As Scotland moves through its vaccination programme, it is crucial that all of the people of Scotland have informed and equal access to information about the vaccine.
Through the evidence developed as part of BEMIS Scotland & the Ethnic Minority National Resilience Network Health and Vaccination Survey, we know that not all individuals and communities have or are able to access information in the same way.
In relation to Scotland’s minority ethnic communities and increasing access to relevant and responsive information regarding the vaccination, we are informed that:
- Trusted local partners should be used to help share information.
- Some events, like online Q&As with health professionals or meetings about vaccination must have capacity to be held in mother tongue languages.
- Not everyone accesses written information. For some people videos and visuals are better. These assets should also be available in different languages.
- Some of the translations of vaccine information use overly complicated language.
- Some questions affect all minority ethnic communities. What is in the vaccine? Is it safe? What are the side effects? However, there are also specific issues for Asylum seekers, multi-generational minority ethnic groups, newer migrant individuals and communities, and African and Black communities
As such, as part of the Scottish Government efforts to ensure equal access to information regarding the Vaccines, BEMIS Scotland are commencing an Vaccine Information Fund programme to empower communities to have engagement sessions about the vaccine programme and develop information assets that can be used for different communities.
How much funding is available?
Grants of up to £1,500 are available to eligible organisations to create appropriate resources and activities running March 2022.
Who can apply?
- Charities, and constituted community groups and organisations (with an appropriate constitution or similar governing document)
- You must have an organisation bank account in the name of your organisation (not a personal account)
What can you do?
Whatever needs to be done to help everyone in our communities access the required information about vaccination.
E.g.
- Raise awareness of the vaccine and the vaccination programme
- Run online engagement sessions to discuss the vaccine
- Create written or visual information resources in members’ mother tongues
- Overcome and dispel misinformation about Covid-19 and the vaccine
- Any other creative ideas
We need your expertise, so we will listen to all suggestions as to the best way to do this.
Note: All activities must comply with all relevant Covid-19 social distancing rules, which can be found at https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Examples
Below are just examples of what you could do. If you want to do something else or different then just let us know.
- Host a series of online events for your community to raise awareness about the vaccine and vaccination process and ask questions. If you would like BEMIS to support you to invite a health professional to your session please let us know. We are happy to help.
- Develop a mother tongue resource that can be used to help share information to your community and others who share the same language.
- Use an ongoing service or event to enable people to have an open discussion about the vaccine in any language that is best. After that we can work together, BEMIS and your organisation, to host another event to answer any questions that are coming up. That could include inviting experts along and enabling you to provide translation service if needed.
How to apply
- Please ensure you have referred to the above criteria when submitting your application
- Please complete and send an application form including your budget breakdown
- When completed please send your application to vif@bemis.org.uk
- We may contact your organisation to discuss your application, so please provide contact details for an appropriate person
Criteria for assessment of your application
- Your proposed activity must take place by the end of March 2022
- Must be willing to provide case study of community members reached
BEMIS Scotland will assess the following:
- Your proposal’s connection to the key objectives of the programme
- Your proposal’s reach, viability and value
- Your group’s experience of, or commitment to working with diverse communities.
- Your group’s skills and experience in running events previously:
- Evidence of financial planning/budgeting
- Evidence of publicising/marketing
- Evidence of organisational/planning skills
- You must demonstrate how your activity will your target community and how you will involve them.
Next Steps (successful applicants)
- Please note we may not award the full amount applied for.
- Payment will be made by bank transfer. Please ensure the bank details on your application form are accurate.
- Your organisation must have an independent bank account in the organisation’s name. We cannot make payments to personal accounts.
- We will ask you to send us a short (50–100 words) description of your activity for BEMIS Scotland’s records, promotion and monitoring purposes.
- On acceptance of a grant from BEMIS Scotland, we ask that your organisation keep us informed about the project and any changes that happen during planning.
Application
Application form:
You can also download a copy of these guidelines to share
Please submit your completed application form to:
Contact
If you have any queries please get in contact by emailing vif@bemis.org.uk
You can also follow us on Twitter (@bemis_scotland) and Facebook (facebook.com/bemisscotland) to keep up to date with news about funding.
Funded Organisations
| Organisation | Location | Amount Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Ahl Al Bait Society | Glasgow | £450.00 |
| B.J.O. Amara Association | Glasgow | £650.00 |
| Cambria AFC | Glasgow | £1,435.00 |
| Chabad of Edinburgh | Edinburgh | £1,000.00 |
| Dumfries and Galloway Multicultural Association | Dumfries and Galloway | £1,000.00 |
| East and Southeast Asian Scotland | Edinburgh and Glasgow | £1,000.00 |
| Edinburgh Interfaith Association | Edinburgh | £480.00 |
| Edinburgh Tamil Sangam | Edinburgh | £800.00 |
| FENIKS | Edinburgh | £1,000.00 |
| Fife Migrants Forum | Fife | £960.00 |
| Freedom from Torture | Glasgow | £1,000.00 |
| Friends of Romano Lav | Glasgow | £1,000.00 |
| Fun Little Poland | West Lothian | £750.00 |
| Glasgow Disability Alliance | Glasgow | £1,500.00 |
| Govan Community Project | Glasgow | £1,000.00 |
| HSTAR Scotland SCIO | Stirling | £1,400.00 |
| Hwupenyu Health and Wellbeing Project | Glasgow | £450.00 |
| Information and Learning for All Project (ILFA Project) | Glasgow | £900.00 |
| International Women’s Group | Glasgow | £1,000.00 |
| Isaro Community Initiative | Glasgow | £970.00 |
| Jambo! Radio | Glasgow | £1,875.00 |
| LGBT Unity Glasgow/Scotland | Glasgow | £1,600.00 |
| Milan Senior Welfare Organisation | Edinburgh | £1,000.00 |
| Mossvale Community Church | Paisley | £1,000.00 |
| Nepalese Himalayan Association Scotland | Aberdeen | £700.00 |
| Networking Key Services Ltd. | Edinburgh | £1,000.00 |
| Nigerian Muslim Community Scotland | Glasgow | £690.00 |
| Organisation for Nepalese Culture and Welfare | Aberdeen | £1,000.00 |
| Pollokshields Development Agency | Glasgow | £880.00 |
| Povestry Democratic Citizenship Association | Glasgow | £1,050.00 |
| Raith Rovers Community Foundation | Fife | £500.00 |
| Renfrewshire Effort to Empower Minorities (REEM) | Paisley | £1,000.00 |
| SCOREscotland | Edinburgh | £998.00 |
| Scottish Ethnic Minority Deaf Club | Glasgow | £700.00 |
| Sharpen Her: the African Women’s Network | Glasgow | £1,000.00 |
| Sikh Sanjog | Edinburgh | £1,000.00 |
| Sikhs in Scotland | Glasgow | £900.00 |
| Somali Association in Glasgow | Glasgow | £800.00 |
| Waverley Care | Glasgow | £1,200.00 |
| West of Scotland Regional Equality Council | Glasgow | £990.20 |
| Women In Action | Glasgow | £1,000.00 |
| Youth Community Support Agency | Glasgow | £961.00 |
| TOTAL | £ 40,589.20 |