Annual Report 2019 - 2020
Our Locations VSA ABERDEEN LOCATIONS
Dyce Aberdeen Airport
1. Airyhall 2. Arrdeir House Care Home
Bridge of Don
3. Broomhill Activity Centre 4. Broomhill Park
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5. Craigton Grove
Bucksburn
Riv
er
n Do
6. Cloverfield Grove 7. Crosby House 8. Easter Anguston Farm
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9. Linn Moor Campus
Northfield
10. Linn Moor Residential School
19
14
University of Aberdeen
11. Maisie’s Children Centre 12. Mercat Bookshop
Kingswells
13. Millbank House 14. Northfield Lodge 15. Richmondhill House 16. Ruthrieston House Care Home
Woodend Hospital
11
17. St Aubin’s 18. Westerton Crescent
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1
Cults
2
12 20
21
20. VSA Head Office 21. New Mental Wellbeing facility under construction
North Sea
15
Rubislaw
19. Woodside Activity Centre
10
7
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
13
Ferryhill
16 17
3
Balnagask
4
Kincorth
9
5
Peterculter
Cove Bay
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Contents CELEBRATING OUR ACHIEVEMENTS.............................................................4 WELCOME LETTER..........................................................................................5 OUR VISION..................................................................................................... 6 ABOUT VSA......................................................................................................8 OUR PEOPLE, OUR WORK...........................................................................10 OUR SERVICE OVERVIEW.............................................................................12 CARERS SUPPORT SERVICES......................................................................14 CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES............................................................... 20 ADULT AND COMMUNITY............................................................................. 28 EDUCATION AND LEARNING SERVICES....................................................... 34 COVID-19 RESPONSE....................................................................................40 COVID-19 SUPPORT...................................................................................... 42 CELEBRATING 150 YEARS.............................................................................44 OUR FOUNDING STORY.................................................................................52 FUNDRAISING OVER THE YEAR....................................................................54 VOLUNTEERING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.....................................56 FUNDRAISING...............................................................................................58 SUPPORTER STORY......................................................................................60 CHANGING LIVES CAMPAIGN UPDATE.........................................................62 DIGITAL INNOVATION................................................................................ .....63 FUTURE OF FUNDRAISING............................................................................64 HOW WE SPENT OUR MONEY...................................................................... 65 THANK YOU................................................................................................... 66
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Celebrating our Achievements 20,169
people supported
40 services
16,160+ hours volunteered
Care Inspectorate rated our services Very Good
3,000,000+ = 500 People
4
hours of care provided
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Welcome Letter From Maggie Wilson, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Kenneth Simpson, Chief Executive Looking back over our last financial year, we are proud of the impact we have achieved in changing and shaping the futures of vulnerable children and adults living in Aberdeen and beyond. Ever since VSA was established in 1870, we have continually evolved our services to meet the local needs of the community, always with one ambition: to give vulnerable people living in the North East of Scotland the best of care to enable them to live the best of lives. During the year we had to make some extremely difficult service decisions that included saying a fond farewell to our Richmondhill residential service and our private nursery provision at Maisie’s. These decisions were not taken lightly but, as a result of evolving methods of social care for vulnerable children, it was time to follow the same principles as our predecessors and evolve our services to meet current and future needs of vulnerable people in Aberdeen. We remain fully committed to supporting vulnerable children and our team is working hard to ensure the voices of these young people are heard locally within Aberdeen City Council and nationally at the Scottish Government, with the aim of influencing and shaping future children services provision to help drive better outcomes for children and their families. Over the year we introduced and developed two new services within our organisation: Care at Home and Delayed Discharge Service, both designed to support vulnerable adults in their later years. In addition to these new services, we were also delighted to formally begin construction on our new mental wellbeing facility being built in the heart of Aberdeen City. Mental health continues to be a core strategic area for VSA, and as we look to the future we hope to expand and develop more of these services to reach and support more people living with a mental health condition.
