RDP project database

The project marries supporting social inclusion by providing work to young people experiencing difficulties and adults with mental health issues with reducing reliance on public funding through the start-up of a social enterprise company.

Clydesdale Community Initiatives (CCI) is a social enterprise company attempting to make the transition from grant dependency to independent commercial trading. The organisation is both an innovative social work service and a commercial landscaping enterprise. CCI is still at an early stage of development and income from grants and other sources do not yet meet the full operating costs of the business. There is therefore a need for financial support until CCI becomes financially sustainable.

The general aim of the CCI activity is to assist young people experiencing difficulties and adults with mental health issues and to promote their social inclusion. The main objective of the project was to support the establishment costs of the enterprise until it became independently sustainable.

In this project adults with special support needs were provided with productive work in which they could have a sense of value. Through this work they could develop vocational and social skills as well as their self-confidence, self-esteem and independence. The work consisted of individuals and groups participating in commercial landscaping, woodwork and horticulture projects.

The project has enabled the CCI to successfully increase commercial income by 300% from €39,900 to €119,700 p.a. During the two-year period of the project CCI has been trading in landscaping, woodcraft, and consultancy services and has increased the social inclusion of adults with special needs. There have also been tangible community and environmental benefits through the engagement of the participants in delivering local projects within the communities in which they live.

One lesson learnt through this project is that a fine balance is required to deliver products and projects to a commercial standard whilst still remaining focused on the aim of being a person centred social inclusion organisation. Another key lesson is that when public sector social care income is not sufficient greater effort is needed to provide the benefits of training and personal development programmes for people with complex support needs.

Lanark, South Lanarkshire.

Scotland

Scotland

470 514

44 493

121 307

304 714

https://www.clydesdale-ci.org

Niall McShannon

+44 1555 664211

English