Family Marketplace event to showcase latest support available

Families urged to attend event on 14 November for latest on support services 

A lot has been going on for families – and services who support them – over the last few years. 

With this in mind, the Council's Youth Services team and wider Community Learning and Development and Employability service are hosting a special Family Marketplace on 14 November where families can find out the latest on support available to them. 

Around 15 local organisations will have stalls at the event, running from 4pm to 6pm, where folk can find out the latest on new, existing and updated services for their whole family - from advice on income maximisation and employability, to parenting and relationships. 

There will also be a school uniform, winter coats and wellies exchange – if you have items you could donate, please contact: youth.services@orkney.gov.uk 

The Orkney Youth Forum will also be at the event hosting board games for young people and will be inviting feedback on topics of concern to them. 

To help ensure local organisations have the chance to learn and talk about evolving family support services in our community, a complementary event for professionals will run earlier in the day.  

The event is being supported by the Scottish Government’s Whole Family Wellbeing Fund. 

Kerry Spence is the Service Manager of Community Learning and Development and Employability: “Together these events will be a valuable chance for families and those working with them to recalibrate their knowledge of the support available after what has undoubtedly been a challenging few years with lots of change for people. 

"We’d urge families to drop into the early evening market place at the Picky Centre on 14 November and see the wide range of support available for families in Orkney, and perhaps benefit from the welly boot and winter coat exchange too! 

"For our local organisations, the daytime networking event is a chance to check in with each other, hear how the different services have adapted to meet some of the challenges of the last few years - such as the cost of living crisis and mental health of people post-pandemic – and to identify possible collaborations, which is a really important aim.” 

Gearing up to appear at the Family Marketplace are:  

• Action for Children 
• Citizens Advice Bureau 
• CLAN Orkney 
• The Council’s Community Learning and Development and Employability team 
• Homestart Orkney 
• Island Wellbeing project 
• NHS Orkney Oral Health Team and HENRY initiative (Health, Exercise, Nutrition for the Really Young) 
• Orkney Foodbank 
• ORSAS (Orkney Rape and Sexual Assault Service) 
• Relationships Scotland 
• Right There (formerly Ypeople) 
• Skills Development Scotland 
• Voluntary Action Orkney
• Women’s Aid  
• Youth Cafe 
• Young Carers 

To find out more, or to sign up to attend the professional networking event, visit www.orkney.gov.uk/familymarket