Latest staff news

3 May - City Building help donate Easter underwear packs

The Joint Trade Union Committee at City Building, have shown their support for Glasgow's No. 1 Baby and Family Support Servicethis Easter by donating over 1,000 Easter packs to the charity's annual donation drive last month.

The Springburn-based charity supports people in financial hardship and working poverty by supplying a variety of everyday goods needed to meet their most basic daily needs.

After consulting with local parents, Glasgow's No. 1 Baby and Family Support Servicerecognised that this year, underwear and socks are increasingly sought after by struggling families.

Traditional donations of Easter Eggs received at this time of year were less important to families as local schools often ensure that pupils receive a chocolate treat as an end of term gift.

Thomas Glavin, Chair, City Building's Joint Trade Union Committee said: "The donations collected by employees of City Building serve a practical need in our local community, taking the pressure off struggling families under increasingly difficult circumstances.

"Our goal at City Building is to build a sustainable future and that is not limited to our construction practices. Our support and dedication to the local communities in which we work is equally as important to us as we work towards this goal."

Audrey Dempsey Founder of for Glasgow's No. 1 Baby and Family Support Service said: "As a charity that depends on donations from businesses and individuals, the support from City Building's Joint Trade Union Committee is appreciated beyond words.

"Necessities like underwear and socks are things most take for granted, but to know that there are children out there whose parent's finances cannot provide such a basic thing in 2023 is heart breaking.

"The families we support will be delighted with their Easter underwear packs and we are absolutely thrilled that City Building's Joint Trade Union Committee have chosen to support this cause. Together we can ensure these children feel equal to their peers."

3 May - Meet Alan: bonding over humour and banter!

Alan Speirs, Corporate Policy Officer in the Chief Executive's Department started mentoring five years ago and is now a Glasgow City Council ambassador for MCR Pathways. He says "I decided to get involved with mentoring because I could see the benefit of sharing my time and experience to help nurture a young person.

"The team at MCR are really supportive and I felt well equipped with the training they delivered before I was matched with a young person. They are there for me throughout my journey with advice and support. My own manager was supportive too and encouraged me to get involved.

"I'm currently mentoring my third young person. He is a refugee and while his English isn't the most fluent, we have still managed to bond over humour in our lack of cultural references. We have a lot of banter; I feel like we both learn from each other, and I enjoy my weekly visits with him.

"I'd say if you are considering getting involved then don't let anything hold you back. We all have the ability to connect with a young person and by becoming a mentor you can help change their life. If you have any questions or want to learn more, speak to your service's MCR ambassador who can tell you about their experience as a mentor and what you can expect on your own mentoring journey."

Find out more...

Alan and his colleagues John and Ruairi recently featured in a promotional video for MCR Pathways, to watch it and find out more about mentoring a young person more visit our staff page.

MCR are also hosting a number of staff information sessions in May, to join them

please email laura.mckechnie@mcrpathways.org at least 2 days in advance to book your place.

• Live Information Session on Wednesday 10 May, 1-1.30pm, City Chambers East, 40 John St, G1 1JL (please report to reception before the session starts)
• Live Information Session on Monday 15 May, 9.30-10am, City Chambers East, 40 John St, G1 1JL (please report to reception before the session starts)
• Virtual Information Session on Tuesday 23 May, 11-11.45am (book in with laura.mckechnie@mcrpathways.org  in advance, Laura will then send over joining link)

3 May - Seeking young people to help Trading Standards

The council, through our Trading Standards team, have the responsibility to make sure retailers are selling age restricted goods in accordance with current guidelines/guidance and regulations.

To assist the council in ensuring compliance from retailers, we are looking to recruit young people to act as 'Test Purchasers'.  These young people, once recruited will undertake training to allow them to attend premises to attempt to buy age restricted products such as:

• Fireworks
• Tobacco products
• Nicotine Vapour products
• Solvents
• Spray Paints etc.

