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Advisory / Counseling Services News


Pentland Tenants Vote Yes For Transfer To Cairn
Tenants of Pentland Housing Association have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a transfer to Cairn Housing Association.   The transfer will deliver £6.3 million of investment in tenants' homes and the local community, alongside a locked in five-year affordable rent guarantee and continued local services delivered by a new combined team based in Thurso.  
Orkney Brewery Set To Create Jobs And Cut CarbonThumbnail for article : Orkney Brewery Set To Create Jobs And Cut Carbon
Sinclair Breweries, which operates the Orkney Brewery, is investing £300,000 to expand the kitchen in the brewery's visitor centre, install an on-site kegging plant and set up an improved temperature control system.   A contribution of up to £99,000 has been secured from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).  
Nuclear Decommissioning Agency Mission Progress Report 2021Thumbnail for article : Nuclear Decommissioning Agency Mission Progress Report 2021
This is the latest iteration of the Mission Progress Report (MPR) which focuses on the key themes that form the milestones by which we will deliver our mission across our nuclear sites.   In this report, our progress and goals have been aligned with those in our latest Strategy, published in March 2021, allowing for a more consistent approach to presenting our decommissioning mission.  
Programme Offers Support To Tourism On Journey To Low-carbon FutureThumbnail for article : Programme Offers Support To Tourism On Journey To Low-carbon Future
Destination Net Zero will provide support to tourism businesses and destinations as they transition to a greener, more sustainable future.   A key strand in the Scottish Government's COVID-19 Tourism Recovery Programme, the initiative includes the creation of a website offering practical advice for businesses when moving to low-carbon, an awareness-raising programme promoting net zero as good business and funding support, due to be announced later this year, for up to 250 businesses and at least two destinations to invest in carbon reduction activity.  
Rural Firms Encouraged To Take Part In New Business Survey
Businesses in rural areas across Scotland are being encouraged to take part in a new Rural Business Panel survey, which gets underway this week.   More than 2,700 firms are to be contacted for their views on topics such as economic confidence, business performance and optimism, as well as current concerns such as financing, increased costs, supply chain issues and labour challenges.  
Highlands And Islands To Receive £1.47m Of Net-zero Transition FundingThumbnail for article : Highlands And Islands To Receive £1.47m Of Net-zero Transition Funding
The investment will support the delivery of nine different projects from across the region, including new visitor facilities, services and installations at mountain resorts, as well as investment to reduce carbon impacts at key visitor sites and buildings.   The financial support is being distributed by HIE on behalf of the Scottish Government, which has pledged £3.95m to help Scotland's tourism industry be greener and more sustainable.  
Raising The Roof At Dounreay's Newest Radioactive Waste StoreThumbnail for article : Raising The Roof At Dounreay's Newest Radioactive Waste Store
The first roof beams have been lifted into place at Dounreay's newest shielded radioactive waste store.   Seventy six beams, weighing a total of 1,400 tonnes, the equivalent of 116 double decker buses, are needed to complete the mammoth roof structure which will have a total weight of 3,300 tonnes.  
Pentland Tenants Urged To Vote Yes To A Transfer To Cairn Housing Association As Formal Ballot Opens
The ballot for Pentland tenants to decide if they want to transfer to Cairn Housing Association has opened with participants able to easily vote by post, phone, text message or online.   The transfer will only go ahead if a majority of tenants vote YES before the ballot closes on 2nd November.  
30/9/2021
Space Hub Sutherland Will Be A Launch Pad For Jobs And The EconomyThumbnail for article : Space Hub Sutherland Will Be A Launch Pad For Jobs And The Economy
A new report launched (Wednesday 29th September 2021), commissioned by Caithness Chamber of Commerce on behalf of the Caithness & North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership, demonstrates the economic benefits that Space Hub Sutherland will bring to the North Highland and Moray areas.   Space Hub Sutherland - a new satellite launch site - will bring huge employment and tourism benefits to the Scottish Highlands.  
