Are you over 18 and providing care to friend or relative living in Aberdeenshire? If yes, Aberdeenshire Health & Social Care Partnership wants to hear your views. In preparation for the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 commencing in April 2018, they want to hear carers’ views on what is important to them. A strategy will be written in partnership with staff, third sector organisations and carers in Aberdeenshire which will highlight the key areas that you, as carers have identified as requiring improvement/development. To complete this short questionnaire online, please click the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/JZCHKRK Survey closes on 30th June.
Partnership
K & M – Dae Ye Ken?
Partners in Kincardine and Mearns are working together to deliver the five-week ‘K&M – Dae Ye Ken?’ initiative.
Designed to help tackle not only some of the unique challenges which have surfaced in these challenging times, the initiative will also demonstrate how there can be health, financial and environmental benefits to many residents within the community.
The partnership – comprising Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership, Home Energy Scotland and Kincardine and Mearns Citizens’ Advice Bureau – know the Kincardine & Mearns area well and will be on hand to offer help and advice.
This week we consider employment with Aberdeenshire Council Employment Support Team.
The Employment Support Team is Aberdeenshire Council’s central point for employment support
We can assist anyone living in Aberdeenshire, who is actively seeking employment or looking to enter education or training to gain full-time or additional employment. We can offer practical assistance if you are returning to the work market after an absence such as redundancy, raising children or health issues or perhaps you are looking to retrain for a better job.
We offer one to one support from a trained Key Worker, who will assess where you are in the job market, where would you like to be, and help plan how we can help you get there.
The Employment Support Team will help you realise your potential by developing your personal plan with milestones to show your progress towards your employment goal.
Our Key Workers are skilled in pre-employment techniques to set you on the road to work readiness through building self-esteem and confidence. They can offer a variety of practical help including creating a professional CV, developing interview techniques, improving digital skills and support to find learning and training opportunities.
If you are interested in finding out more on what the Employment Support Team can offer you, please get in touch.
Call 01467 533058 or Email us on employmentsupportteam@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
K & M – Dae Ye Ken? The week ahead
Monday 25th January 2021
What support can Aberdeenshire Council’s Employment Support Team offer you?
Informative session of how individuals can access the service and what support they can expect to receive
Tuesday 26th January 2021
How to write a professional CV and effective job application forms
Information on writing CV’s, application forms and what employers are looking for when recruiting
Wednesday 27th January 2021
Undertaking effective job searches
Information on job searches using job websites and social media
Thursday 28th January 2021
How to prepare for a job interview
Preparing for a job interview, the different formats that interviews take, and dealing with tricky questions
Using Schools as Community Hubs
Schools across Scotland should be used as community hubs to deliver a wide range of public services.
That’s the verdict of South Ayrshire Council and its partners following a pilot in north Ayr, which culminated in a community marketplace at Ayr Academy on 23 February.
A range of partners from NHS, Scottish Fire and Rescue service and the voluntary sector worked together to explore how this would work in practice.
Crucially, services were available to everyone living in the area – not just those with children in the schools.
Services provided included money and debt management advice, employability and skills information and advice, health and wellbeing support from school nurses and assistant nurse practitioners. Council Leader, Douglas Campbell, commented on the learning from the pilot,
“It’s been a terrific learning opportunity for all the partners involved and that’s been one of the key outcomes of this week – getting to know more about what each of us has to offer and how we can better link in and signpost to provide a more joined-up service for people.”
Read more at http://thirdforcenews.org.uk/tfn-news/schools-should-be-used-as-community-hubs#im6LrHufaQ4Ga4ce.99
Carers Survey
Community Anchor Organisations
Community Anchor Organisations are community bodies which may act as a focal point for community groups in a localised area. The benefit of having a community anchor in your area is that it may take the lead in large projects or initiate new projects. Often the problem when initiating a new project is the creation of a constituted group and finding office bearers. A small community can only have so many treasurers and secretaries! Once created the ‘community anchor’ can invite local people to come forward with their project ideas without the necessity of them becoming an office bearer. There are many examples of ‘community anchor organisations’ throughout Scotland to inspire you. http://www.localpeopleleading.co.uk/anchor-orgs/
Vacancy, Secretary – Aberdeenshire ADP South Community Forum
The Aberdeenshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership has three Community Forums, North, Central and South, where people meet and create local solutions to local needs around drugs, alcohol and recovery. With a very high level of community engagement, each forum has a dedicated support officer, a budget of £20,000 and a vibrant bunch of local citizen activists.
We currently have a vacancies for a Secretary in our South Community Forum and would welcome the opportunity to discuss this exciting opportunity with interested parties. This is an opportunity to make a huge difference to communities in Aberdeenshire. Read the rest of this entry »
OPEN YOUR DOOR TO WELLBEING
FREE EVENT!
OPEN YOUR DOOR TO WELLBEING
St Bridget’s Hall, Stonehaven
Saturday 31st Oct 2015
10am – 12noon
Come along to our FREE event!
Explore local opportunities to help you look after
Your health and wellbeing!
Stalls, refreshments, information and
entry into a FREE prize draw!
Health & Social Care
Your Health and Social Care Services – We want Your Views
Health and social care services across Aberdeenshire are changing. We aim to make them:
- Better connected – one single united health and social care service.
