Week 5: Scottish Election 'Video Manifesto' Project

The final video in our series is out today. It shows Maggie Chapman (Scottish Greens Co-Convenor) visiting our Debt Advice Centre and Food Bank at Edinburgh Gorgie Salvation Army.

Major Kathy Betteridge asks her what can be done to restrict high-cost credit and to support lower cost borrowing, and Beverley Johnston asks her what should be done to ensure that people do not need to resort to food banks.

You can watch the video at  http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/asking-questions-matter-scottish-election-2016

The webpage has links to the previous four videos showing:

·         Kezia Dugdale (Scottish Labour Leader) at The Pleasance Lifehouse in Edinburgh

·         Willie Rennie (Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader) at Eagle Lodge Older People's Care Home in Leith

·         Stuart McMillan (SNP) at Greenock Drug & Alcohol Floating Support Service

·         Margaret Mitchell (Scottish Conservatives) at the New Future Employability and Training Centre in Falkirk

Follow the conversation on #AskingQuestionsThatMatter.

Week 4: Scottish Election 'Video Manifesto' Project

The fourth video in our series is out today. It shows Margaret Mitchell (Scottish Conservatives) visiting the New Future Employability and Training Centre in Falkirk.

With employment support services being devolved to Scotland from next year we ask her how these services can be designed to give the best support for those who face the greatest barriers to employment. We also ask what measures need to be taken to lower unemployment and provide worthwhile jobs. You can watch the video at  http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/asking-questions-matter-scottish-election-2016

The webpage has links to the previous three videos, which show the Scottish Labour Leader at The Pleasance Lifehouse in Edinburgh, the Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader at Eagle Lodge Older People's Care Home in Leith, and an SNP candidate at Greenock Drug & Alcohol Floating Support Service. There's also a brief overview of all the parties' views and a downloadable Salvation Army policy briefing.

The final video will be released next Friday showing Maggie Chapman (Scottish Greens Co-Convenor) at the Edinburgh Gorgie Debt Advice Centre and Food Bank.

Follow the conversation on #AskingQuestionsThatMatter. And don't forget to vote on 5 May!

Week3: Scottish Election 'Video Manifesto' Project

The latest video is our series has been released today. It features SNP candidate Stuart McMillan visiting our Greenock Drug & Alcohol Floating Support Service. Two of the service users, Shaun and Glen ask him about alcohol advertising and about support services for people in recovery. You can watch the video at  http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/asking-questions-matter-scottish-election-2016

The webpage has links to the previous two videos, which show Scottish Labour Leader Kezia Dugdale visiting The Pleasance Lifehouse in Edinburgh and Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Willie Rennie visiting Eagle Lodge Older People's Care Home in Leith. 

There's also a brief overview of all the parties' views and a downloadable Salvation Army policy briefing.

The remaining videos will be released on the next two Fridays and show the Scottish Conservative Justice Spokesperson, Margaret Mitchell, at the Employability and Training Centre in Falkirk, and the Scottish Green Party Co-Convenor, Maggie Chapman, at the Edinburgh Gorgie Debt Advice Centre and Foodbank.

Follow the conversation on #AskingQuestionsThatMatter

Week 2: Scottish Election 'Video Manifesto' Project

We launched our 'Video Manifesto' Project last week featuring Scottish Labour Leader Kezia Dugdale visiting The Pleasance Lifehouse in Edinburgh. This week we feature Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Willie Rennie visiting Eagle Lodge Older People's Care Home in Leith.

Eilidh (one of the residents) and Ian (the home manager) ask Willie about the needs of an aging population and the cost of staying in a care home. You can watch the video at  http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/asking-questions-matter-scottish-election-2016

The webpage also gives a brief overview of all the parties' views and has a downloadable Salvation Army policy briefing. There's also a link to last week's video in case you missed it!

On the next three Fridays we'll release videos showing other party leaders or representatives visiting centres that offer drug & alcohol support, employability support, and debt advice.

We also have worship materials linked with the five themes, downloadable from https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/49905299/Scottish%20Election%202016/Scottish%20Election%202016%20Resources%20Pack.pdf

Follow the conversation on #AskingQuestionsThatMatter

SNP MSP praises Salvation Army's Scottish Election 2016 film project

A Salvation Army film project has been giving people at risk of being made homelessness the chance to quiz politicians on the issues affecting them.

Service users at The Salvation Army's Greenock Floating Support Service – which provides housing support to adults with addiction issues – got the chance to come up with some questions for local SNP MSP Stuart McMillan.

The event was the latest part of The Salvation Army's Scottish Election 2016 film project – a series of short films that will be used to highlight the main political parties’ responses to issues highlighted by the church and charity's frontline services. The issues are: drug and alcohol misuse, homelessness, employability, older people, and debt. The series of short films will be released on social media in the weeks before the Scottish Election on May 5, 2016.

Leaders and representatives from the five main political parties have accepted an invitation to visit a frontline Salvation Army service that deals with one of the issues in the films.




Stuart McMillan, MSP for West Scotland, said: "As the SNP representative in The Salvation Army's film project, it has been a hugely interesting experience.

“I'm well aware of the wide range of services The Salvation Army provides in Greenock and across Scotland. I've always been greatly impressed by this work and I know that it genuinely helps people get their lives back so they can contribute in a positive way to society.
"The public sector can't solve every single issue and this is where organisations like The Salvation Army have a huge part to play in our communities."

Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Roberts, The Salvation Army's Assistant to the Secretary for Scotland, said: "This is a great opportunity for The Salvation Army and our service users to ask the questions that matter. For example, one issue that has come up among our service users is the availability of sustainable tenancies for vulnerable adults.


“It has all the hallmarks of being an interesting discussion and everyone at The Salvation Army is looking forward to it.”



One service user who got to put a question to the MSP was Shaun Murphy. Shaun has been with The Salvation Army since 2007, starting out at its former Fewster House service in Greenock before being supported into his own flat.

Shaun asked Mr McMillan if the Scottish Government would consider banning alcohol advertising in public. Mr McMillan replied that the matter was a reserved issue for Westminster but added that the Scottish Government would continue to press the UK government to do more around marketing and advertising.

Shaun said: "It was good to be able to put our questions to Mr McMillan. I'm pleased to be able to take part in this kind of thing with The Salvation Army because I wouldn't be alive without their support over the years.


"I'm originally from Lincolnshire but now I've made a life for myself in Greenock. So much so that when my dad died in 2013 my mum moved up to live permanently. Now we both go to The Salvation Army's church service every Sunday."