AVA Annual Report 2022
Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action Annual Report 2022. Your Third Sector Interface for Aberdeenshire.
Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action Annual Report 2022. Your Third Sector Interface for Aberdeenshire.
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<strong>2022</strong><br />
<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong><br />
Your Third Sector Interface for<br />
Aberdeenshire
CONTENTS<br />
CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT 3<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> FINANCES 5<br />
CEO’S REPORT 6<br />
ENGAGEMENT STATISTICS 8<br />
HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT REPORT 10<br />
GOVERNANCE 12<br />
VOLUNTEERING 15<br />
SPOTLIGHT 16<br />
FUNDING & BUSINESS PLANNING 18<br />
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE 20<br />
SPOTLIGHT 22<br />
CHILDREN & FAMILIES 24<br />
SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT LIVING 26<br />
SPOTLIGHT 28<br />
MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING 30<br />
SPOTLIGHT 31<br />
POLICY & CONSULTATIONS 32<br />
SPOTLIGHT 33<br />
MAGPIE 34<br />
HOSPITAL HOMECOMING 38<br />
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERING ENTERPRISE 39<br />
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH &<br />
WELLBEING FUND YEAR 1 40<br />
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH &<br />
WELLBEING FUND YEAR 2 43<br />
JUST TRANSITION PARTICIPATORY<br />
BUDGETING FUND 44<br />
ADULT LEARNING RECOVERY FUND 46<br />
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS 48<br />
CONTACT US 49
REPORT<br />
... CHRIS WHITE, CHAIRPERSON<br />
Aberdeenshire has experienced many changes<br />
during this recent period, meaning that people and<br />
communities have had to adapt in ways we hadn’t<br />
imagined beforehand. <strong>AVA</strong> was previously operating under<br />
the assumption that following the pandemic, the third sector<br />
had to survive before it could revive and hopefully thrive,<br />
but for different reasons, many groups are still at the ‘survive’<br />
stage and some are unfortunately struggling to do so under<br />
complex and changing conditions. Others have revived<br />
and some are thriving, but just as we are seeing growing<br />
inequalities across society, we are in many ways seeing a<br />
similar trend across the third sector groups and organisations<br />
that we are working with on a day-to-day basis. <strong>AVA</strong> is<br />
working hard to help reduce these inequalities by providing<br />
knowledgeable and detailed support in both reactive and<br />
proactive ways that are having positive impacts for the<br />
groups that engage with us.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong>’s team often feels these struggles at a personal level<br />
because they are individually invested in supporting a<br />
thriving third sector which drives their passion for what they<br />
do, and this makes them a team that I and my fellow Directors<br />
are proud to work with and support. Seeing <strong>AVA</strong> grow in a<br />
sustainable way, and be able to offer additional capacity<br />
to groups in need of support has been particularly fulfilling<br />
for The Board, and seeing the impact that the support has<br />
had for groups across the communities that we live in makes<br />
<strong>AVA</strong>’s work something to be very proud of.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> made some strategic financial decisions during the year,<br />
with the key one being to exit the property inhabited by the<br />
Third Sector Interface part of the operation, meaning that the<br />
resource could be diverted into service development and<br />
delivery, including offering free access to a comprehensive<br />
online training platform for <strong>AVA</strong> member organisations, and<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> // 3<br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
The full <strong>AVA</strong> staff team<br />
enjoy a Christmas lunch<br />
with board members in<br />
December.<br />
delivering a wider range of forum activities than in previous<br />
years. I am pleased that <strong>AVA</strong> has been able to present<br />
another set of positive financial accounts that provide a<br />
springboard to a future where <strong>AVA</strong> will continue to grow<br />
its services menu and deliver an annual workplan with the<br />
needs of the sector firmly at its core.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> continues to work in strategic partnership with public<br />
sector agencies across Aberdeenshire, including many parts<br />
of Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeenshire’s Community<br />
Planning Partnership, Aberdeenshire’s Health & Social<br />
Care Partnership, and NHS Grampian. Our aim is to always<br />
ensure that decision making retains cognisance of the skills,<br />
experience and expertise that resides within the third sector,<br />
and engages constructively in partnership development<br />
that listens to and more importantly understands the value<br />
that can be created by the sector. Our Third Sector Interface<br />
operations, along with Magpie and our other projects are<br />
integral pieces of the jigsaw that makes <strong>AVA</strong>; they each<br />
contribute in differing ways to <strong>AVA</strong> being acknowledged as<br />
a partner of significant and strategic importance within and<br />
across the landscape of communities across Aberdeenshire.<br />
Thank you to our members for your continuing support and<br />
engagement with <strong>AVA</strong>, and on behalf of my fellow Directors,<br />
it is my pleasure to be able to welcome you to <strong>AVA</strong>’s <strong>Annual</strong><br />
<strong>Report</strong> covering the period December 2021 to February<br />
2023.<br />
Chris White, Chairperson and Trustee
FINANCES<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> // 5<br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
REPORT<br />
... DANIEL SHAW, CEO<br />
<strong>2022</strong> was a year that started and ended in the same way at<br />
<strong>AVA</strong>; working hard to process funding applications that would<br />
support groups to do some vital work across Aberdeenshire. In<br />
the course of 12 months, <strong>AVA</strong> distributed over £1.5m of funding to<br />
support different outcomes; but more of that later!<br />
As Aberdeenshire’s Third Sector Interface, our core purpose is to<br />
support, connect, represent and promote third sector organisations,<br />
and we have not rested on our laurels. After changing our<br />
operating model in the previous year so that we could deliver more<br />
services and outcomes for third sector organisations, this year has<br />
seen us go a step further by expanding our Development team<br />
and welcoming 3 new positions. Each position has clear outcomes<br />
and you can find out more about these in the update from Keith<br />
Anderson, our Head of Development, in this report.<br />
We’ve also worked hard on how we manage our intelligence relating<br />
to Aberdeenshire’s third sector, and have been able to expand<br />
our support team to enable more efficient use of our data systems<br />
to record activity, and to facilitate faster processing of funding<br />
applications through automation and process improvement.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> continues to run a number of discreet projects, with Magpie,<br />
our social enterprise project in Banchory, being our longest held<br />
project. It has undergone a significant transformation regarding its<br />
process and procedures over the last year, and we have invested<br />
in staff and volunteer training to better support the outcomes that<br />
Magpie continues to deliver; these being our contribution to the<br />
vital net zero agenda, whilst supporting families in crisis through<br />
social donation of critical household goods.<br />
We are currently running three other projects which are at varying<br />
stages of progress:<br />
Community Volunteering Enterprise is funded by the Young Person’s<br />
Guarantee and entered its second year of delivery. It supports<br />
young people aged 16-25 to gain an SQA approved qualification<br />
in Employability Skills, and encourages them to volunteer their<br />
services with a third sector organisation to gain valuable skills, akin<br />
to being the first line of their CV. A third year is a very real prospect<br />
due to its success so far.<br />
6 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
Hospital Homecoming is funded by NHS Charities Together and NHS<br />
Grampian Endowment Fund, and is delivered in partnership with ACVO<br />
and tsiMORAY. The project has changed form during the year to be agile<br />
in the face of some adversity, but one of the significant outcomes has<br />
been the securing of a data processing agreement with NHS Grampian,<br />
enabling the third sector to work directly with NHS Grampian staff to<br />
provide better support for vulnerable and isolated patients. The funding<br />
for this project is due to end in August 2023 but we are already working<br />
hard on continuation plans for what is such a vital service.<br />
A relatively new project for <strong>AVA</strong> is leadership of a Local Outcomes<br />
Improvement Plan strand (Mental Health & Wellbeing) on behalf of<br />
the Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership. <strong>AVA</strong>’s role is to<br />
coordinate information relating to the services that are available for<br />
people and communities to access that can help them to maintain<br />
and improve their mental health and wellbeing. Vital to this is significant<br />
partnership working across and beyond the community planning<br />