- More responsive – to your needs and the needs of your family
- More local – linked up with the community and voluntary groups that benefit the health and wellbeing of your locality
We are writing a plan for the future of health and social care services in Aberdeenshire.
The plan is based on what you told us should be available in your locality. It describes how we will work together to improve the health of local people and to provide the right services for people who are ill or who rely on social care.
Have we got it right for you, your family and your locality?
The plan is available to view on Aberdeenshire Council and NHS Grampian Website from 17th August, click on links below
http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/social/healthsocialcareintegration.asp
http://nhsgintranet.grampian.scot.nhs.uk/depts/CorporateCommunication/Pages/Aberdeenshire.aspx
Health & Social Care
Your Health and Social Care Services – We want Your Views
Health and social care services across Aberdeenshire are changing. We aim to make them:
- Better connected – one single united health and social care service.
- More responsive – to your needs and the needs of your family
- More local – linked up with the community and voluntary groups that benefit the health and wellbeing of your locality
We are writing a plan for the future of health and social care services in Aberdeenshire.
The plan is based on what you told us should be available in your locality. It describes how we will work together to improve the health of local people and to provide the right services for people who are ill or who rely on social care.
Have we got it right for you, your family and your locality?
The Rural Area Partnership is hosting events in your area
Come along to your local event on:
Tuesday 8th September
Bettridge Centre, Newtonhill
12 Noon – 2.15pm
Refreshments Provided
For more information and to book your place, please contact
Email: officesupport@kincardineshiredp.org
Tel No: 01569 763246
The plan is available to view on Aberdeenshire Council and NHS Grampian Website from 17th August, click on links below
http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/social/healthsocialcareintegration.asp
http://nhsgintranet.grampian.scot.nhs.uk/depts/CorporateCommunication/Pages/Aberdeenshire.aspx
Transport in Kincardine and Mearns – What’s the latest?
An overview of transport in Kincardine and Mearns by Nestrans’ Marketing and Communications Co-ordinator Lucy Johnston.
Access to Laurencekirk
What is it?
In December 2013, Nestrans commissioned an ‘Access to Laurencekirk’ study in partnership with Transport Scotland, Aberdeenshire Council and Tactran. The study is being undertaken in the form of the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) assessment, which will consistently explore potential options to address the Laurencekirk transport problems through a detailed consultation process.
There’s no ward like home.
The shape of Scottish society is changing. People are living longer, healthier lives and as the needs of our society change, so too must the nature and form of our public services. 
New legislation, in the form of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014, came into force on 1 April 2014. The Act requires Health Boards and Local Authorities to integrate their health and social care services.
Local teams and professionals across health and social care will work together to deliver quality, sustainable care and services resulting in improved outcomes for the people and their families who use these services.
Those individuals with long-term conditions and disabilities, many of whom are older people, will get the joined-up and seamless support and care that they need to live safely and independently in their own homes for as long as possible.
So, that’s the background, but what will it mean to you & I? 
Read the rest of this entry »
A New Year and a New Voice for the Third Sector!
Let’s hear from David Rodger, Chief Executive, Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action about his hopes for the New Year and the future for the newly formed AVA.
“Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action (AVA), was officially formed on 1st December 2014 following the merger of CVSA, Bridge CVS and Volunteer Centre Aberdeenshire. We are committed to building on the strong foundations laid down by the three merging organisations, but, as the new single Third Sector Interface (TSI) there is a lot of work ahea
d in shaping this new organisation and establishing our distinct identity, culture and vision. A key part of this will be actively engaging and consulting with our stakeholders and partners, to better define what the TSI strategic priorities will be going forward, and ensuring that AVA is genuinely representative of the sector.
We are operating in challenging times and its evident there is a growing need for us all to balance increasing demands for our services and expertise, within the context of a contracting public finance pot. No easy task, but in my experience this sector is resilient, with an outstanding track record in demonstrating adaptability, responsiveness and creative thinking when tested. These characteristics will underpin the ethos of AVA and how we will work with, and support you, over the coming months and years.”
David is keen to meet with community representatives and organisations from across the Kincardine and Mearns area to discuss how AVA can work with you. If you’d like to arrange a discussion please contact David at david.rodger@avashire.org.uk
STAYING IN SHAPE Action Research in the Community
23 JAN 2015
9.30 – 4.00
The Park Cafe, Hazelhead Park,
Hazelhead Avenue, Aberdeen
AB15 8BJ
This all-day event – to be held on the 23rd January 2015 in Aberdeen – focuses on the idea of “staying in shape” as it applies to workers in the community and the work that we do. There are 3 objectives for the day: (1) explore how creativity can help us deal with the challenges of action research and how to nurture relationships; (2) to provide an opportunity to identify creative connections in action research; and (3) to explore how we can keep ourselves and our approach to action research in good, or better still great, shape.
A chance to:
• consider creativity in research, with Alison Urie of vox liminis (www.voxliminis.co.uk);
• dedicate time to making new connections, sharing experiences and building ideas;
• explore our own wellbeing, with the tree of knowledge
(www.treeof.com) in a fun, interactive and memorable way.
Please advise Karen McArdle if you intend to come along. Email: k.a.mcardle@abdn.ac.uk or Tel: 01224 274654
K&M Communities 