through our independent regular audits which are undertaken by the Care Inspectorate. Over the course of 2019, we had been preparing to mark the official start of our 150th anniversary on the 10th March 2020. Never would we have envisaged that we would end our financial year in the midst of a global pandemic. We were actively monitoring the evolving situation regarding the COVID-19 outbreak from mid-January with full pandemic planning meetings commencing in February. At VSA the welfare of the vulnerable people we support and our staff is our utmost priority. VSA has been caring for the people of Aberdeen for 150 years, and during this time we have supported generations of Aberdonians through some very dark times, including two World Wars, the Spanish Influenza global pandemic, and the Aberdeen Typhoid Outbreak. Our team’s commitment and response to COVID-19 has been nothing short of remarkable and never have we been prouder to be part of the VSA family. Over the year our partners, supporters, and volunteers have been amazing. We are - and always will be - truly humbled by the love and support VSA receives each year. As we journey through 2020 we, like many other charities, businesses, and individuals, will face many challenges along the way resulting in us having to make some difficult decisions to ensure that we are still here to support people for generations to come. We are confident that with support from the people of Aberdeen we can get through this. Now more than ever we need that support. Vulnerable children and adults are relying on us, and we are determined we won’t let them down. Together, with your support, we have the power to change lives.
Across all of our services, our staff have once again gone above and beyond to provide life-changing support and experiences for vulnerable people. Without their hard work and dedication we wouldn’t be able to provide the best of care so that people can live the best of lives.
Maggie Wilson Chair of the Board of Trustees
On behalf of the Board of Trustees and all the vulnerable people who use our services we wish to extend our gratitude and thanks. Our team’s hard work, dedication and commitment to delivering outstanding care can be evidenced
Kenneth Simpson Chief Executive
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VSA Vision , Values and Mission Our Values The charity is founded upon values that reflect a desire to engage with and listen to the people who need and use our services, volunteers, partners and staff.
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People who are in need of our services and support will be at the heart of our policies, planning and work
Our Mission “T o provide the best of care to enable the best of lives; supporting individuals and communities to fulfil their potential.� 6
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Our Vision
VSA has a vision for what we want the charity to achieve over the long term: "To build a strong and caring community."
two
We will work to provide the best care to meet the needs of people who use our services
three
four
We will embrace, promote and foster partnerships to deliver our services in the most inclusive way for individuals in our care
We will respect and value the people we work with – those who need and use our services, partner organisations, volunteers and staff – treating them with kindness and dignity
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About VSA Since the charity was first established in 1870, Aberdeen Association of Social Services (more commonly known as VSA) has helped thousands of the most vulnerable people and their families living in our communities across the North East of Scotland. Today VSA provides vital support and services to people of all ages across four core areas: Children and Families, Adult and Community, Education and Learning, and Carers Support. At VSA we support a person’s physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing through a range of residential and outreach support services. We are incredibly proud to be able to say that 98p in every £1 generated in support of VSA goes directly to our charitable work across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
Adult and Community We provide support to adults and older people, some further challenged by dementia, poor mental health or learning disability. We also support people on their journey to recovery from addiction. Across these services, we provide care homes, housing with support, outreach, day care, carers support and activity centres.
Children and Family We provide school-based counselling to support young people’s mental wellbeing, and provide a range of services that support children with complex and additional support needs.
Education and Learning We provide residential and day education for young people with additional support needs and housing with support for young adults.
Carers Support We provide support to adult carers throughout Aberdeen City and have specialist services for those affected by mental ill health; this includes weekend day care and home support for those affected by dementia.
Across all of our service areas, we support the most vulnerable people living in communities with: •
Complex learning needs
•
Additional support needs
•
A mental health diagnosis
•
Living in poverty
•
Loneliness and isolation
•
Addiction (alcohol and drugs)
Last year we, directly and indirectly, supported and reached 20,169 people. We currently operate nearly 40 different support services, and further information about our services and our heritage can be found on our website www.vsa.org.uk
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VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
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Our People, Our Work People are at the heart of VSA and we are proud of the impact our highly-skilled staff make each year. We value the contribution our employees make and we acknowledge and understand the value they add to our business. Without our amazing team, we would not be able to change the lives that we do. Our employees are important ambassadors for VSA and that is why we recruit individuals who exemplify our core values and have the skills, attributes and talent to help us change lives. VSA has always been proud to invest in our staff to ensure that our team can deliver outstanding care for the vulnerable people who use our services. At VSA we are honoured to be a fully accredited SQA Qualification Centre which enables us to deliver a programme of continuous professional development and provide people with an opportunity to pursue a career in care. We are proud to be an equal rights and opportunities employer.