This can be a fun and rewarding opportunity.  During any period of training or carrying out test purchasing, refreshments will also be provided. Those who are recruited will also receive gift vouchers in recognition of their role in assisting the council's Tobacco Control Team.  Participants will also receive a Certificate of Participation and a reference which can be used for future employers or further / higher education.

To apply, young people must be:

• Aged between 13 and 16 years old
• Permission from their Parent / Guardian

Gary Walker, Head of Community Safety and Regulatory Services, NRS said, "This is an excellent opportunity for young people to volunteer for a very worthwhile cause. We are looking to recruit several young people who can assist the council in test purchasing and will be looking for new recruits on a regular basis."

If you know a young person who would be interested in getting involved, please fill out the form at: www.glasgow.gov.uk/testpurchasing

3 May - Home Carer Giri reaches for the stars!

Hard work, and dedication has paid off for talented Home Carer Giri Yaduvashni, who recently found out she has been accepted by Jordell Bank Research Centre to study for a PHD.

After completing Masters' Degrees in both Astronomy and Astrophysics Giri secured a place at the research centre to undertake a PHD. She will specifically be researching 'expoplanets', which are planets beyond our solar system.

Giri said "I am thrilled and can't wait to execute my idea into a full project. It is amazing to think I will be working as an astronomer by next year.

"I intend to continue doing shifts in home care at the weekend while I study during the week as I will still be based in Glasgow initially. I love being a home carer, it feels great to help people and lots of our service users don't have anyone else which I can empathise with, as I am originally from India which is where all my family are. My team mean the world to me, they are like my family in Glasgow and have been so supportive of me pursuing my goals. I'm sure their motivation and encouragement will spur me on through my PHD studies.

Giri's manager Angela Currie said "Giri has worked as a Home Carer since 2020, she is a fantastic asset to the service and gets on well with everyone she meets- both colleagues and service users.

"We are so proud of her achievements and that she will soon be an astronomer proving that you can literally 'reach for the stars.'"

3 May - "The allowed me to be me!" : First Domestic Abuse Strategy Launched in Glasgow

The Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership's (HSCP) have recently launched the Domestic Abuse Strategy 2023 - 2028.

This Strategy is the first of its kind in Glasgow and it describes what we'll do over the next five years to ensure people affected by domestic abuse receive the best possible care, and how we'll continue to seek the involvement of people with lived experience in the design and evaluation of domestic abuse services. 

Pat Togher, our HSCP's Assistant Chief Officer Public Protection and Complex Needs said: "The need for the Strategy was first identified during our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, when domestic abuse emerged as a risk factor across multiple care groups prompting a need for strategic planning and engagement. We realised that we needed to sharpen our focus on ensuring better outcomes for people affected by domestic abuse and to work in partnership in order to achieve those goals."

Pat continued: "Glasgow City HSCP are delighted to have been able to work together with Police Scotland, Glasgow City Council, third sector partners and leading academics to create the first Domestic Abuse Strategy in Glasgow."

"This Strategy aims to improve the knowledge and confidence of our own staff to be able to identify people at risk using evidence-based approaches, but it also ensures that victims of domestic abuse are supported for their whole journey.

Once implemented, the Strategy will make a difference for our service users and patients, for our own staff who provide services and support, and it will also make a difference to the way we engage and work with our partners in statutory and non-statutory sectors. All of this will ensure a more joined up, consistent, compassionate and timely approach to domestic abuse across the HSCP. 

As part of the launch of the Domestic Abuse Strategy, a short video has also been developed. The video showcases the need for this Strategy by telling the story of domestic abuse victims and perpetrators, highlighting some of the services that are available to those affected by domestic abuse. You can view the video on the HSCP's Youtube Channel.

If you think you're suffering from domestic abuse or feel scared of your partner or if you are worried about someone you know, then get in touch with Scotland's 24-hour Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline on 0800 027 1234 or visit sdafmh.org.uk for more support.

For information or more detail on the Strategy please visit Domestic Abuse Strategy 2023 - 2028.
 

3 May - One month to go : Glasgow's Low Emission Zone 

With enforcement of Glasgow's Low Emission Zone just one month away, people are being urged to prepare ahead.

