Inform & Influence is a free training course for young people aged 16 to 25 who are outside of formal education or not in employment and training. The objectives of this workshop are to: help young people speak out on why they don’t ‘do politics’; give them a better understanding of what democracy is all about; provide them with a better understanding of how their country is governed; let them know how their involvement in politics can impact on decisions which affect young people living in their country. If you can provide up to ten young people that fit the criteria and a training room then the British Youth Council will provide a three hour training course with an experienced trainer to facilitate a fun and engaging training course for FREE, with lunch included.

If you are interested in joining up with another organisation to lower costs for training, let us know. E-mail us at hiccap@scvo.org.uk

The Social Enterprise World Forum opens at Edinburgh Castle this week. This five day event is part funded by Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE). Delegates will get the opportunity to visit the most exciting enterprises in Shetland, Mull, and Moray during a variety of study visits around Scotland. John Watt, HIE's Director of Strengthening Communities, will outline the characteristics of the region by describing the geography and cultural features. The forum will be the first international gathering of support agencies and practitioners specialising in social enterprise. There will be over four hundred delegates from over thirty countries attending.

The Standards Council for CLD Is inviting key employers in the field of CLD, to a half day discussion session in Edinburgh on the 9th of September. This event is for employers and training providers (and anyone else who is interested) to discuss the issues and to form a collective response to the QAA’s consultation on the benchmark statement for “Youth work, community education and community development” qualifications across the UK.