Aberdeenshire success at COSLA Awards

Imaginative and preventive steps to tackle homelessness, cultural resources for young offenders, and school lessons on the creative industries – these are just some of the Aberdeenshire projects which were recently celebrated in the 2014 COSLA Excellence Awards.

The awards champion Scottish local government initiatives that have an outstanding impact upon people’s lives, spreading inspiring stories and best practice. Five Aberdeenshire projects were awarded Bronze status at the awards, out of a total of ten long list positions.

‘It’s not as easy as it looks’ is an initiative to embed homelessness education in the school curriculum to help prevent chronic housing problems and engage young people in the discussion around homelessness. A documentary about what it’s like to be homeless was made to support learning, and involves two young people who have experienced homelessness.

Another project which focuses on better futures is the Aberdeenshire Library and Information Service within HMP YOI Grampian. The library opened in March and it offers offenders access to reading, learning and literature, which evidence suggests reduces reoffending rates. Furthermore, once offenders have returned home to their communities, they are entitled to continue to use libraries within Aberdeenshire.

Creative Edge School Project provides an alternative narrative in career advice for young people. Aiming to diversify the area’s economic base, pupils in Aberdeenshire secondary schools are introduced to the possibility of a career in the creative industries. The project also highlights that flexibility and transferrable skills are essential in the current job market where ‘a job for life’ is quickly becoming a thing of the past.

Be Part of the Picture is a creative placemaking initiative which draws upon arts and heritage to inform community engagement in rural areas. One element of the project involved collaboration between an artist and school children to produce an ‘Aberdeenshire brand’ tartan, available to businesses and communities for free.

Another placemaking and regeneration initiative is the Gourdon Placemaking project, in partnership with Gourdon Community Council, Gourdon Improvement Group and other Community Planning Partners. Recognising apathy and disengagement amongst people in the coastal village of Gourdon, the project is putting the village ‘back on the map’ through creative incentives. For example, a feature film – For Those in Peril – was shot there, inspiring local pride, and a boatbuilding scheme to increase employability has also been set up.

For more information on the Aberdeenshire winners, see the COSLA Excellence Awards

website.