POVERTY LEADERSHIP ACTION PLAN Work and Worth April

POVERTY LEADERSHIP ACTION PLAN: Work and Worth (April 2014) PROGRESS and ACHIEVEMENTS Glasgow Guarantee review is underway (this provides a job, apprenticeship or training place for young people. It is worth £ 50 M). CHALLENGES Ability to influence private sector employers to incentivise employees’ progression. Council launched a new website, information pack and helpline to give parents information on nursery provision – the Family Information Service. Labour market support forms part of discussions on City Deal. Evaluation of Glasgow Living Wage has been contracted. Partners are gathering case studies about barriers to volunteering to inform work that the Panel may want to pursue with DWP and the Home Office. Disability Alliance, Volunteer Glasgow and Social Work are working to ensure volunteering is promoted through personalisation. PARTICIPATION - people in poverty Panel’s position statement on volunteering co-produced with wee panel members (see item 6: Panel’s influencing role – volunteering). FOR PANEL’S CONSIDERATION PRIORITIES FOR NEXT QUARTER Work with Jobcentre Plus and Home Office to clarify guidance and raise awareness of rules around volunteering/ claimants and volunteering/ asylum seekers. Finalise consultation with staff, employers and young people on the Glasgow Guarantee. How do we effectively involve people living in poverty in the redesign of the Glasgow Guarantee?

POVERTY LEADERSHIP ACTION PLAN: Participation (April 2014) PROGRESS and ACHIEVEMENTS 15 organisations helped us with 2 ‘flash’ surveys held in October 2013 and February 2014. CHALLENGES Maintaining the commitment of participating organisations. • 751 survey respondents. 15 fieldwork organisations facilitated the survey. 8 organisations leading on the ‘all in’ action group. 249 people took part in the first survey, and 502 people in the second. FOR PANEL’S CONSIDERATION All data is prepared for the PLP’s consideration. Parkhead will be the venue for the first community event planned for June 2014: ‘All in… for Parkhead’. A committee has been set up in partnership with a group of local people and services to organise this event. An Action Group has been convened to support this priority. Two workshops were facilitated to consult on and design the ‘flash’ surveys. PARTICIPATION people in poverty PRIORITIES FOR NEXT QUARTER Publish the report of the second flash survey held in February. Facilitate the first community workshop in partnership with local people, in Parkhead. Around 750 people across Glasgow responded in the surveys that housing and local environments affect people’s experiences of poverty. Improvements to these was prioritised as making the single biggest difference to people’s situation. (Item 4 c papers on survey results provide more detail). So: how can we better integrate a housing and local environment component into the Panel’s work? •

POVERTY LEADERSHIP ACTION PLAN: Credit and Debt (April 2014) PROGRESS and ACHIEVEMENTS Energy summit chaired by Leader. There were 4 ‘asks’: collective switching, waiving removal costs of pre-payment meters, data sharing and financial contributions. Commitments from energy companies are being pursued. To provide low cost alternatives to payday lenders, Scotcash has implemented a fast track pilot for loan appointments and screening, resulting in a 50% reduction in waiting times for loan decision. City Property has agreed 50% rent subsidy for credit unions. Initiative launched where each S 1 pupil receives £ 10 from the Council to save with a credit union. Work has commenced to better join up money advice and employment advice. CHALLENGES Need for further investment in Scotcash IT systems to provide full automated decision making as more customers are seeking to engage by smart phone and other on-line facilities. • PARTICIPATION - people in poverty Wee panel representation on the City Advisory Panel, which has the responsibility for delivering the Financial Inclusion Strategy. FOR PANEL’S CONSIDERATION PRIORITIES FOR NEXT QUARTER Map current financial products available to people in poverty. Develop implementation plan to progress goal about ‘people requiring specialist services, in particular domestic abuse victims’. Explore advertising job vacancies through community facilities. How can the Panel help get commitment from senior management in the banking sector to increase the uptake of basic bank accounts? The Social Welfare Fund has been in place for a year. Is it reaching the individuals and communities it is intended to? How could improvements be made to its administration?

POVERTY LEADERSHIP ACTION PLAN: Child poverty (April 2014) PROGRESS and ACHIEVEMENTS Funding secured for the 'Cost of the School Day' project. Child Poverty Action Group is the employer of this fixed term post til June 2015. Cleveland Smithycroft Learning Communities will participate, including Ashcraig. Healthier Wealthier Children Steering Group is developing a business case, for completion by August. GCPH is developing a performance framework for child poverty measurements, which will also encompass broader poverty indicators, with assistance from JRF. GHA have contracted for provision of the young people's programme and are working to recruit young people during May, for project commencement in June. CHALLENGES Up to 30% of 3 year olds do not take up their nursery place, mostly in our poorest communities. The child poverty group plans to work with children's services and nurseries/parents to understand the issues affecting parental choice and whether poverty is a contributing factor. PRIORITIES FOR NEXT QUARTER Getting the Cost of the School Day programme established for the new academic year. • PARTICIPATION - people in poverty Development session planned for May so child poverty group members can identify their contribution and responsibilities. FOR PANEL’S CONSIDERATION Through the child poverty group’s work, the issue of lower attainment as a result of poverty has been raised. Is this an issue the Panel wants to consider further? Does the Panel have advice on how to approach the issue of why so many parents in our poorest communities are not taking up their nursery placement offer (30%).

POVERTY LEADERSHIP ACTION PLAN: Attitudes to poverty (April 2014) PROGRESS and ACHIEVEMENTS A draft survey for staff on their attitudes to poverty has been developed by GCPH, Wheatley Group and GCC. Results will be analysed by GCPH. Second ‘flash’ survey included two questions about service users’ attitudes to poverty. Results will be compared to staff results and both will be brought to the August Panel meeting. Campaign for staff, for use in training and internal communications will be developed. Separate messaging will be used in external communications, targeted towards people who are struggling with poverty. Poverty Truth Commission is developing a proposal for a senior mentoring programme to begin in mid 2014. CHALLENGES Engagement of organisations and staff in staff survey, and practicalities for those staff not using computers. Harnessing expertise and skills of a wide range of organisations and individuals to develop messaging, to achieve a consensus on messaging. PRIORITIES FOR NEXT QUARTER Staff survey results analysed. Anti-stigma messaging agreed. Senior mentoring programme agreed and individuals identified for participation. Development of guidance on how to incorporate poverty issues in training and performance review. • PARTICIPATION - people in poverty Organisations involved in strands of work include Wheatley Group, GCPH, Poverty Truth Commission, Poverty Alliance, CPAG, Save the Children, Scottish Refugee Council. FOR PANEL’S CONSIDERATION GCC and Wheatley Group have agreed to take part in staff survey. DWP, Fire and Police services will be invited. Should any other organisations be invited? Does the Panel have expertise in change management within their own organisations that could assist in the goal of improving service delivery by shifting staff attitudes to poverty?