Glasgow's LEZ will protect public health by tackling unacceptably high levels of harmful air pollution that has long persisted in the city centre.

From 1 June, all vehicles entering the city centre zone must meet the less-polluting emission standards or face a penalty charge.

There are some exemptions, such as for blue badge holders and emergency vehicles - and zone residents have an extra year to prepare.

Generally, diesel vehicles registered after September 2015, and petrol vehicles registered from 2006 onwards will meet LEZ standards. To be certain however, you can enter your vehicle registration number into the national online vehicle checker hosted by Transport Scotland.

Glasgow's Low Emission Zone will operate continuously. It will cover an area of the city centre bounded by the M8 motorway to the north and west, the River Clyde to the south and Saltmarket/High Street to the east.

ANPR cameras will be used to enforce Glasgow's LEZ. When a non-compliant vehicle is detected in the zone, a Penalty Charge Notice will be issued to the registered keeper. 

In addition to reducing levels of harmful vehicle emissions, Glasgow's LEZ is also expected to accelerate the uptake of more sustainable forms of transport and increase the attractiveness of our city centre.

You can find out more by visiting www.glasgow.gov.uk/LEZ

3 May - Changes to requesting Security Services: from 1 May

Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability's Security Team, are the main providers of security services to all council family premises across Glasgow - this includes over 500 properties such as schools, libraries, museums, community facilities and sports venues.

They are supported by our Alarm Receiving Centre and Glasgow Operations Centre and their services include:

• Mobile patrols - visible deterrent to high profile sites
• Static guards - to protect individual properties or construction sites
• Key holding and incident response - to out of hours alarm activations
• Security site surveys - reviewing current risks and solutions available.

Current process

The current process for requesting security services, for your council location, is to complete a request form and email this to a dedicated team based within Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability for processing.

New process

From Monday 1 May 2023 this process is changing and you will need to complete an online form to request this service instead.

The online form can be accessed at Security Services Request Online Form.

You should note that all mandatory fields will need to be completed for the form to be submitted - for example details of the cost centre.

For continuity, the current process will remain in place for a period of four weeks before being phased out and replaced solely by the online form at the end of May.

More information at Security Services

5 April - It's quicker and easier:enrol today

Last year we launched Self Service Password Reset (SSPR) to help staff reset their own passwords if you use a Windows 10 device - without the need to contact the CGI Service Desk.

All staff are encouraged to review the process on how to do this and enrol - as it is a quicker and more efficient way to reset your password and get back up and running.

Visit our dedicated staff support page on Connect for details on how to enrol for SSPR - it includes a link to briefings and frequently asked questions with answers.

5 April - Job Evaluation: is your job listed?

Over 850 staff have now participated or are scheduled to participate in job evaluation interviews as part of the process to evaluate jobs in the council. These evaluations will support the development of a rank order of jobs, laying the foundation for a new pay and grading scheme, to make sure everyone in the council is paid equally for equal work.

Staff who do what we call benchmark jobs (the most common jobs in the council that represent around 80% of the workforce) are being evaluated first and this information will support the early design phase of the new pay and grading scheme.

There are still some benchmark jobs that need more volunteers to complete this part of the process. If your job is listed below and you've not already volunteered, then we need you to tell us about your job. You can volunteer by talking to your line manager and emailing the job evaluation team at JE-SUPPORT@glasgow.gov.uk

To take part, you must have been in the same job for at least two years, this is to make sure that you have experience of the full range of demands of your role including any seasonal or cyclical work.

Every job holder doesn't have to be interviewed, we need a representative sample of our workforce, therefore it is possible that if you volunteer you may not be needed to attend an interview.

Group interviews - take part with your colleagues

From April, evaluations will be conducted through group interviews, with no more than five people in a group. You'll be asked to complete a questionnaire before the interview and come along to one of the job evaluation offices to talk about your job in your own words, together with some colleagues who do the same job.

Each group interview will be facilitated by trained job analysts and participants will discuss the demands of the job being evaluated, based on the 13 factors in the scheme.

