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Catch up on this month's activity on the Scottish Mentoring Network website. Click the headlines to read more...

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	MEMBER NEWS: Aberlour has published an evaluation of the Urgent Assistance Fund Aberlour Child Care Trust has published an evaluation of the Urgent Assistance Fund which was launched to provide financial support to families since the outbreak of COVID-19.  More than 2000 families have benefited from the fund.   Aberlour issued the warning after the true extent of increased demand on its Urgent Assistance Fund was revealed in the new report, which was prepared by Professor Morag Treanor from the Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE) at Heriot-Watt University. Between March and August, the charity gave out over £370,000 in emergency cash grants, with demand for the fund increasing by more than 1,000% based on the same time period last year, while the value of grants given out increased by 52%. In total 3,264 children were supported by the fund. 20 November
	MEMBER NEWS: GROWBIZ BOOSTS RURAL ECONOMY WITH LAUNCH OF REDS RURAL GIFT CARD Scotland’s specialist Perthshire-based enterprise support organisation GrowBiz has launched the first rural gift card of its kind which can be used in outlets across Scotland.  Following on from the recent launch of the REDS directory -  the first comprehensive directory of Scotland’s rural and island businesses  - the REDS rural gift card is designed to channel consumer spending directly into Scotland’s rural and island towns and villages in a bid to support and promote the rural economy.  The REDS gift card can be purchased online at www.ruralscotlandgiftcard.scot and can be loaded with funds starting at just £5 up to £500.  It works in the same way as a typical store gift card but the recipient can choose to spend the balance with a wide range of participating businesses in rural towns, villages and the countryside across Scotland, either online or in person. The funds are available to spend for twelve months from the date the card is issued. GrowBiz CEO, Jackie Brierton, said: “Scotland’s micro-enterprises form the backbone of our rural economy and the REDS card is designed to encourage consumers to think local and support the many fragile rural businesses across the country which need our help to survive and thrive. The REDS rural gift card can be spent with more than 120 rural businesses across Scotland, which means consumers have an incredible choice of how and where to spend their money, from experiences and days out to art and crafts, eating out or artisan gifts.” Scotland’s rural economy is worth around £34.6 bn, which is 27% of Scotland’s overall economy. Thousands of micro-enterprises across rural Scotland have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the REDS rural gift card is designed to give these businesses practical support by directing consumer spend directly to where it’s needed.  Shop local campaigns have proved highly successful in recent years, by encouraging shoppers to spend in their local communities, tapping into a growing appetite for socially conscious shopping. The REDS rural gift card is delivered in partnership with Miconex, who work with towns and cities across the UK to help support successful local economies through its Town and City Gift Card programmes.  In 2015, Miconex developed the UK’s first city-wide gift card programme and have subsequently gone on to help towns and cities across the 4 nations of the United Kingdom to launch their own local currencies using the Mastercard network. The programmes are designed to lock in money for participating businesses, drive footfall and stimulate additional economic activity.  Colin Munro, managing director of Miconex said the REDS rural gift card can work alongside its town and city based programmes:  “Around £650,000 has been spent through our Town and City Gift Card programmes in Scotland since we introduced our first programme in Perth. This is money which is locked into our economy, supporting businesses and jobs. By November, there will be 16 Town and City Gift Card programmes in Scotland alone. The REDS rural gift card programme is unique in its rural focus but will complement our city programmes, connecting rural communities to the shop local movement. It is fantastic to see the incredible variety of different businesses that are registering to be a part of the REDS rural gift card programme. “The average purchase price for a Town and City Gift Card is £34.56 and recipients spend around 65% on top of this. The REDS rural gift card is a powerful tool for rural businesses to attract new customers, and gain a new revenue stream in this challenging economic climate.” Brierton concluded; “9 out of 10 rural businesses are micro-businesses with fewer than 10 employees.  This high percentage of small businesses means rural communities are dependent upon the continued success of these micro-firms to provide jobs, attract visitors and stimulate the economic activity that supports rural areas. Shopping locally has always been culturally important for rural communities but now, in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, it’s critical to encourage a new drive for local buying.“ “The REDS Card, by definition, encourages card holders to shop locally, and ensures that money is diverted to our rural businesses where there is less passing trade and typically smaller volumes of sales than their urban counterparts.   Only rural enterprises can join the card scheme, meaning REDS Card holders can choose from a diverse collection of businesses to spend their card’s credit and know that whatever they choose they are supporting rural micro-businesses and social enterprises.” Simon Yearsley, owner of The Scottish Deli in Dunkeld and a REDS rural gift card merchant said; “We see the scheme as part of a bigger promotion of businesses in Highland Perthshire. Sure it's another way for us to sell things as a business which is great but really I think it's about being a part of a bigger scheme supporting rural enterprise at a time when, quite frankly, rural enterprise needs all the help it can get.” For details on how to become a REDS member and participate as a REDS Rural Gift Card merchant, visit https://www.reds.scot/ 20 November
	NEWS: Dunfermline songwriter chosen for Ivors Academy mentorship THE organisers of the Ivor Novello Music Awards are helping a Dunfermline songwriter to pen his own success story. Having gone from Screamin' Whisper to the famous Abbey Road studios, Brian Hughes is ready for the next chapter with a top music industry professional in his corner. The 24-year-old, also known as Angelica Mode, is one of 25 young talents from across the UK and Ireland to be chosen for a new mentorship programme. Brian, of Elgin Street, explained: "It's to give promising new acts a leg-up and get them on the radar, help them make some contacts, spread their music as far as possible and build up some notoriety."I was quite surprised to get in – I never get breaks like that! – but I applied, sent links to my music and told them what I aspire to be, and it's gone from there. "It's going to be a huge help as it's hard to come up with new ways to get noticed. You can't gig just now and I've put videos up on YouTube but everyone's doing stuff like that." The Ivors Academy, the independent trade body for songwriters and composers in the UK, which has handed out Ivor Novello Awards since 1956, and Help Musicians, the charity for professional musicians, teamed up for the Music Creators Mentoring Programme, which runs until the end of March. 20 November
	NEWS: Ms Maree Todd MSP joining Scottish Mentoring Network at the Online National Event! We are delighted to announce that Ms Maree Todd MSP will be joining Scottish Mentoring Network at the upcoming Online National Event on the 3rd of December.   20 November
	NEWS: Jim McCormick is the Keynote Speaker for SMN's Members Event on 3rd of December We are absolutely delighted that Dr Jim McCormick will be giving the keynote address at our online Members Event on the 3rd of December! Dr McCormick has been working on addressing issues of poverty throughout his career and is one of the leading experts in this field in Scotland.  He is the author of A Good Match: what works in child and youth mentoring and has newly been appointed as the Chief Executive of The Robertson Trust.   Previously he was Associate Director Scotland with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2017-20), ran an independent research consultancy and was Director of the Scottish Council Foundation think-tank (2002-07). He is Chair of the independent Disability and Carers Benefits Advisory Group reporting to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and a member of the Scottish Government’s Social Renewal Advisory Board. He was Chair of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission (2018-20) and a member of the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC, 2014-20) scrutinizing DWP regulations. He was also an Advisory Board member of Business in the Community Scotland. In 2018 he was a travelling Churchill Fellow looking at the impact of mentoring programmes for children and young people facing disadvantage in the USA, Canada and New Zealand.  Interests include music, languages and Greenock Morton FC. Book your place at this free event here!  2 November

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