January 2023
12 January - I actually didn't need to be a chatterbox
If you live or work in the North East, North West or South of the city would you consider giving up an hour of your week to help mentor a young person? MCR Pathways are looking for more volunteers in these areas, particularly the North East where demand is high, to join their programme and give a young person a little extra support.
Paul O' Grady, Architect at Neighbourhood Regeneration Services has been mentoring for four years and would encourage anyone considering it to get involved "Initially I wasn't sure I could be a mentor. I thought it would help to be really chatty, which I'm not - so I thought that might be awkward. It turns out, it wasn't at all. The matching system works really well and means you're paired with a young person you can support and get on with. Whether it's the same hobbies or career interests, you connect quickly.
"I've been a mentor to three different young people now, and it's been a rewarding experience each time. It isn't about tutoring them academically. It's much more about just listening, and sharing life experiences.
"I choose to keep coming back because it's great to see these young people get where they want to go. I genuinely feel that I get something out of it too. It gives me real satisfaction.
"There's great initial support, and there's a school coordinator always available to check in or to give you ideas. I've learned a lot from these young people, and you will too. You just need to try it and see that you can overcome any worries you might have. It's easy not to do it, but keeping going really gives you a good sense of fulfilment."
Find out more...
If you would like to find out more about becoming a mentor, MCR Pathways are running 30 minute information sessions to tell you everything you need to know before signing up. The sessions take place on:
- Thursday 19 January, 4.30-5pm (Mitchell Library) - Check in at Anderston Library Door
- Monday 23 January, 9.30-10am (City Chambers East, 40 John St) - Check in at reception
- Wednesday 08 February, 12.30-1pm (City Chambers East, 40 John St) - Check in at reception
- Monday 27 February, 4-4.30pm (City Chambers East, 40 John St) - Check in at reception
To book your place in one of these sessions email laura.mckechnie@mcrpathways.org at least two days in advance.
We need you...
12 January - Wow! Nearly once round the world: council step count challenge
Our Glasgow City Council Step Count Challenge has come to an end, and we would like to thank all of our participants and congratulate everyone who took part!
We hope all our participants have enjoyed keeping active and staying connected over the last 6 weeks - and that everyone has enjoyed hearing our updates on the challenge.
Our 33 teams who took part have recorded an amazing 59,418,345 steps overall. That is 24,758 miles, which is about as long as the circumference of the Earth! Overall, participants have help to save an estimated 1,204kg carbon!
Challenge Winners
We are very excited to share our Team Winners of the challenge!
First Place:
Congratulations to team Wrong Direction who won first place, coming in at the top of the leader board with an incredible 3,876,774 steps. The team have won a £100 Glasgow Loves voucher to enjoy.
Second Place:
Congratulations to team Technical Trekkers who were leading the way throughout the challenge and have won second place with an incredible 3,822,758 steps. The team have won £75 Glasgow Loves Voucher to enjoy.
Third Place:
Congratulations to team Gary and the Pacemakers who put amazing efforts in, coming third place with an incredible 3,509,337 steps. The team have won £50 Glasgow Loves Voucher to enjoy.
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Everyone who took part in the challenge helped to reach our amazing Step Count and should be proud of their achievements, we couldn't have done it without you!
What's next?
We hope this has been a fun activity to take part in, bringing us together and keeping our mind and body active and healthy.
12 January - Did we hear someone say tickets?
As proud partner of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, we're delighted to support the ticket presale launch scheduled for February 2023. This is the only way to ensure you don't miss out on the unique opportunity to see heroes of BMX, Mountain Bike, Road and loads more when Scotland welcomes the world in 2023.
Our ticketing plans for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships are gathering pace. Making sure you don't miss out is to make sure you, your friends and family are all signed up to ticket alerts on our website!
So, what are you waiting for?
Embrace the #PowerOfTheBike and register now!
Register for ticket alerts at http://bit.ly/3FcAyly
12 January - Stay Well this Winter
As COVID-19 and flu can spread more in winter, it's important to do the things that help to keep everyone safe.
The Scottish Government's Stay Well This Winter campaign has been developed to remind and encourage us to follow key safety behaviours during winter.
To help reduce pressure on the NHS and our hospitals you are reminded to:
- Wear a face covering in indoor crowded spaces and on public transport.