partners, and <strong>AVA</strong> is proud to have been approached to deliver this,<br />
again, vital piece of work.<br />
Running alongside all of this has been our fund management work,<br />
across the diverse themes of Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing,<br />
Community-based Adult Learning, and Just Transition (delivered through<br />
participatory budgeting). This has involved building robust processes,<br />
data systems, and assessment processes from scratch, and has seen <strong>AVA</strong><br />
work with a diverse range of partners and people to deliver significant<br />
outcomes. In brief, we have processed 298 funding applications, and<br />
made 157 awards for £1.764m.<br />
Some of the significant outcomes from the current year are detailed for<br />
you in this report, but like this time last year, we already have plans for<br />
how we can increase our visibility across Aberdeenshire and continue to<br />
be the first port of call for community, voluntary and third sector groups<br />
and organisations looking for support and guidance. We are developing<br />
an events and training programme for the coming year to support<br />
knowledge exchange and capacity building, and we have some<br />
exciting projects that we’re working on in the background including<br />
a full stakeholder mapping and engagement project, and a business<br />
engagement programme that we think could bring significant benefits<br />
for the sector across Aberdeenshire.<br />
It’s fair to say that the entire <strong>AVA</strong> team has delivered some outstanding<br />
outcomes since our previous <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> and I would like to personally<br />
and formally thank each of them for their commitment to <strong>AVA</strong>, but more<br />
importantly, their commitment to the community, voluntary and third<br />
sectors across Aberdeenshire.<br />
Dan Shaw, Chief Executive Officer
ENGAGEMENT<br />
we have<br />
contact with<br />
1557<br />
third sector<br />
organisations who<br />
deliver services in<br />
Aberdeenshire<br />
530<br />
members<br />
436 organisations<br />
& 94 individuals<br />
1136<br />
people<br />
subscribe to our<br />
information<br />
sharing bulletins<br />
28,483<br />
visitors to<br />
our website in<br />
the past year<br />
up from 12,790<br />
in 2021<br />
In <strong>2022</strong><br />
we published<br />
4 digital ava<br />
magazines which<br />
which had a total<br />
of 2947 views<br />
In <strong>2022</strong><br />
we AWARDED over<br />
£1.5M<br />
OF FUNDING TO<br />
ORGANISATIONS<br />
ACROSS<br />
ABERDEENSHIRE<br />
3,259<br />
people<br />
like the <strong>AVA</strong><br />
Facebook page<br />
and it reached<br />
176,905 people<br />
in <strong>2022</strong><br />
1096<br />
followers<br />
on twitter<br />
up 71 from<br />
2021<br />
8 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
20,071<br />
Interactions with organisations in <strong>2022</strong><br />
✻<br />
15%<br />
CONTRIBUTED TO<br />
CROSS-SECTOR<br />
COLLABORATION<br />
18,060<br />
of these interactions<br />
used <strong>AVA</strong> as a source<br />
of knowledge<br />
88%<br />
CONTRIBUTED TO<br />
MORE PEOPLE<br />
BEING INVOLVED IN<br />
THEIR COMMUNITY<br />
84%<br />
used <strong>AVA</strong> as<br />
a voice for<br />
the sector<br />
89%<br />
CONTRIBUTED TO<br />
ORGANISATIONS<br />
RESPONDING TO<br />
LOCAL NEED<br />
2391<br />
used <strong>AVA</strong> to facilitate<br />
capacity building<br />
within the sector<br />
409<br />
CONTRIBUTED TO<br />
THE THIRD SECTOR<br />
BEING INCLUDED IN<br />
KEY DECISIONS<br />
92%<br />
used <strong>AVA</strong> to act<br />
as a connector for<br />
the sector<br />
791<br />
CONTRIBUTED<br />
TO A THRIVING<br />
LOCAL SOCIAL<br />
ECONOMY<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> // 9<br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
REPORT<br />
... KEITH ANDERSON,<br />
HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT<br />
In the midst of the lockdowns many wondered what the<br />
‘new normal’ might be like when restrictions are eased and<br />
life returned to our communities, when community groups<br />
were able to restart their activities and facilities were able<br />
to open their doors again. While I was reflecting on the year<br />
that <strong>2022</strong> has been, I realised we are in the new normal; and<br />
if asked what the headlines of <strong>2022</strong> have been, I’d have to<br />
suggest challenges, change and opportunities.<br />
Recovering from the enforced lockdowns would have been<br />
enough, but just as things were opening up other events<br />
conspired to present new challenges. The third sector across<br />
Aberdeenshire has not been immune to the impact of<br />
the cost-of-living crises, many groups have struggled with<br />
spiralling utility costs and we have heard that the cost of<br />
volunteering has unfortunately become a barrier to some<br />
and groups have struggled to find the volunteers they need.<br />
The influence of covid remains and continues to be a factor<br />
in some ways as plans are made and implemented.<br />
In the last twelve months our Development Team has grown<br />
with two new posts being created as a positive outcome of<br />
our involvement in managing the Communities Mental Health<br />
& Wellbeing Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government.<br />
Our experiences of Phase 1 of the fund, which concluded in<br />
March 22, led us to realise where more support and guidance<br />
were needed, and we have in place a Development Officer<br />
specialising in supporting organisations and groups that are<br />
contributing to the local Mental Health & Wellbeing support<br />
agendas. We also have a Development Officer in post who is<br />
specialising in providing Business Planning type support and<br />
this includes guidance on completing funding applications.<br />
<strong>2022</strong> could be described as the year that <strong>AVA</strong> found itself in<br />
funding, and everything that was involved. Every member of<br />
our Development Team has had something to do either with<br />
“our experiences<br />
in managing the<br />
funds in the last<br />
twelve months<br />
have been<br />
enlightening<br />
and helped to<br />
develop our<br />
awareness, and<br />
understanding, of<br />
both existing and<br />
new groups and<br />
organisations”<br />
10 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
Head of Development<br />
Keith Anderson presenting<br />
former Communications<br />
Officer Lesley Lawrinson<br />
with a leaving gift in<br />
October.<br />
Community Mental Health & Wellbeing Funds Round 1 & 2 or the Just Transition Fund<br />
that we managed in the last months of 22.<br />
I’m confident in saying that all of our experiences in managing the funds in the last<br />
twelve months have been enlightening and helped to develop our awareness, and<br />
understanding, of both existing and new groups and organisations, what they do and<br />
their aspirations to make a difference in communities across all of Aberdeenshire.<br />
Unfortunately as with any fund, not everyone application was successful and we<br />
have been working with groups and organisations on alternative funding sources or<br />
alternative ways for sustainability.<br />
In all of my time with <strong>AVA</strong>, and the Volunteer Centre before that, I have been reminded<br />
of the selfless commitment, dedication and, today more than ever, the resilience of<br />
people across Aberdeenshire who volunteer or work in the third sector. The past year<br />
has been challenging and we can expect something similar in the twelve months to<br />
come. It will be my, and my teams privilege and pleasure to offer all of the support and<br />
guidance we can so that organisations and community groups can continue to make<br />
the important and often vital difference they do across Aberdeenshire.<br />
Keith Anderson, Head of Development
GOVERNANCE<br />
... RHONA DAVIDSON,<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> DEVELOPMENT OFFICER<br />
Development Officers<br />
Rhona Davidson and<br />
Sandra McGuigan at<br />
the <strong>AVA</strong> staff and<br />
board day in August<br />
12 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong><br />
Some of the main highlights for <strong>2022</strong> in the Governance specialism<br />
would include, the continuing business from the volume of new<br />
enquiries on a range of topics from incorporation, charitable<br />
status guidance, through to general health and safety guidance<br />
from across the Shire. That’s over and above the ongoing support<br />
to groups, who have already connected with me and seek further<br />
governance guidance. There have been lots of positive outcomes,<br />
even with the challenges that Covid placed there for so many groups<br />
and individuals. Some groups have been looking to diversify, there<br />
have been many start ups and new beginnings, and at the other end<br />
of the scale there have also been realisations that communities have<br />
changed and therefore guidance on how best to dissolve inactive<br />
groups has been required.<br />
The Just Transition Fund gave us another opportunity to support the<br />
wider third sector and being part of the support team allowed us to<br />
use our experience and knowledge to be a useful part of that process.<br />
Sitting and passing my NDip exams during the year also added<br />
another layer of personal development for me, and I have had the<br />
opportunity to develop as one of the two Lead Development Officers<br />
for <strong>AVA</strong>, focusing on Training and Strategic Service Development. I<br />
have been involved with beginning improvement in the Occupational<br />
Health & Safety Management of Magpie too. So, a positive year for<br />
me, for sure!