Before an interview, you will be invited to a briefing session to tell you more about the job evaluation process.

For more information about evaluation interviews read the questions and answers section on the website at www.glasgow.gov.uk/jobevaluation

Evaluating other jobs

There are thousands of jobs in the council family and all jobs will fall into these three categories:

1.     Benchmark jobs, the most common jobs currently being evaluated.

2.     Secondary benchmark jobs (sometimes called generic) jobholders who do broadly the same work, these jobs will be evaluated next in group interviews, with a representative number of staff being interviewed for each job.

3.     Unique jobs (carried out by one person or fewer than five people) - these will be the final group to be evaluated.

We are nearing the end of the evaluation of benchmark jobs and preparing to move onto evaluating secondary benchmark jobs. Information about which jobs are secondary benchmarks or unique and the evaluation process will be explained in future communications through your line manager.

More information

Go to the job evaluation webpages at www.glasgow.gov.uk/jobevaluation

Is your job listed below? Volunteer now

5 April - Happy Birthday to the Burrell!

The team at the Burrell Collection were joined by pupils from St Conval's Primary this week to celebrate one year since the museum reopened to the public after its refurbishment.

To mark the anniversary, the pupils helped to make a giant birthday card, covered in drawing of some of their favourite objects from the museum. Pictured are Gallery Assistants Catriona McLaughlin and Rowan Lamont Chalmers with the beautiful card the pupils created.

The Burrell Collection has welcomed more than 600,000 visitors since it reopened last year, with almost three-quarters visiting the museum for the first time. 45% of visitors were from Glasgow, 45% from outside of Scotland, and the remaining 10% came from the rest of Scotland.

Feedback from visitors has been overwhelmingly positive, with many saying that the museum is inclusive, well-designed, family-friendly, and has displays that convey clear information to many different audiences.

Glasgow Life colleagues worked with more than 15,000 people from community groups across the city to help shape the design of the new museum. Comments from visitors show they feel connected to the objects and artworks on display. Congratulation to all at the Burrell and happy anniversary!

5 April - Does yours look like this?

Just like individuals, every organisation, company or brand has its own identity. Our corporate council identity helps our customers, suppliers and staff to recognise and understand our organisation.

Our identity is not just about a logo and the services we deliver - it also extends to our staff and our communications play a key role in this. As an organisation we need to make sure that we consistently give out a clear and quality image and our corporate identity guidelines help us to deliver on this.

Email signatures

As part of our guidelines, we have an approved email signature format which all staff must use. Your email signature should follow the example shown below and should be set up for all your email correspondence - including replies and forwarded emails.

If you have a council iPhone you should also set up your email signature as per the format in the guidelines.

You are reminded that you should only use black font, minimum font size 10 and there should be no pictures or logos included as stated in the corporate identity guidelines.

Approved corporate email signature format:

Name

Job Title

Department / Service

Glasgow City Council

Street Address

Glasgow

Postcode

Phone

Email firstname.surname@glasgow.gov.uk

www.glasgow.gov.uk

social media @GlasgowCC

For full details of how to use our logo and format your email signature visit our corporate identity page on Connect.

5 April - Supporting young adults into the workplace: Lord Provost lends support to Project Search

UK DFN Project Search is part of the DFN Charitable Foundation and a franchise model where we, the council, are the license holders.  It is a transition to work programme committed to transforming the lives of young adults with a learning disability and autism or both.  It is delivered by the following partners in Glasgow - Supported Employment Service; NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde; University of Strathclyde; Clyde College Glasgow and City of Glasgow College.

Angie Black, Service Manager, Glasgow Supported Employment Service, GCHSCP said: "Everyone deserves the right to aspire to the very best future, yet only 4.1% of people in Scotland with additional educational needs and/or disability go on to secure full-time paid employment.  This project provides these young adults with the opportunity to complete a full year of work experience."