- Follow the latest guidance if you are unwell.
- Socialise in well-ventilated spaces when you can.
- Get the COVID-19 and flu vaccines if you're eligible.
- Consider wearing the Distance Aware badge or lanyard when you're out in public places
Visit www.gov.scot/staywell for the latest advice
12 January - New Process for Buying IT Equipment
From the end of this month the process for buying IT equipment is changing, you will no longer be able to submit email requests to CGI. Instead, all purchase requests should be made to CGI through My IT. As part of the new process, you will also be required to obtain financial approval before submitting the order to CGI. The financial approver will only be able to approve the purchase if an appropriate budget code is provided.
Graham Richardson, Service Delivery Manager said "The new process for buying IT equipment is more streamlined and aims to reduce any delays that users may currently experience. My IT also has the additional benefit of allowing users to see and request any updates regarding the progress of their order.
"The process will be slightly different for Education staff as they currently don't have access to My IT, but they will still follow an updated process. It is vital that staff who are responsible for ordering IT equipment familiarise themselves with the new process as from 31 January any requests submitted to CGI by email will be rejected."
Find out more about the new process for buying IT equipment.
12 January - Supporting our citizen's digital skills
GLASGOW CODE LEARNING
Glasgow Life's 'Glasgow Code Learning' programme offers a range of courses to the public that support basic digital skills through to advanced professional qualifications that can help learners get into a career in Digital. The courses, delivered in partnership with Clyde College, are free and typically last between 9-12 weeks.
As part of the contract the council has with CGI, the community benefits fund has provided funding to Glasgow Life to allow them to offer more courses to Glasgow's citizens. In the last year this funding has helped Glasgow Code Learning to support over 200 people to gain SQA accredited qualifications in software development, web design, or cyber security. Funding has been extended for a period of three years till March 2025.
Neil Paterson, Service Development Manager at Glasgow Life said: "The funding secured by the SIIT team has been invaluable in helping us grow. Our flexibly delivered courses and the additional support we offer to our learners help them to access truly life-changing opportunities and all this is only possible through the support we get from our funders."
The range of subjects on offer means that there's a course to suit everyone, whatever point in their career. For staff looking to enhance their skills in their current roles, Glasgow Code Learning helps learners earn qualifications quickly, while rolling start dates mean that it's never too long before the next course starts. Find out more at: https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/libraries/glasgow-code-learning
12 January - Impacts of Glasgow Life - volunteering
Glasgow Life delivers innovative cultural and sporting programmes and events that improve the mental, physical, and economic wellbeing of Glasgow.
They have created a series of short films to show the positive impacts we have on Glasgow's citizens and visitors because everyone deserves a great Glasgow life. You'll also find information on their full range of programmes and how their work improves lives.
12 January - The exceptional gift
The Scottish Government has launched a campaign to celebrate the exceptional gift of living kidney donation, and to remind people of the vital role it plays in increasing donation and transplantation rates in Scotland.
This campaign aims to celebrate the exceptional gift of living kidney donation.
Living kidney donation plays a vital role in increasing donation and transplantation rates in Scotland, with a kidney from a living donor generally offering the best outcomes for patients in need of a transplant.
Living kidney donation is an exceptional gift that can transform and save lives. Over 1,500 people in Scotland have helped others by donating a kidney, since the first pioneering surgery took place in Edinburgh over 60 years ago.
There are 400 people in Scotland waiting for a kidney transplant at any one time. Although Scotland has an opt out system of deceased organ and tissue donation, continued awareness of the role living donation plays in improving transplant numbers is needed.
There are two types of living kidney donation:
- Directed donation From a person who is close to the person in need of a kidney, such as a family member, partner or a good friend.
- Non-directed altruistic donation From people who don't know the person needing a transplant, but who wish to give one of their kidneys (anonymously) to someone on the kidney transplant waiting list in order to help improve their life.
A kidney from a living donor generally offers the best outcomes for patients living with kidney failure who need a transplant. A healthy person can live a completely normal life with one working kidney, and people can donate to a loved one in need or can donate altruistically to a stranger on the waiting list who is a match.
To find out more about living donation, visit https://www.organdonation.scot/living-donation
12 January - Council-led team helps secure Clyde Metro as a transport investment priority
.jpg "Image of Clyde Metro map")
Clyde Metro has been confirmed as a priority for future investment following a key Scottish Government transport review.