“Being part of the Individual Living Network has helped us feel a<br />
sense of belonging and thank you to Sharon for letting me highlight<br />
our charity. We have made so many good contacts since being part<br />
of <strong>AVA</strong>. The support we receive from <strong>AVA</strong> is fantastic and we hope<br />
to continue to be part of the <strong>AVA</strong> family and thank you for making us<br />
so welcome.”<br />
Carol Anderson, Food Train Connects<br />
✻<br />
“<strong>AVA</strong> helped with queries about the legal status of the group and<br />
also funding. I think <strong>AVA</strong> is an excellent organisation and hope to use<br />
it more in the future.”<br />
Helen Kings, Friends of Guiding<br />
✻<br />
“Audited our accounts and helped us submit our annual return<br />
to OSCR. Advice on governance (and other) issues. Publicised<br />
information regarding our organisation in their Newsletter. Helped<br />
us find funding via their Newsletter. ENORMOUS amount of help and<br />
support to individuals unfamiliar with the processes and procedures<br />
required for running charity. The staff are easily contacted;<br />
knowledgeable; efficient; use ‘plainspeak’ and are hugely important<br />
to us in the continuation and development of our organisation.<br />
A 5 star service!”<br />
Elizabeth Barrow, Friends of the Amal Project
14 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
VOLUNTEERING<br />
... EMMA CHRISTIE,<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> DEVELOPMENT OFFICER<br />
I<br />
have really enjoyed my first year at <strong>AVA</strong>, finding out about<br />
the amazing volunteers we have here in Aberdeenshire and<br />
supporting people to get more involved. Meeting so many<br />
of them at our celebration for Volunteers’ Week <strong>2022</strong> was a<br />
real highlight. Speaking to the volunteers who are making a<br />
real difference in our communities was really interesting. The<br />
presentation of a lifetime achievement award to a couple<br />
in their late 80s and early 90s topped the day off nicely and<br />
left us all reflecting on the difference that volunteers make<br />
to our local communities.<br />
Development Officer<br />
Emma Christie at<br />
Deveron Projects in<br />
Huntly giving a<br />
presentation on <strong>AVA</strong>’s<br />
work in Aberdeenshire<br />
and why people<br />
volunteer.<br />
I look forward to continuing to deliver our successful Lunch &<br />
Learn sessions in 2023 and promoting all things volunteering<br />
across Aberdeenshire.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> // 15<br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
SPOTLIGHT<br />
... INVOLVING VOLUNTEERS AWARD<br />
Developed in <strong>2022</strong> this award came<br />
about as a result of <strong>AVA</strong> taking<br />
ownership of an organisational<br />
award that we developed and<br />
designed to fit the needs of the groups<br />
we work with. We wanted this award to<br />
sit alongside our suite of other successful<br />
volunteer award schemes including<br />
iVolunteer Awards and <strong>AVA</strong> Awards.<br />
Sarah Benzie, Volunteer Coordinator<br />
at The Barn in Banchory.<br />
We wanted to provide organisations with<br />
a first-class award, that would recognise<br />
the very best in good volunteering<br />
practice from an organisational point<br />
of view. One that would be recognised<br />
in their communities and attract more<br />
volunteers to that organisation. To do<br />
this successfully we connect our most<br />
local Development Officer to the<br />
organisation and that way they get<br />
face-to-face visits and evaluation. Our<br />
External Assessment panel is in place<br />
to approve those who are ready to<br />
be recognised as Involving Volunteers<br />
Award organisations. We expect many<br />
organisations will be looking to achieve<br />
this award in 2023.<br />
16 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
“<strong>AVA</strong> have been a huge help with three groups I am involved<br />
with. They were a source of information and support in providing<br />
payroll - (along with the many queries and questions we had having<br />
no financial knowledge!) - funding and volunteer information,<br />
governance issues - in fact just about anything and everything<br />
we need to know. We have always felt that <strong>AVA</strong> gave a very<br />
knowledgeable, reassuring and personal service anytime we<br />
contacted them. On many occasions they were absolute life savers<br />
when we had any problems to solve! Great to know that <strong>AVA</strong> is there<br />
when you need them.”<br />
Sally Sheehan, Slains & Collieston Community Council<br />
✻<br />
“We needed guidance on the legal side of things like applying to<br />
become an actual charity, as well as our trustees declaration etc.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> will also guide us with the fundraising side of things. Both Rhona<br />
& Gloria have been a huge help to us. Always happy to answer any<br />
questions and offer a lot of help with the legal side of things & the<br />
fundraising side. Couldn’t have gotten this far without <strong>AVA</strong>.”<br />
Louise Strachan, Play For All (Banchory)<br />
✻<br />
“[<strong>AVA</strong>] Gave me an understanding of what is happening<br />
strategically in the area, what opportunities exist for organisations,<br />
who’s who in different organisations and this all helped in developing<br />
relationships & partnerships.”<br />
Kay Wood, Age Scotland
FUNDING<br />
... DONNA SPEED,<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> FUNDING OFFICER<br />
Head of Development<br />
Keith Anderson with Policy<br />
& Consultations Officer,<br />
Alasdair Ross, Funding<br />
Officer Donna Speed,<br />
Data Management<br />
Officer, Isabelle Taylor and<br />
Grants & Database<br />
Administrator Jenny<br />
Buchanan at the <strong>AVA</strong> staff<br />
and board day in August.<br />
18 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong><br />
Donna Speed, <strong>AVA</strong>’s Funding Officer, offers funding<br />
support and advice to third sector groups across<br />
Aberdeenshire. During <strong>2022</strong>, part of each working day<br />
involved researching grant options on behalf of groups and<br />
organisations. This could be anything from finding funding<br />
ideas for new sports equipment, meeting increased running<br />
costs, or a large-scale capital build or renovation. Every<br />
week the searches carried out were slightly different, as the<br />
third sector is so diverse across Aberdeenshire.<br />
A highlight of this year was being involved in the administration<br />
of the Aberdeenshire Communities Mental Health &<br />
Wellbeing Fund for a second year. It is always great to see<br />
local groups secure funding to continue their valuable work<br />
in our communities.