83 people
49 people
trained in Mental Health Support and First Aid
trained in Palliative Care
35 people trained in Dementia Awareness 10
74 new lifesavers (due to First Aid Training)
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
52 people
101 people
trained in Adult Protection
trained in Child Protection
31 students
221 people
achieving qualifications
successfully completed a VSA induction course
25 people enrolled in Modern Apprenticeships
140 Behavioural Support Strategy (BSS) training sessions completed for 1,039 people 11
Our Service Overview At VSA we deliver a range of residential and outreach community services across four core service areas. We support people from birth to end of life and across all our services we support a person’s physical, emotional, social and mental wellbeing.
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VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Counselling Services
Adult and Community Services
Learning Disabilities Services
- Hazlehead Academy
• Craigton Grove Supported Living
- Northfield Academy
• Home Support for adults with learning disabilities
- St Machar Academy
• Friends for Life Club
• Forestgait Lodges
Later Years in Life Services • Assisted Living Community - Broomhill Park • Assisted Living Community - Cloverfield Grove • Rutherieston House - Care Home • Crosby House - Care Home • Broomhill Activity Centre • Woodside Activity Centre • Care at Home Service • Home Support for People Living with Dementia
Carers Support Services • Adult Carers Resource Service • Mental Health Counselling Service for Carers • Mental Health - In Forum peer support group for Carers • Airyhall Carers Respite Centre
-W eekend Day Care for people living with dementia
-M ental and Physical illness daily support service
• Delayed Discharge Service
Mental Wellbeing Services • Arrdeir House - Care Home
• Parent Carer Support and Development
• Millbank - Care Home
• St Aubin’s - Care Home
• Mental Wellbeing Outreach Support Service • St Aubin’s - Rehabilitation Service • Re-connect Mental Wellbeing Peer Support Group • Mental Wellbeing Awareness Training and Workshops
• Linn Moor Residential School for children with additional support needs and complex learning difficulties • Rowanlea Young Adult Transition Service • Easter Anguston Farm
- Adult Trainee Service
- Community Experience
- Farm Shop and Garden Centre
Other Services: • Mercat Bookshop - Charity bookshop run by volunteers
• Northfield Lodge - Residential Home
• Assisted Living Community Westerton Crescent
Education and Learning Services
• Volunteering and Corporate Volunteering Programme
Children and Family Services
• Behavioural Support Strategies (BSS)
• Additional Support Needs Advisory Project (ASNAP) • Insight - Parental Capacity Assessment Service • Family Contact Centre • School-Based Mental Wellbeing
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Carers Support Services
Our Impact:
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ÂŁ13,157
11,670
4,800
Distributed in financial support grants from VSA to unpaid carers
People directly and indirectly supported at Airyhall Carers Respite Centre
People supported directly and indirectly through our Carers Service
482
106
81
Hidden carers identified and supported
Carers events attended and delivered
Carers mental health counselling sessions provided
63
50
15
People supported who care for someone with a mental health illness
Carers awareness presentations delivered
People supported who care for someone living with an addiction to drugs or alcohol
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Airyhall Case Study Shona McDonald is a registered carer for both her mum and dad - her mum is partially sighted and her 77-year-old father John McDonald lives with Alzheimer’s. John was, sadly, diagnosed at 65 years old and at that time, there was not a lot of support for people of that age to get help; most groups were for 70 and over. Shona contacted our team at Airyhall, who provide respite for unpaid carers, in the hope that she could find somewhere that could help, and we were delighted to offer her father a place. Shona commented: “It was a Godsend when my dad got a place, I was so grateful that VSA could help us. My dad has been going for years now, and honestly, he loves it. The staff are so lovely and take such good care of him. He loves doing woodwork and being the bingo caller.
a place that he loves going to makes it easier for me. It gives him something to look forward to as well, as he has friends that attend and he has great relationships with the staff at VSA.”