"This year we have been delighted to work with Catering and Facilities Management (Financial Services) who offered a ten-week work rotation with the City Chambers Attendants for one young adult - Mitchell Walker. This is a transformational programme for those participating but we couldn't do it without the commitment from departments offering rotations and for the buddies who work alongside participants.  Mitchell's buddy, James Currie, has provided the most incredible support and it has been great to see Mitchell thrive in the Chambers"

Mitchell Walker said:"This has been such a great experience for me.  The work has been really varied which has enabled me to deal with uncertainty more, and although the day can be structured, no one day was the same."

"One of my key goals was to learn everything about doing the Chambers Tours so that I could take my friends and family on a private tour led by me, and on Monday 13 March I successfully achieved that goal and even got to meet the Lord Provost."

"At the end of April, I take part in a Reverse Job Fair in the Chambers - this involves me providing a summary of the work I have done and then delivering a 60 second pitch to potential employers."  

The Lord Provost, Jacqueline McLaren said: "It was a pleasure to chat with Mitchell and organise a tour of the Chambers for him. Covid has been so tough on young people. It's good to know the council is reaching out to help."

James Currie, Attendant said: "My manager asked if I would be interested in mentoring Mitchell for Project Search. He identified that I had the right qualities: patience, genuine wish to help young people and transparency."

"Mitchell being here has been very interesting. It's been quite challenging addressing the way I think and approach things and the way young Mitchell thinks and accommodating that. It's been a learning curve and it's also been very rewarding and enjoyable."

Stephen Sawers, Head of Facilities Management, Financial Services said: "I'm really pleased our team has taken the opportunity to be involved in these employment initiatives.  The success of this placement has been a result of the collaborative working with Strategic HR and the Supported Employment Service to make it a reality.  Well done to everyone who was involved.  I would like to thank James, Mitchell's mentor for all his support and dedication throughout Mitchell's 10-week placement and to all the Attendants who made Mitchell feel welcome."

5 April - Come along and join them. An hour a week: a lifetime of impact for a young person

"A lot of people didn't realise why I wasn't interested in school. I wanted to become a footballer and that was it. My mentor helped me see why school was a good thing."

Imagine the difference you could make to a young person's life in Glasgow. Just one hour of your time each week could transform their future forever.

MCR Pathways is a national, award-winning mentoring programme that focuses on providing support to care-experienced and disadvantaged young people in Glasgow. These young people have unlimited potential, but their circumstances often make it impossible for them to realise it.

In 2017, MCR Pathways and Glasgow City Council formed a groundbreaking partnership to address this issue. The council committed 10% of its staff to mentoring, and while significant progress has been made, there are still 500 young people across Glasgow who desperately need your help.

We are looking for compassionate volunteers who are willing to devote just one hour each week to listen, support, and encourage these young people in their school. You don't need any special skills or experience with young people; all you need is a big heart and a willingness to help.

"My mentor is a great guy. Just talking to him has made me more confident. It's taught me how to talk to people too. MCR matched me with a mentor who I really get on with and who understands me."

Listen to Jack's story here.

Mentoring is incredibly flexible and can be adapted to fit around your schedule. The council is fully committed to making sure that volunteers have everything they need to participate in the programme. As a volunteer mentor, you'll gain a sense of immense satisfaction and pride as you help a young person develop their self-esteem and confidence.

The rewards of becoming a mentor are immeasurable. You'll have the opportunity to develop important skills, such as communication, time management, negotiation, and influencing, and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that you're making a positive difference in the life of a young person.

MCR Pathways urgently needs more volunteer mentors in the East End of Glasgow. Your involvement could be truly life-changing for a young person who needs a little guidance and support. Join us today and experience the joy of transforming a young person's future.

Want to learn more? If you have any questions or would like to hear your colleague's experience of mentoring please get in touch with your service's MCR ambassador - their contact details are here.

You can also join MCR for one of their upcoming information sessions. For the live information session on the 19th April please email laura.mckechnie@mcrpathways.org at least 2 days in advance to book your place.

• Virtual Information Session on Monday 17 April, 4.30pm
• Live Information Session on Wednesday 19 April, 9:30 am, City Chambers East, 40 John St, G1 1JL

Share an hour and change a life today at www.mcrpathways.org