Community Engagement Worker will do just that.  The worker will:-

     Engage with local organisations, schools, GP’s      Organise events to promote Kates Kitchen      Use Social Media to further Kates Kitchen objectives      Work with local media to further our objects.

Video: https://youtu.be/1gBFjNL4AxA 

Job Title - Support Worker 

Amount Requested = £8,154.00 

Food Train runs services to support local older people to maintain their independence and to be able to stay at home for as long as possible.  Our main core service is a grocery delivery service, this enables older people to access fresh grocery shopping on a regular basis.  This reduces food poverty for older people, we are also a very well-known and trusted partner of the HSCP enabling us to get information out to the older generation across the region.  Food Train has operated in the Dumfries and Galloway for 26 years which confirms stability and experience of delivering successful support services to older people.  These services are needed even more now than ever due to the increased threat to older people from Covid-19, we have the experience and expertise to ensure that services are delivered to the most vulnerable people efficiently and safely.  This funding would allow us to employ an additional staff member ensuring that we can continue to meet the increased demand on our services in Dumfries and Galloway.  

Video: SES Digital Showcase Food Train 2020 - YouTube 

Job Title - Horticultural Trainer 

Amount Requested = £13,760.70 

Potters Garden ‘s experience of working to tackle poverty is diverse. 

We work with people of all ages living with Autistic Spectrum Condition/learning disabilities/additional support needs that vary in complexity, we provide horticultural and woodwork training placements. Additionally, we work with young people in transition with additional support needs, from Stranraer Academy.  Most of whom have entry level academic skills, some will have a learning disability, while others live with autistic spectrum conditions. For some, college is not an option as it requires a level of ability which most of these young people have not yet acquired; also, the pace of learning at college can leave young adults unable to keep up, hence more likely to give up. 

The role of the Horticulture Trainer involves working with people of all ages living with Autistic Spectrum Condition/learning disabilities/additional support needs. The post holder will train individuals and group users in horticultural/gardening skills.   

Job Title - Shop Manager Post 

Amount Requested = £15,000.00 

The Community Shop Dumfries & Galloway is a not for profit social enterprise.  Our slogan is " Supported by the community for the benefit of the community " true words spoken. It has been running for 5 years and has helped support many local organisations and hundreds of people in our town. In times of hardship the shop has helped people get through the toughest times , just that bit easier. We know it's appreciated! We have had many volunteers from all walks of life and for a variety of reasons. Working alongside people whom for whatever reason just need a lift , a bit of encouragement.  Having the chance to build up confidence as well as transferable skills and feel good about themselves in a friendly environment. These are key attributes that many people long for to get them to the next stage. Everyone is good at something, it's taking time to find it with people that matters.  The shop is simply like no other, a vital part of the community. A place that frequently guides and signposts people in many ways. A wealth of information for many a real team effort that creates a ripple effect of goodness throughout. Seeing our volunteers grow and progress is a true testament to the dedication  given by many. In addition to our loyal supporters who donate  unwanted goods. Helping us all to reduce waste and landfill and therfore also helping to save our planet. Such a lot of greatness from so many all of which says so much about our town and the people in it. None of which would be possible without the  guidance and planning provided by the dedication of the shop manager.  In such uncertain times the services at the shop are needed more now than ever before.  Like so many places without support and  Funding we will simply not be able to survive. 

YOUR VOTE IS APPRECIATED    THANK YOU.