FUNDING<br />
... GLORIA MALCOLM,<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> DEVELOPMENT OFFICER<br />
(FUNDING & BUSINESS PLANNING)<br />
“We followed up some of<br />
the funding suggestions and<br />
gained funding<br />
for our charity. Very good<br />
support. Nice, friendly<br />
people and very<br />
prompt in providing<br />
information.”<br />
SCILL (Supporting<br />
Children in Learning for Life)<br />
In terms of Business Planning strategically,<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> have been actively building a toolkit<br />
for our members to assist with the creation<br />
of short, medium and longer term business<br />
plans which will facilitate sustainability in<br />
these critical times where we all face the<br />
cost of living crisis and the increasing scarcity<br />
of grant support. The toolkit will include<br />
business modelling graphics, hints and tips<br />
factsheets, a charity-specific business plan<br />
template, business planning webinars and<br />
1-1 support.<br />
Complementing this Business Planning<br />
tool kit will also be strategic grant funding<br />
support which will encourage and support<br />
our members to build a clear vision for<br />
fundraising which includes identification<br />
of fundraising requirements and gapanalysis<br />
which will deliver a targeted grant<br />
application roadmap. This approach,<br />
complemented by tailored grant searches,<br />
grant funding webinars and 1-1 support<br />
will again allow our members to build a<br />
sustainable organisation ready to face<br />
future challenges.<br />
Community Asset Transfer is an initiative<br />
which continues to meet the needs of<br />
some of our groups and <strong>AVA</strong> can also offer<br />
localised support to those groups that are<br />
exploring this as part of their strategic plan<br />
for growth.<br />
“[With] carrying out funding<br />
searches and reviewing<br />
applications [<strong>AVA</strong> are]<br />
always knowledgeable,<br />
helpful and professional.<br />
You guys do exactly what<br />
it says on the tin (website).”<br />
Wood RecyclAbility<br />
“...they helped us by<br />
providing their available<br />
grant list. It has meant we<br />
could direct our effort in a<br />
more streamlined fashion<br />
and only apply for grants<br />
which were suitable for<br />
us. It saved us a lot of time<br />
searching and reading<br />
which grants would be<br />
suitable for our projects. It<br />
has proved valuable advice<br />
on interpreting jargon/lingo<br />
which we are unfamiliar<br />
with and assisted us through<br />
the grant process.<br />
The support has been<br />
excellent. It is great<br />
resource to have available<br />
to ourselves.”<br />
Bennachie Leisure<br />
Centre<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> // 19<br />
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20 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
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Development Officer,<br />
Aileen Longino is also a valued<br />
volunteer in her local community.
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE<br />
... AILEEN LONGINO,<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> DEVELOPMENT OFFICER<br />
<strong>2022</strong> has been another year of growth for start-up Social<br />
Enterprises in Aberdeenshire. We have worked with many<br />
small social enterprises that popped up during the pandemic<br />
when people had time to take stock of life and circumstances.<br />
This is reflected in the very recently published and long awaited<br />
Social Enterprise in Scotland: Census 2021.<br />
We have been working with a growing number of SEs with figures<br />
for Aberdeenshire at 287 up 42 from the previous census. At <strong>AVA</strong><br />
we work with around 100 social enterprises with over ¾ of them<br />
led by people from a particular community - so still plenty of<br />
work to do. This is encouraging in that 33% of Social enterprises<br />
in Scotland are based in rural communities with Aberdeenshire<br />
being a perfect example of this. It is great to hear that demands<br />
on services provided continued to increase during the pandemic<br />
although mitigating actions such as adapting business models to<br />
cater for social distancing took its toil on a majority of all social<br />
enterprises. However, they still they managed to increase their<br />
income with most coming from trading activity as many are<br />
feeling the usual funding streams are in decline.<br />
The three strongest national outcomes for Scotland for social<br />
enterprises are Communities and Health & Education and this<br />
is what we see locally in Aberdeenshire. Business confidence<br />
seems to have bounced back from 12 months ago but many<br />
express that the ongoing rising operational costs are the main<br />
barrier for development. Making the transition to Net Zero has<br />
started, helped by the Just Transition Fund but help with costs<br />
associated to this is the biggest need.<br />
Going forward there is a need for more collaborative approach,<br />
sharing knowledge, skills and services with our network of social<br />
enterprises. At <strong>AVA</strong>, we are looking at a Social Enterprise Swap<br />
Shop and finding ways of securing better deals for utilities and<br />
services when we work together collectively as a social enterprise<br />
cooperative for our <strong>AVA</strong> membership.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> // 21<br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
SPOTLIGHT<br />
... ABERDEENSHIRE WARM SPACES<br />
Visit our<br />
Warm Spaces map at<br />
www.avashire.org.uk<br />
We launched this project in early November to<br />
capture all the ‘warm spaces’ springing up<br />
across Aberdeenshire. These spaces were mostly<br />
community areas which were already warm and lit but<br />
perhaps being underutilised. We are currently working with<br />
74 ‘warm spaces’ across Aberdeenshire.<br />
22 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong><br />
This project continues to grow and our interactive map plots<br />
where and when they are happening - including opening<br />
hours and what is being offered eg. free Wi-Fi, warm soup,<br />
and hot drinks. Many of these ‘warm spaces’ are doubling<br />
up with food pantries and other related services providing<br />
a one-stop-shop for some communities. Most managed to<br />
maintain some level of service over the festive period and<br />
are committed to running until the end of March 2023, when<br />
hopefully the weather will have improved.