29/9/2021
Banking Protocol: Preventing Fraud And Protecting Members In Credit Unions
The Banking Protocol is a rapid response scheme that will enable credit union staff to alert police when they suspect a customer is being scammed.   Police will attend the branch within the timeframe of an emergency response, enabling them to provide an effective customer intervention, secure evidence to enable them to investigate the potential scam and sometimes catch fraudsters in the act.  
Online Programme Puts Community Leaders At Heart Of Destination Development
Community representatives from across Scotland are taking part in an online programme to help shape the future of local tourism destination management.   The three-month online Communities Leading in Tourism course, which starts on Tuesday 28 September 2021, is designed to boost tourism sector expertise and destination leadership skills.  
Dounreay Safeguards Future Skills With New Intake Of Decommissioning TraineesThumbnail for article : Dounreay Safeguards Future Skills With New Intake Of Decommissioning Trainees
Six new decommissioning operative trainees have started work at Dounreay, as part of a structured programme to develop skills required to safely decommission the site.   DSRL is collaborating with Nuvia, Morson and GDES who have all recruited trainees.  
Drop-in session Monday 20th September 2-3pm via Teams.
Come along to this drop-in information session to find out about the Volunteer Friendly Quality Assurance Award.   A brief presentation will be followed by Q&A session where you can ask about the benefits of this award for your group.  
Businesses To Fast Track With Accelerator Programme - Two Caithness PlacesThumbnail for article : Businesses To Fast Track With Accelerator Programme - Two Caithness Places
Nine businesses from the Highlands will start the latest edition of the Pathfinder Accelerator programme today (9 September 2021), which aims to put them on the fast track to success.   Developed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the established support programme nurtures growth in life science and technology and helps bring new business ideas to market quicker.  
Kite Power Reaches New Heights In ShetlandThumbnail for article : Kite Power Reaches New Heights In Shetland
A Lewis man who recently moved to Shetland has been awarded funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to help make kite energy a reality.   Rod Read set up his company, Windswept and Interesting Ltd in 2012 when he started developing kite turbines.  
Funding Boost For Orkney CheesemakerThumbnail for article : Funding Boost For Orkney Cheesemaker
Orkney Cheese Company Limited is investing in a £925,000 refurbishment project, which is set to increase production, create jobs and help the company reach new markets over the next three years.   Significant improvements will be made at the Hatston Industrial Estate based facility in Kirkwall.  
Cairngorm funicular re-opening is postponedThumbnail for article : Cairngorm funicular re-opening is postponed
The current phase of engineering works to strengthen the 1.9km viaduct that supports the railway track began in April 2021, with the aim of returning the funicular to service early next year.   However, despite strong progress made in tough conditions, HIE has concluded that the planned timescale now needs to extend into the second half of 2022.  
Graduate Support Programme - Opportunities (Caithness & Sutherland)
There are currently several opportunities, across a broad range of disciplines for Graduates, from HNC to Post Graduate, to apply for within Businesses and Social Enterprises across Caithness and Sutherland.   To register an interest please forward the following information tohilary.budge@hient.co.ukby mid-day 17th September 2021: Full Name Educational Institute Award Attained and Subject Year of Graduation(e.g., 2020) Any additional subject/graduate position interests E-Mail Address Legally permitted towork in the UK (Yes / No) Available to work from Caithness or Sutherland (Yes / No) The details provided will be forwarded to the Businesses and Social Enterprises that have current vacancies and they will arrange to contact the Graduates direct.  
Innovation Reaches Deep Into The Dounreay WorkforceThumbnail for article : Innovation Reaches Deep Into The Dounreay Workforce
Innovation in the face of adversity earned Scotland's largest nuclear site a shot at Scotland's top event award.   About 100 or so workers normally attend Dounreay's annual showcase event, when staff are recognised for reaching levels of excellence in their work to decommission the plant.  
Business Leaders Join Impact30 ProgrammeThumbnail for article : Business Leaders Join Impact30 Programme
Another 22 young business leaders from around the Highlands and Islands have become the latest to take part in a year-long programme aimed at developing the next generation of entrepreneurs.   The IMPACT30 programme is open to people aged 35 and under who are in key decision-making roles in young, ambitious businesses.