A number of  relatively complex hurdles have now been overcome centrally to do with our pension liabilities and we have been greatly aided by our lawyers Morton Fraser and The Pension Trust in resolving these.

Some final work regarding staff transfers and other contracted relationships are being worked on but we remain on track for the change over at the financial year end.

One of the reasons for taking this change on was to enable us to have a better handle on it so that if any member group was considering a similar move we might be able to offer some insight. Once the dust is settled we will be looking at how best we could do that.

Meanwhile if you want to see the  resolution that members approved or  the new SCIO constitution these are available to view and download by clicking on this constitutional link.

But we need to do more. As part of a joint exercise with Youth Scotland we are carrying out a Membership Survey (2012) which seeks members views on all services (LAYC and Youth Scotland’s) and ways you think we can improve our services to you. Other colleagues in other parts of Scotland are also involved.

Most of the questions are tick box and it should take about ten minutes to complete.

We would be very grateful if you could take that time to help us help you better in the future and make sure the services you get are as good as they can be.

You can access the e-survey by following this  link and the survey will close on Friday 16th March.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YouthScotlandLAYCsurvey

We appreciate your input.

To see the programme and access the on line booking click on this link.

As you’ll see the programme has the usual array of old reliable and new courses so get looking and booking!

We have also been advised by Law at Work to remove the Retirement Policy from our portfolio of policies as it no longer applies given the legislative changes in respect of age discrimination. There is not a replacement policy as these matters are already covered under the Equal Opportunities policy. So again if you adopted this policy please remove it from your suit of policies with immediate effect and advise staff that this policy was removed as it no longer applies given the change in the law but is now covered by the Equal Opportunities policy.

Our training calendar for the winter term (Feb – Easter) should be available to view soon, so once available please download and book . So look out for a range of short based courses aimed at youth and children workers including a  full day events for youth workers being held in Midlothian in March.

For further information about any of the above please contact LAYC on 667 1828 or enquiries@layc.org.uk

Law at Work at LAYC.

LAYC is also using a new (and hopefully improved) system for its weekly  email newsletter “E Bulletins”.

If you are not currently a subscriber and would like to receive our weekly  emails then please subscribe using the form on the right.

If you are a subscriber to our current mailing list and have not received your regular E bulletin email from us then please  re-subscribe using the form on the right.

LAYC is always keen to include news and features on the good work of affiliated groups so please keep us posted with what your group has been up to recently and we will include that in a forthcoming quarterly “FAST Networks”.

Remember  E Bulletins is a FREE service for affiliated groups.If you have a jobs, training course or event  to advertise please use the appropriate form on the E-Service section of the website; the jobs form is here.

NON AFFILIATED GROUPS CAN ADVERTISE JOBS, TRAINING COURSES, EVENTS – CONFERENCES ETC TO THE 1100+ LAYC E BULLETINS SUBSCRIBERS FOR A SMALL FEE.

Youth Scotland have produced this 4 page publication which has information about a number of small grant schemes for youth groups.

This includes a comprehensive list of links on the back page, that voluntary run youth groups and volunteers might find useful.

Download the publication as a PDF

Youth Group Games

Youth Group Games is a website LAYC has just been made aware of… first impressions are that it seems a really useful source of games for youth workers.Games of all sorts – some you might recognise and some that might be new to you (and some which have been given a wee twist ….for example there’s a section on different seasonal twists to games like the Mars bar game or the fancy dress relay and other “New Games Book” standards.It’s all clear and simple with explanations on how to run the games and nice to see the sectionon “Setting up a Youth Group” too! Give the site a visit, give the games a try …and give us a wee bit of feedback here at the LAYC office. What worked particularly well? Maybe you have you a different website you’d like to tell us about?

Spark in the Dark

Spark in the Dark is the provider of LAYC’s ever popular “Games, Games, Games” training session. Founded by Jim Balloch who has considerable expertise and experience in a variety of play settings over a number of years . He is equally at home with face to face work with children of all ages and with tutoring those involved directly in the delivery of play services.

Contact Jim on Tel: 01506 811743 or email : jim@sparkinthedark.org

Website: www.sparkinthedark.org