Three improvement projects that are part of Aberdeen’s Local Outcome Improvement Plan (LOIP) have gained national recognition for their impressive partnership working to help improve people’s lives across the city.
Details were shared at the meeting of the Community Planning Aberdeen (CPA) Board yesterday (Wednesday 25 September).
Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Christian Allard, CPA chair, said: “The successful delivery of the updated Local Outcome Improvement Plan depends on Community Planning partners working together for the benefit of all people living in the city.
“National recognition of the positive impact our improvement projects are having highlights how by working together we can all play a part in helping to make Aberdeen a place where everyone can prosper.”
The Employment Support for People Leaving Prison project aims to increase the number of prison leavers engaging with employability support by 50% by 2026.
It’s success to date saw Aberdeen City Council receive the COSLA’s 2024 Excellence Award for Achieving Better Outcomes For The Most Vulnerable in Partnership.
The partnership between the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), pub company and brewer Greene King, Skills Development Scotland (SDS), and the Council sought to improve people’s chances of successfully reintegrating into their communities upon leaving prison, reduce reoffending rates, and help mitigate recruitment challenges for the hospitality sector.
The 12-week academy programme saw people in custody trained to work in a replica Greene King kitchen, by professional chefs. Equipment for the kitchen was funded by Aberdeen City Council’s ABZWorks.
The Business Start Up project led by Business Gateway, has seen 193 referrals of individuals in receipt of universal credits consider starting a business since the start of the programme with 91 individuals starting a business. A total of 58 businesses have been referred for the Council’s Seed Funds with ABZWorks to date.
The Business Start Up project was a finalist for the Best Collaborative Working Initiative (with other public sector or third sector) Award at the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Awards 2024.
The Reaching Out to People at Risk and Removing Barriers to Accessing Drug Support improvement project led by Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership (ACHSCP) is a collaboration between Aberdeen City Council, ACHSCP, Alcohol and Drugs Action, Alcohol and Drugs Partnership, Police Scotland, and NHS Grampian. The project aims to reduce by 20% the number of drug related deaths in the city’s priority neighbourhoods by increasing the distribution of Naloxone by 25% year-on-year by 2026.
A new Naloxone App was formally launched on 30 August. The app allows people to find the nearest stockists of Naloxone, videos on how to use Naloxone and respond to an overdose and links to support services.
All secondary schools have staff trained in administering Naloxone in addition to Level 6 first aid, giving them a qualification as well as the ability to save someone’s life.
The project was a finalist for COSLA’s 2024 Excellence Awards for Tackling Inequalities and Improving Health and Wellbeing Award.
The reports that went before Community Planning Aberdeen today can be viewed here.
Community Planning Aberdeen is the name for the local partnership of public, private and third sector organisations and communities working together to improve people’s lives across Aberdeen.
Photo: Aberdeen City Council wins the COSLA 2024 Excellence Award for Achieving Better Outcomes For The Most Vulnerable in Partnership. Co-Leader Councillor Christian Allard (second from left) and members of the winning partnership project accept the prestigious award on behalf of the Council.