“<strong>AVA</strong> have been invaluable to our organisation with advice ,<br />
recommendations, help when we need when filling in important<br />
documentation and anything that us a organisation have little<br />
or no experience dealing with . Gloria and Rhona are always at<br />
hand when we need advice and always pleasant and it’s never<br />
a problem. An excellent knowledge of what we need to do in our<br />
process of getting the outdoor pool on a legal standing to complete<br />
the Asset transfer from Aberdeenshire council. Keeping us right and<br />
up to date on regulations and important form filling in target points.<br />
We are very grateful for the help we have had up to now and<br />
hopefully moving on we can continue getting the advice we need<br />
to complete our project .”<br />
Andrew MacRae, Portsoy Outdoor Pool<br />
✻<br />
“[<strong>AVA</strong>] provided us with valuable guidance on the steps we should<br />
be taking in order to make the Warm Spaces project successful.”<br />
Vikki Jannetta , Udny Community Trust<br />
✻<br />
“<strong>AVA</strong> supported our organisation to progress from being the<br />
One Stop Shop Aberdeen, running under another organisations<br />
charity number to becoming a charity in it’s own right. Autism<br />
Understanding Scotland (AUScot) is now a national autistic led autism<br />
support charity. <strong>AVA</strong> supported us to apply for our SCIO charitable<br />
status, governance advice, potential funding sources, issues with<br />
Business Rates costs and networking. <strong>AVA</strong> have also helped us to<br />
promote our work by sharing; events, training, call for new trustees<br />
and consultation work we have held regarding Bills and Policy work<br />
with Scottish Government. ”<br />
Julie Brown , Autism Understanding Scotland<br />
(also known as AUScot)
CHILDREN & FAMILIES<br />
... SHONA REYNOLDS,<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> DEVELOPMENT OFFICER<br />
Aberdeenshire has a wealth of organisations that support<br />
children, young people, and their families at a local level.<br />
The organisations have long established relationships with<br />
their communities and a real understanding of the challenges they<br />
face.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong>’s Children and Families Network launched in 2021 and has a<br />
growing membership of almost 90 members. The network is open<br />
to any third sector organisations delivering services to children,<br />
young people, families, and carers living in Aberdeenshire. Since<br />
its launch, members have been invited to attend two forum events<br />
and three network meetings.<br />
Children and Families network events have provided members<br />
with an opportunity to highlight the valuable work done, share<br />
knowledge and experiences, as well as being a place where<br />
collaborative working relationships are built. Statutory partners have<br />
been invited to speak about relevant work and seek views from the<br />
groups. In addition to the meetings, each member has received<br />
regular updates on training, news, and developments. There is a<br />
key role for sharing the third sectors’ views at local and national<br />
level and for <strong>AVA</strong> to share information through the network.<br />
The network provides an opportunity to bring together the third<br />
sector voice in Aberdeenshire. This is fed into Children’s Services<br />
Planning at a local and national level as the Children & Families<br />
Development Officer is an active member of the Child Protection<br />
Committee, GIRFEC Strategic Group, as well as working together<br />
with multi-agency partners in various GIRFEC and CPC Subgroups.<br />
In September, Shona attended the Launch of Core Multi-Agency<br />
Mental Health Professional Learning Framework.<br />
Shona also participates in the national ‘Supporting the Third Sector<br />
Project’ facilitated by Children in Scotland. In the autumn, she<br />
attended their multi-agency training event on Children’s Rights<br />
and the UNCR: Bridging Policy and Practice.<br />
24 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
Mhairi Philip, Manager at Home-Start Garioch<br />
and <strong>AVA</strong>’s Shona Reynolds with Angela<br />
Gowdy who was named Home-Start’s<br />
Volunteer of the Year.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> // 25<br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
26 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
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Development Officers, Sharon Francis<br />
and Heather McKay with Project Officer, Aimi<br />
Blueman at Grampian Opportunities.
SUPPORTING<br />
INDEPENDENT LIVING<br />
... SHARON FRANCIS,<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> DEVELOPMENT OFFICER<br />
Starting a new job is always hard ‘til you find your feet<br />
but when it was during lockdown, it was tough. For that<br />
reason <strong>2022</strong> couldn’t come quick enough to enable<br />
me to meet with the great groups and organisations within<br />
our communities and the team I was working with.<br />
Virtually is a great way to meet people and has many<br />
positives but you can’t beat meeting people on a personal<br />
level and truly listening and feeling their passion for the work<br />
they do - it’s so inspiring.<br />
Days out in Inverurie and Huntly were organised by a few of<br />
us, where we met with various organisations to learn more<br />
about the work they were doing and plans they had for<br />
moving forward to meet the needs of our communities, and<br />
this was superb. But for me it was a double whammy as I was<br />
also meeting my colleagues for the first time in person and<br />
I was able to learn more about them and their role within<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> and listen to differing perspectives and interests from<br />
them about their specialisms and the groups we met.<br />
<strong>2022</strong> has given me so many reasons to smile when I look back<br />
on it and many of them are reflecting on the most inspiring<br />
people I have met since joining <strong>AVA</strong>. I always feel incredibly<br />
lucky to do the job I do.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> // 27<br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
28 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong><br />
Development Officer, Sharon Francis<br />
with the Grampian 50+ Network<br />
Ramblers’ Rendezvous event in July <strong>2022</strong>.
SPOTLIGHT<br />
... GRAMPIAN 50+ NETWORK<br />
Grampian 50+ Network is an association of 46 walking<br />
groups across Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and<br />
Moray. Groups organise their own walks and some<br />
walks are local while others are further afield and make use<br />
of public transport, minibus or private cars.<br />
A committee of volunteers organises opportunities for all<br />
members to meet and mingle. These include walking days,<br />
training sessions, holidays and other events which may<br />
involve walks, social and craft activities or visits to local sites<br />
of interest.<br />
The Grampian 50+ Network get together was my first work<br />
meeting out in person after lockdown and I will never forget<br />
the emotions I felt as I entered a large hall full of walking<br />
groups from all over Aberdeenshire. The chatter, laughter<br />
and most of all the smiling faces of men and women and<br />
connection within the room, it certainly warmed your<br />
cockles. This annual event is organised by Marjory Darcy<br />
every year so that all the local groups come together and<br />
take part in a variety of activities from ranger river walks to<br />
flower arranging and a distillery tour!<br />
My first activity was a treasure map hunt around Huntly<br />
where we chatted, we laughed, we solved the clues and<br />
we walked ALOT, it was so much fun. After lunch I was<br />
chosen to do flower arranging, yikes, not something I had<br />
ever done but I soon relaxed with a lovely group of ladies<br />
who supported each other in finding our artistic flair and just<br />
putting the world to rights, it was such a relaxing afternoon.<br />
The walkers meet regularly within their own areas to walk<br />
many miles together but really look forward to their annual<br />
knees up and even more so after COVID-19. It was such an<br />
inspiring, heart-warming day and all organised by Marjory<br />
who brought so many people together to have such a<br />
lovely day out - the atmosphere was one of merriment and<br />
satisfaction.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> // 29<br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
MENTAL HEALTH<br />
& WELLBEING<br />
... HEATHER MCKAY,<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> DEVELOPMENT OFFICER<br />
The launch of the Scottish Government’s Communities<br />
Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund in recent years<br />
highlighted the large number of groups that exist across<br />
Aberdeenshire providing mental health and wellbeing<br />
support to their communities. <strong>AVA</strong> recognised a need to<br />
provide specialised support for those groups, so the role of<br />
Development Officer for Mental Health and Wellbeing was<br />
created in May <strong>2022</strong>. It has been a great year of making<br />
new connections with mental health and wellbeing groups,<br />
providing further support for those already in our membership,<br />
and helping to forge new connections between third sector<br />
organisations and service providers. Key projects for the<br />
Development Officer this year included being on the steering<br />
group of Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership’s<br />
“Mind Yer Mind” campaign, planning for the Aberdeenshire<br />
Wellbeing Festival coming in May 2023, and a supporting<br />
role in the administration of Round 2 of the Communities<br />
Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund.<br />
The Vinery in Banff is a community space, set in the<br />
original walled garden for Duff House, providing indoor<br />
and outdoor activities for all ages and a place to relax<br />
and connect.<br />
The Vinery offers various wellbeing and environmental<br />
activities like mindfulness sessions, tai chi, children’s after<br />
school activities, cancer peer support groups, craft groups,<br />
walking groups and more. On the day we visited, various<br />
groups were booked to be coming in, including a “Bit of<br />
Banter” where people enjoy a hot drink, some board games,<br />
and of course a good blether!<br />
30 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
SPOTLIGHT<br />
... THE VINERY IN BANFF<br />
The gardening group arrived while we were there and the<br />
conversations with the members of the group were truly<br />
inspiring. One lady said, “This place is the best thing that has<br />
ever happened to me.” Another group member proudly<br />
showed us the onions, garlic, herbs and other vegetables<br />
that he is lovingly nourishing in the greenhouse and out in<br />
the garden. With more activities planned by The Vinery, we<br />
can’t wait to see what the future holds!<br />
Development Officer,<br />
Heather McKay and<br />
Project Officer, Claire<br />
McCafferty-Clarke visited<br />
The Vinery in Banff<br />
in November.<br />
The Vinery is managed by Aberdeen Foyer, and it officially<br />
opened its doors in August <strong>2022</strong>. Visit their website at: www.<br />
aberdeenfoyer.com/fundraising/the-vinery/ to find out<br />
more.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> // 31<br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
POLICY & CONSULTATIONS<br />
... ALASDAIR ROSS,<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> & ACVO POLICY & CONSULTATIONS<br />
OFFICER<br />
<strong>AVA</strong>’s role as an advocate for the third sector is long<br />
established, and it was strengthened this year by the<br />
Board’s commitment to a new role concentrating on<br />
Policy and Consultations, shared with ACVO in Aberdeen.<br />
It has been a busy first 6 months in post digesting local and<br />
national plans and gaining an understanding of the huge<br />
capacity of our third sector in Aberdeenshire. A particular<br />
highlight of this short period was <strong>AVA</strong>’s contribution to<br />
Aberdeenshire Council’s consultation on their UK Shared<br />
Prosperity Fund bid. The resulting Investment Plan now<br />
includes significant funds for the third sector including<br />
significant spend on growing the local social economy<br />
which we hope will be a catalyst for the wider Community<br />
Wealth Building movement.<br />
The squeeze on public sector funding and the wider costs<br />
crisis has brought the future of the sector into sharp focus<br />
this year. For many, it has been hard to focus on the future<br />
when faced with the immediate pressure of surviving dayto-day.<br />
Looking ahead though the lens of economic instability and<br />
political uncertainty, it is clear that the third sector needs to<br />
keep on top of the rapidly changing policy landscape and<br />
the local and national government priorities which, in their<br />
view, are measurements of success. In doing that we must<br />
have a stronger say in the development of these policies<br />
and plans in the first place, and that is what <strong>AVA</strong> is now able<br />
to help our members, and the wider sector in Aberdeenshire,<br />
achieve.<br />
32 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
SPOTLIGHT<br />
... SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT VISIT<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> CEO Dan Shaw, and Policy & Consultations Officer Alasdair Ross visited<br />
the Scottish Parliament with other TSI and third sector representatives in<br />
November to learn more about how the Parliament gathers views from<br />
outside organisations when discussing new laws and investigating topics of interest<br />
to their committees. Throughout the day there were sessions with Parliament staff<br />
on how to make written evidence more impactful, ensuring community voices are<br />
heard by Parliament, supporting the participation of children and young people,<br />
including lived experience and effective communication. The Parliament has a<br />
cross-party scrutiny role about proposals for new laws and often goes into a great<br />
deal of detail. Parliamentary Committees can also instigate their own investigations<br />
into areas of interest and most Government consultations relate to wider ideas for<br />
policies and strategies which the ruling political parties would like to see enacted.<br />
Dan and Alasdair were struck by the very open and transparent way in which the<br />
Scottish Parliament works, how it conducts its research and how it is able and willing<br />
to hear the voices of the communities of Scotland. <strong>AVA</strong> is here to help navigate<br />
these systems, and to help the third sector in Aberdeenshire have its voice heard,<br />
so the day was a useful reminder of what’s in place to enable us to do that.
MAGPIE<br />
OUR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE<br />
In <strong>2022</strong> Magpie has supported many stakeholders. Working<br />
in partnership with Aberdeenshire South Foodbank we<br />
delivered 100 emergency food parcels to those in need.<br />
We gifted 170 items to 27 families, and those families also<br />
received emergency food parcels. We supported referrals<br />
from Grampian Womens Aid, Osprey Housing, Aberdeenshire<br />
Council Social Services, Aberdeenshire Council Housing,<br />
Salvation Army and Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care<br />
Partnership, meaning that people were able to get the<br />
goods they needed.<br />
Engaging with our local Banchory Academy through pupil<br />
support is something Magpie has recently started. This<br />
provides the student and the pupil support teacher a place<br />
to come during class time where a pupil can carry out tasks<br />
at the shops. This not only gives them new skills but it also<br />
helps with their mental health, allowing them to feel useful<br />
and valued.<br />
Magpie also works with Criminal Justice supporting<br />
Community Payback Volunteers, providing a place for those<br />
to payback their hours and providing references if required<br />
once placements have been completed.<br />
In November <strong>2022</strong>, Magpie had a really successful day<br />
at the AREG Energy Futures Conference and Exhibition<br />
in Aberdeen. It was a great opportunity to meet with key<br />
decision makers including Michael Matheson MSP, Cabinet<br />
Secretary for Net Zero, and hear what steps are being taken<br />
to move towards a greener future.<br />
Thank you to everyone who continues to support Magpie<br />
through volunteering, shopping with us and donating so we<br />
can help promote sustainable living in Aberdeenshire.<br />
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ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
<strong>AVA</strong> and Magpie staff<br />
celebrate our volunteers at<br />
a ‘thank you lunch’ during<br />
Volunteers’ Week in June.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> // 35<br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
In August, Grampian Continental<br />
kindly moved our container for us -<br />
saving us around £400 and giving us some<br />
much-needed on-site storage space.<br />
20<br />
volunteers<br />
currently<br />
support magpie<br />
and together they<br />
have donated<br />
3300 hours of<br />
their time<br />
36 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong><br />
100<br />
