Highlands and Islands Enterprise
/Highlands and Islands Enterprise pledges to:
Challenge ourselves to increase the positive impact we make on our local community and make better use of our assets – our buildings/grounds and our people.
In the next six months we will do at least three things that we don’t do at the moment to improve our social impact.
Signed Carroll Buxton, Interim Chief Executive, January 2020
1st Commitment
Formally affiliate our regular charity fundraising activity to the 2020 Year of Coasts and Waters, building on our experience in 2018 when there was a link to the Year of Young People.
In terms of specific activity:
Publicise the Year of Coasts and Waters to HIE staff
Co-ordinate a series of fundraising events in support of charities working in support of our coasts and waters
Highlight scope for volunteering activity with, for example, environmental charities (e.g. to reduce plastic pollution of our waters) and wildlife charities (to conserve wildlife which has water as its natural habitat) - 3 days' volunteering leave per annum are available to staff, so this represents an opportunity to make use of this facility
Collate statistics on volunteering within the above areas and develop some case studies to highlight the social impact of such activity by HIE staff
Promote to staff the scope for water-based activity and the associated health benefits.
Geographical location of impact: Across the entire HIE area
Contact details:
Karen Moncrieff (karen.moncrieff@hient.co.uk; 01463 383194)
Anna Miller (anna.miller@hient.co.uk; 01463 383031)
Pilot a Modern Apprentice opportunity for a young person who has faced challenges entering the world of work, incorporating a structured training plan leading to a formal vocational qualification in due course.
In terms of specific activity:
Identify appropriate media via which to advertise the opportunity
Interview suitable candidates in line with the relevant Person Specification
Draw up a structured induction programme and Personal Development Plan (PDP) for the successful candidate
Liaise with local training provider to progress achievement of an SVQ in Business Administration at level 3.
Geographical location of impact: TBA (pending recruitment in due course)
Contact details: Helen Herd (helen.herd@hient.co.uk; 01463 383134)
3rd Commitment
Expand upon our 2018 volunteering commitment whereby we increased the amount of Special Leave available for this to 3 days per rolling 12 month period
In terms of specific activity:
Analysing the wide range of activity being undertaken across the organisation, publicising to staff and generally promoting the worthwhile nature of volunteering.
Highlighting the opportunities for honing existing skills and acquiring new ones, which in turn are transferable back into the workplace.
Geographical location of impact: Across the entire HIE area
Contact details:
Karen Moncrieff (karen.moncrieff@hient.co.uk; 01463 383194)
Helen Herd (helen.herd@hient.co.uk; 01463 383134)
Additional Information
Some examples of volunteering activity to date
Individual activity
Lay member within Education Scotland's school inspection team
Children's Panel chair
Member of a government advisory panel on diabetes
Group activity
Helping community projects, e.g. a group of staff getting together to work on Wick riverside project.
