Turning Point Scotland, a national charity and local provider of social care services, has received a significant funding boost thanks to the Irvine Locality Partnership.
The Partnership presented the proposal for Turning Point Scotland's North Ayrshire Prevention, Early intervention and Recovery (PEAR) Service, at a recent Cabinet meeting, where £96,112 funding was unanimously approved.
Allocated via the Council’s Community Investment Fund (CIF), the significant funding boost has been used to establish a brand-new community-based college course for Irvine residents in recovery, based in our nearest college Ayrshire College (Kilwinning), to help the students to become active and successful citizens.
Councilllor Jean McClung, North Ayrshire's Mental Health Champion Said:
"The Pathways to Progress college course is a brilliant example of a valuable community resource that is helping the students to put their own mental health and wellbeing first, gaining support from local partners, and the confidence they need to access the employability skills they need to achieve their goals and give back to communities."
Since 2019, PEAR have worked alongside our local statutory service North Ayrshire Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service (NADARS) to ensure that everyone in need of alcohol and other drug support services across North Ayrshire are able to access the most appropriate support suited to their needs, when the need it.
The service promotes a culture of recovery across North Ayrshire and offers support to any individual that is concerned about their alcohol and or other drug use.
Gary Douglas, Service Manager North Ayrshire Prevention, Early intervention and Recovery said:
“At North Ayrshire PEAR service, we believe that inclusion and community is key to for people to begin those successful steps towards recovery. We engage with all of the individuals who use the service and encourage this course at Ayrshire College that will benefit people in their recovery journey and also will help them to build the foundations for a promising future.”
The local college course named ‘Pathways to Progress’ has been developed based on an already successful model in South Ayrshire and aims to address a current gap in employment support for local residents in recovery.
PEAR have used the CIF funds to employ a Peer Lead Practitioner with lived experience of alcohol and other drug use for two years, as well as covering associated costs for resources, room hire and national support costs.
Led by Turning Point Scotland, in partnership with North Ayrshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership, Ayrshire College, North Ayrshire Council’s Connected Communities, DWP and Minds of Recovery, the new college course is being delivered locally for people in recovery from substance or alcohol use.
Gary Douglas adds:
“The college course is now up and running with 16 students enrolled. We are delighted that we can now help them and future students to gain an accredited qualification which will then stand the students in good stead for further education or local employment opportunities, while also providing peer support to people using the service.
“North Ayrshire residents are at the heart of this application so the course will be located between Fullarton Community Hub in Irvine and the closest Ayrshire College campus in Kilwinning, to work best for them.
“We have enjoyed working with partners to develop and establish the course which will be a brilliant support to the recovery journey of local people that will enable them to build the foundations for a promising future where they can achieve their goals and contribute positively in our communities.”
Mental Health Champion, Councillor Jean McClung visited the project this week. She said:
“North Ayrshire Council is proud to support Turning Point Scotland PEAR service with our latest instalment of Community Investment Funding for the communities of Irvine. Thank you to the Irvine Locality Partnership for supporting the proposal and using their expertise to help this vital charity and support group.
“The college course supports Irvine’s Locality Priorities of reducing social isolation, overcoming stigma and alleviating poverty via employability support. I wish the students every success and look forward to revisiting them in the near future to hear about how their studies are progressing.”
If you are a local community group or organisation, you can benefit from the Community Investment Fund too. Find out more about funding opportunities from North Ayrshire’s Community Planning Partnership.