emergency<br />
food parcels<br />
delivered<br />
in <strong>2022</strong><br />
170<br />
items<br />
were donated to<br />
27 families in need<br />
22 tonnes<br />
of goods have been diverted from<br />
landfill during <strong>2022</strong>
“We are looking forward to benefitting from the continued<br />
partnership with Magpie. The friendly and efficient Magpie team<br />
have helped us move our Christmas boxes to referral agencies in<br />
Banchory and Stonehaven, making it quicker and easier for the<br />
boxes to get out to families. This link with Magpie is greatly<br />
appreciated by the foodbank volunteers, the referral agencies<br />
and, especially, the families.”<br />
Aberdeenshire South Foodbank<br />
✻<br />
“We have found Magpie to be an essential service to help provide<br />
us furniture, bedding and kitchenware to new and existing Social<br />
Housing tenants who otherwise cannot afford to obtain the most<br />
basic items needed in a household. The staff are very helpful, friendly<br />
and quick to respond to the needs of our tenants. We would be lost<br />
without such a service in the local area. It really can be life-changing<br />
to be able to help individuals or families in need and we could no do<br />
this without the help of Magpie and the donations they receive from<br />
the public.”<br />
Elaine Bowie, Osprey Housing<br />
✻<br />
“Justice Services have worked in partnership with Magpie for over<br />
ten years. It provides volunteering placements where people can<br />
gain valuable new skills, experiences and increase their confidence.<br />
Manager Marie-Anne is both professional and supportive and along<br />
with her enthusiastic and hard-working team of volunteers Magpie<br />
provides an outstanding and inclusive community reuse/recycle hub<br />
to the community.”<br />
Justice Service (for supporting Community Payback volunteers)
HOSPITAL<br />
HOMECOMING<br />
...AIMI BLUEMAN,<br />
PROJECT OFFICER<br />
After many months of development work which<br />
included the recruitment of community groups and<br />
volunteers, identification of patient pathways suitable<br />
for the project, building of relationships with NHS and Health<br />
and Social Care Partners and attempting to obtain a data<br />
sharing agreement with NHS Grampian, the project started<br />
to receive patients using a patient consent workaround.<br />
To date there have been 45 enquiries for support coming<br />
from ARI, Community Hospitals, Care Managers, OTs, families<br />
and friends and patients themselves. Some enquiries have<br />
been made for patients outside of the three project areas<br />
(Portlethen, Huntly and Clashindarroch and Central Buchan)<br />
or their support needs are outwith the project scope;<br />
wherever possible these individuals have been signposted<br />
on to other groups or services.<br />
A total of seven patients have been supported thus far,<br />
mainly receiving support with shopping, transport and<br />
friendly chats. Feedback from patients and volunteers has<br />
been positive.<br />
Development work has continued; the Data Sharing<br />
Agreement with NHS Grampian is still being pursued and<br />
Aberdeenshire Council have been approached for a Data<br />
Sharing Agreement and work to achieve this is underway.<br />
Different models and pathways of identifying suitable<br />
patients have been discussed with the Health and Social<br />
Care Partnership and a more proactive approach is being<br />
developed to prevent hospital admission.<br />
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ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong><br />
“As far as I’m<br />
concerned it’s<br />
a first class….<br />
whoever thought<br />
of this should<br />
be knighted…<br />
it’s a marvelous<br />
scheme.”<br />
“[The volunteer]<br />
goes beyond<br />
helping me….she<br />
doesn’t just leave<br />
my messages on<br />
the floor she put it<br />
away for me.”<br />
“In my opinion I<br />
regard her [the<br />
volunteer] now as<br />
a friend.”<br />
“We get on very<br />
well, I feel like part<br />
of the family...we<br />
have nice chats<br />
…and we get on<br />
really well.”<br />
“I get a lot out of<br />
it, I feel like I am<br />
doing something<br />
worthwhile<br />
compared to my<br />
real job I used to<br />
have where you’re<br />
not making a<br />
difference.”
COMMUNITY<br />
VOLUNTEERING<br />
ENTERPRISE<br />
...PAULINE ANDERSON,<br />
PROJECT OFFICER<br />
<strong>AVA</strong>’s Community Volunteering Enterprise,<br />
funded by the Young Person’s Guarantee<br />
Fund, seeks to work with young people aged<br />
16-24 through a programme focused on learning<br />
and development activities. In this second year<br />
of our Community Volunteering Enterprise Project<br />
we have continued to work with young people<br />
supporting them through the three phases of our CVE<br />
Programme – developing skills and confidence, the<br />
SQA Employability Qualification and where possible<br />
engaging in volunteering with all the benefits that this<br />
can generate.<br />
The project has the aim of engaging with young<br />
people and helping them to improve their personal<br />
situation or circumstances through a programme of<br />
challenging development activities, reminding them<br />
of the skills and experience they already have and<br />
supporting them to engage in a relevant volunteering<br />
activity to gain new skills and confidence. Our aim is<br />
to challenge young people to realise their potential in<br />
a supportive and encouraging environment and raise<br />
their awareness of what is happening in their own<br />
communities and how, as volunteers, they themselves<br />
can make a difference and benefit from being<br />
involved.<br />
“Overall, this was<br />
a really successful<br />
experience for the<br />
young people.<br />
The young people<br />
felt empowered,<br />
enabled, responsible<br />
and respected as<br />
young adults.”<br />
“Pauline has<br />
provided a warm,<br />
nurturing and<br />
focused setting in<br />
which pupils can<br />
grow in confidence,<br />
building their skills<br />
and experience.<br />
Without Pauline’s<br />
input these pupils<br />
would not have the<br />
opportunity to gain<br />
the award which<br />
offers essential life<br />
skills.”<br />
“Please come back<br />
next year and work<br />
with another group.”<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> // 39<br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
40 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
COMMUNITY MENTAL<br />
HEALTH & WELLBEING FUND<br />
YEAR ONE<br />
The fund was designed by the Scottish Government to<br />
support grass roots, community-based organisations who<br />
are delivering services that support people to look after<br />
their mental health and wellbeing. Specific focus was to be<br />
given to projects that would support prevention and early<br />
intervention work, including suicide prevention, alongside<br />
tackling loneliness and social isolation. Beneficiaries included<br />
marginalised groups including, but not limited to, the elderly,<br />
socio-economically disadvantaged, LGBTQ+ people,<br />
people living with diagnosed mental illness, and refugees or<br />
people with no recourse to public funds.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> worked alongside the other Third Sector Interfaces across<br />
Scotland to deliver the fund, and built robust partnerships,<br />
processes, and systems to deliver it for Aberdeenshire.<br />
The first round saw £711,582 distributed across Aberdeenshire<br />
to support projects as diverse as conversation cafés,<br />
localised art therapy groups, book clubs, food growing<br />
activities, community transport projects, and walking<br />
groups. 80% of awards were for under £10,000 meaning<br />
that most of the money was distributed to smaller groups<br />
including unconstituted groups to deliver support into small<br />
communities.<br />
“We are satisfied<br />
that the charity<br />
provides a vital<br />
service and we<br />
appreciate the<br />
£1000 grant<br />
received from <strong>AVA</strong><br />
which has helped<br />
us continue help<br />
patients living in<br />
the Rhynie area.”<br />
Car Aid Rhynie,<br />
who Transport<br />
patients of Rhynie<br />
Medical Practice<br />
to all health related<br />
appointments and<br />
dliver medication<br />
to housebound<br />
and vulnerable<br />
patients.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> // 41<br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
“We now have 90 plot holders and their families attending regularly.<br />
12 people attend weekly craft and up-cycling sessions. (1 afternoon<br />
and 1 evening session) An estimated 600 + people attended our<br />
open day. Eighteen ladies visited the allotments on a organised<br />
visit. 48 people attended the soup and sweet introducing new plot<br />
