23 March 2021

Committee learns about support for third sector

Members of the Education and Children’s Services Committee heard how the council’s Community Learning and Development (CLD) service plans to offer financial and practical support to the third sector in Aberdeenshire.

The service has offered the third sector financial assistance through grants for a number of years. Organisations such as Aberdeen Foyer, the Workers Educational Association and Linking Education and Disability have all received grant funding from CLD.

Whilst CLD is continuing to provide funding for these organisations as well as other support such as delivering English as a Second Language (ESOL) and SQA accredited learning courses, the service is exploring financial assistance to help local groups that have formed to lend a hand to communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The CLD service plan includes a target to support local groups and initiatives so that communities can recover from the impact of the Coronavirus. The funding will support the third sector groups with providing services to assist young people and provide opportunities for adult learning which will strengthen communities.

Data from Community Impact Assessments demonstrating the most vulnerable communities requiring the greatest support will be used to determine need. CLD will also work with Area Management Teams and Local Learning Partnerships to ensure the work is connected to other initiatives that provide similar assistance.

Laurence Findlay, Aberdeenshire Council’s Director of Education and Children’s Services, said: “Every community in Aberdeenshire has been impacted by Covid-19 in some way so it is great to see CLD taking this proactive step in allocating funding and working with the third sector to provide support our communities most in need will welcome wholeheartedly.”

Aberdeenshire Council’s Community Learning and Development Interim Service Manager for Communities and Partnerships Philip Boath added: “Our service really wants to help those who need it most as we all take measures to recover from the devastation caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. This assistance will really make a difference through encouraging those to overcome barriers to learn and improve their life chances.”

The report is available in full by visiting: Aberdeenshire Council's Committees and Meetings webpage.

You can also watch a webcast of Education and Children’s Services Committee by visiting https://aberdeenshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home