The mass transit plan represents a multi-£billion investment which over 30 years could better connect more than 1.5 million people to employment, education and health services in and around our city.
Playing a pivotal role in the lead up to the Scottish Government's announcement has been the work of a council-led Metro Feasibility Study project team, tasked on behalf of Glasgow City Region to look at a metro opportunity and its benefits.
Harjinder Gharyal, Divisional Director, Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability said: "The main objective of the feasibility study was to help secure Clyde Metro as a future Scottish Government investment priority, so I am naturally delighted with the recent announcement.
"Since 2020, council staff with expertise across a range of specialisms including transport, sustainability, and planning have collaborated with representatives from the NHS and Glasgow Airport to map out the transformative potential of Clyde Metro, whilst complementing and supporting the work of Transport Scotland and others.
"Clyde Metro can help Glasgow achieve its sustainability goals whilst also providing a modern, safe, affordable and integrated public transport system that will benefit our city and the wider region."
The recent Scottish Government appraisal informs transport investment in Scotland for the next 20 years. You can read more about what this appraisal says about Clyde Metro by reading the Strategic Transport Projects Review.
The council's Metro team will continue to work with others, including Transport Scotland on the continued development of Clyde Metro. A Delivery Plan from the Scottish Government on the transport recommendations made, will follow later this year.
12 January - Council officers go undercover
For one-week last month, plain clothed council officers joined an array of other Glasgow partners to tackle local environmental issues, like dog fouling, in the Cranhill area.
A rolling programme of 'Weeks of Action' is cleaning up communities across the city and areas which have already benefited include Craigend, Govan and Hillhead.
This particular Week of Action took place from Monday 28 November and saw undercover enforcement officers out and about, in Cranhill, to collar dirty dog owners who failed to pick up their pets' poo - alongside dedicated teams tackling fly-tipping, clearing land and removing graffiti.
The project is part of the council fly-tipping initiative to target hot spot areas across the city - based on complaints from NRS Performance and Management Unit, Community Councils and Councillors.
During this week, the co-ordinated partnership approach, saw a total of 13 identified streets within the Cranhill area receive a deep clean. The programme helps to promote and reinforce locally in our communities our Cleaner Glasgow Strategy - of Education, Enforcement, Engagement and Enhancement. It also empowers NRS teams to deliver essential services in a sustainable, innovative, and efficient way getting our communities involved.
Ryan Noble, Neighbourhood Coordinator, NRS explains: "I was given an opportunity to interact with 12 key partners to make a difference to the cleanliness of areas in Glasgow as part of the Clean Glasgow Strategy. During the week inconsiderate dog owners, who failed to bag it and bin it, faced fixed penalty notices of £80. Community Payback teams also joined us in the local clean-up and Scottish Fire and Rescue were on hand to offer fire safety advice to local residents."
During the week, NRS staff and city partners all worked together to clear weeds, cut back shrubbery on public land, sweep streets, repair street lights, refresh road markings, tackle fly tipping and remove graffiti. Local residents were also out and about supporting the week's activities with a community litter-pick led by Cranhill Development Trust and our own Clean Glasgow Team.
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Ryan continues: "It really was a massive team effort. Being able to take part in these hands-on tasks made me feel that as a council officer, I was really making a difference for the citizens of Glasgow.
"Thank you to all the following Glasgow Partners and NRS teams who worked hard to deliver this coordinated crackdown."
Those involved included:
- Commercial Enforcement
- Streetscene and Parks
- Neighbourhood Improvement and Enforcement Service
- Police Scotland
- Environmental Health
- Dog Control Officers
- Scottish Fire and Rescue
- The Wheatley Group
- Roads and Lighting
- Cranhill Community Council
- Thenue Housing Association
- Councillors
- Performance and Management Information Unit.
12 January - My Portal 2023 annual leave update
Last week we let you know that annual leave quotas, for the current calendar year 2023, have not been populated in My Portal - due to ongoing technical work. This means that you are presently unable to submit annual leave requests for 2023 using My Portal.
CGI are currently working to update My Portal and we will inform you once this exercise has been complete.
Staff with a residual entitlement from 2022 can still request this via My Portal up to and including 31 January 2023.