holders to the allotment community. 42 people attended our Jumper<br />
BBQ.”<br />
Elizabeth Scott, Aden Community Allotment Association<br />
✻<br />
“Our membership has grown to [approx] 80 and our facilities are<br />
being increasingly used by clubs and welfare groups in the village.<br />
We estimated that over 1000 visitors have used our facilities in the first<br />
9 months of <strong>2022</strong>... it has progressed better than we expected since<br />
the end of Covid. The help from <strong>AVA</strong> grant has been very helpful to<br />
get us up and running.”<br />
Peter Meenan, Alford and District Men’s Shed<br />
✻<br />
“Our organisation intended to use this grant to improve the mental,<br />
emotional, physical and sexual health of LGBT+ individuals across<br />
Grampian. We will do this by educating communities and supporting<br />
LGBT+ individuals and their allies. Thus far, the project has been able<br />
to engagement more people in the shire than had been possible in<br />
the past. We are seeing the grant having a positive benefit of our<br />
service users’ mental health & wellbeing...[and]with engagement up,<br />
we are receiving feedback from the community letting us know that<br />
knowledge of Four Pillars services is even helping reduce the social<br />
isolation people may feel. ”<br />
Micah Daigeaun, Four Pillars<br />
✻<br />
“Our volunteers have all said that The Bikery is a lifeline for them<br />
to keep busy, work with others and have a reason to get up in the<br />
morning. ”<br />
Laura McNeil, Gordon Rural Action’s The Bikery<br />
42 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
COMMUNITY MENTAL<br />
HEALTH & WELLBEING FUND<br />
YEAR TWO<br />
The second year of the fund saw similar themes and groups being supported, but with<br />
more emphasis being placed on the role of lived experience in making decisions about<br />
where funding should be targeted. We connected with lived experienced panels<br />
that have been set up across Aberdeenshire, and included representatives on the fund<br />
assessment panel, which proved invaluable to <strong>AVA</strong>, and the assessment panel partners to<br />
bring an additional perspective to the decisions that were made.<br />
£642,836 was distributed; 67% reached smaller projects, with the distribution of supported<br />
services across Aberdeenshire being more evenly split than in year 1.<br />
Projects that were supported during year 2 include birthing support for single mothers,<br />
sensory gardens for people with specific disabilities, medical appointment transport<br />
services, community volunteering coordinator services, neurodiversity support, and suicide<br />
prevention in the male population.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> // 43<br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
JUST TRANSITION PARTICIPATORY<br />
BUDGETING FUND<br />
The Grampian Third Sector Interfaces (<strong>AVA</strong>, ACVO<br />
and tsiMORAY) were approached by the Scottish<br />
Government and asked if we could administer funds that<br />
would support communities to get involved in Just Transition<br />
activities. <strong>AVA</strong> had £333,333 of capital funding to distribute<br />
to community groups across Aberdeenshire through a<br />
participatory budgeting process.<br />
<strong>AVA</strong> set up the application process, the applications quality<br />
assurance process, and the voting process in a short space<br />
of time, and supported ACVO and tsiMORAY to set up<br />
similar systems that would enable wider and more joined up<br />
reporting of the outcomes of the fund. NESCAN Hub worked<br />
in partnership with ACVO and <strong>AVA</strong> to help promote the fund<br />
across its members, with the fund opening on 30th September<br />
<strong>2022</strong> and closing to applications on 14th November.<br />
56 applications were received, with 46 being deemed<br />
eligible to reach the public vote. The public vote went live<br />
on 1st December for 3 weeks and resulted in 4,762 people<br />
taking part in the Aberdeenshire vote. 19 projects were<br />
funded and the successful projects included purchase<br />
of electric vehicles, household heat loss monitoring and<br />
insulation advice, food growing advisory services, solar<br />
powered equipment to replace petrol machinery, and<br />
retrofitting of community-access facilities.<br />
Between the 19 successful projects, they supported every<br />
one of the 8 national Just Transition outcomes, and each of<br />
the six Aberdeenshire localities will benefit from a range of<br />
activities that are supported by the fund.<br />
44 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
<strong>AVA</strong> // 45<br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
ADULT LEARNING RECOVERY<br />
FUND<br />
In <strong>2022</strong> the Scottish Government provided a Covid-19 recovery<br />
investment fund for community-based adult learning (CBAL) to<br />
support local adult learning recovery needs. Across Scotland the<br />
investment was issued to Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs) with the agreed<br />
expectation that they collaborate with local partners to agree how the<br />
investment can best support local adult learning needs as identified in<br />
their local authority’s recently published CLD plan.<br />
£47,000 was made available for investment to support adult learning<br />
recovery in Aberdeenshire and this came to us here at <strong>AVA</strong>.<br />
As the TSI in Aberdeenshire, <strong>AVA</strong> engaged and worked with a number<br />
of partners to plan and share the available funding. The outcomes<br />
included the following:<br />
• The Workers Education Association received funding for three<br />
different adult learning programmes in Aberdeenshire<br />
• 120 adult learners were able to engage in learning / development<br />
activities because of CBAL support<br />
• An Adult Learners Forum was funded and organised by adult<br />
learners<br />
• 40+ adults learners attended the event<br />
• A range of learning resources were purchased<br />
• 90 practitioners and volunteers involved in adult learning<br />
benefited from resources<br />
• 15 partner organisations received a Wellbeing & Resilience<br />
pack; feedback has been positive with requests coming in for<br />
additional packs<br />
Being involved with the fund was a positive experience for <strong>AVA</strong>. We<br />
already had a good and positive relationship with CLD colleagues;<br />
we are an active member of the Aberdeenshire Learning Partnership<br />
Strategic Groups and regularly attend and contribute to development<br />
meetings. We found the fund easier to manage because of the<br />
existing positive relationships that exist among strategic partners here<br />
in Aberdeenshire.<br />
46 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS<br />
During 2023-2024, <strong>AVA</strong> will:<br />
Deliver proactive and reactive support to groups and<br />
organisations that enables them to support their service<br />
users more effectively.<br />
Develop more engagement opportunities for third sector<br />
organisations to give their views on national and regional<br />
policy changes through consultation activities.<br />
Evaluate the effectiveness of how it engages across the<br />
public sector, and consider where the most impact for the<br />
third sector can be derived.<br />
Amplify the voice of the third sector in its relationships with<br />
the public sector.<br />
Support the third sector with a purpose-built knowledge<br />
exchange programme that facilitates greater capacity<br />
for groups and organisations.<br />
Engage in stakeholder mapping to bring about further<br />
gains for connecting the third sector to decision makers.<br />
Build a ‘responsible business’ programme and engage<br />
with the private sector for the benefit of Aberdeenshire’s<br />
third sector.<br />
48 // <strong>AVA</strong><br />
ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2022</strong>
Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action<br />
is a charitable company<br />
limited by guarantee.<br />
Company number: SC137343.<br />
Scottish Charity Number: SC014223<br />
Communications &<br />
Membership Manager<br />
Lindsay Allardyce and<br />
former Communications<br />
Officer Lesley Lawrinson<br />
with Magpie Manager<br />
Marie-Anne Brown at<br />
the shop in June.<br />
Postal address: PO BOX 18706,<br />
Peterhead, AB42 9BA.<br />
Registered office: 45 Queens Road,<br />
Aberdeen, AB15 4ZN<br />
Tel: 03718 110008<br />
Email: enquiries@avashire.org.uk<br />
Website: www.avashire.org.uk<br />
Follow us on Facebook<br />
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Twitter @<strong>AVA</strong>Shire<br />
Instagram @magpieshops<br />
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