“ With my dad’s Alzheimer’s he does forget a lot of things which is frustrating for him; however, he always knows when it is a Tuesday or Saturday as that is when he gets to go to the day centre. I can’t thank the team at VSA enough for their support over the years.”
“It is such a lifeline for me as I care for both my parents, sometimes doing something like getting shopping can be difficult. So, knowing my dad is in such good hands and in
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Shahnaz’s Story Shahnaz Bashir, with her husband Syed and two children, has lived in Aberdeen for a little over a year now having moved from Pakistan to Glasgow 10 years ago. Shahnaz is a registered carer for her 15-year-old son Waleed who lives with epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and is registered blind. Her husband Syed works for VSA at Ruthrieston House. Shahnaz first moved from Pakistan to Paisley, to start her MPhil at the University of the West of Scotland; she was the first female from her family and district to accomplish higher education which she said was a great honour. When she first moved, she had to leave her home and move to a new country all alone which was a difficult time for her. Shahnaz did not know anyone; it was a huge cultural challenge and Waleed specifically found it upsetting being in Pakistan without his mum as he did not fully understand why she had left. After two months, Shahnaz’s family moved to Scotland, to be reunited, which was an emotional time for everyone. When Waleed moved over, one of the first things she did was register him with a GP; because of his learning difficulties, she wanted to ensure she could get support. She was really surprised when the GP asked her which school Waleed attended because children with learning difficulties do not attend school in Pakistan. Shahnaz spoke about how this was a huge surprise for her, as she had no idea that in Scotland he could go to school and she knew this would be great for him. Shahnaz’s older son Shahzad Ahmad, who is 19, is also registered as a young carer for his brother and helps his mum and dad support him. Shahzad plays cricket for Stoneywood Dyce Cricket Club and is also very academic, which led to him receiving an offer from the University of Aberdeen’s School of Medicine to train to become a doctor. When Shahzad received the offer, the whole family decided to move to Aberdeen – to support Shahzad’s
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dream. When Shahnaz moved, she asked her carer service in Glasgow who could help support them in Aberdeen and they were advised of VSA Carers. When they moved to the city, they contacted VSA and Shahnaz and her eldest son are now both registered at VSA as unpaid carers. Shahnaz answered some questions about her experiences as a Carer. How have VSA Carers helped you since moving to Aberdeen? The team has been fantastic, they signposted me to different opportunities to meet other carers, provided me with information about mental wellbeing, and where to get different information. Initially moving to Aberdeen was a bit unsettling for us, as we do not have any family or friends here and because of Waleed’s learning difficulties, and so we wanted to find an organisation that could help us. I obviously can’t attend Carers Cafes at the moment due to lockdown, which has been hard because I only really started going to them when this crisis started. VSA has held virtual events but it is nicer to see people in person.
“As a full-time carer for my son, a mum for my eldest son, and a wife, it is nice to know I have VSA Carers there to help support me if I need it.” My carer advisor is a fantastic lady. She has called me a few times during lockdown as well and provides me with very good advice.
What is your day-to-day routine? I get up before my family to prepare breakfast for everyone, and then help Waleed into his wheelchair down for breakfast. I also help him eat as he cannot do this by himself. Once my husband leaves for work, I then help Waleed get washed and dressed for the day ahead. My eldest son Shahzad would normally go to University, however, due to lockdown he has been at home the past few months to help me with the morning routine. Due to Waleed’s learning difficulties, he gets bored at home, so we try to take him out for a walk every day. He loves the sounds of birds, wind, and water so it helps relax him. We also enjoy going as a family and it is good for us to get fresh air. Waleed also loves music, and my eldest son, when we are out, often puts headphones on with his favourite music; we know if Waleed doesn’t like a song as he knocks the headphones off. His favourite song is “Qarara Rasha” and this is in Pushto language. He loves listening to it when we go to the park. After our walk, we go home, and I normally start to prepare dinner while Waleed and his brother watch TV. As he is blind, he cannot see the TV, but he loves the sounds. My husband gets home from work and we enjoy dinner as a family before I get Waleed ready for bed. Having my eldest son home during lockdown has been great for Waleed; they have such a special relationship and I love seeing them together. We moved with Shahzad because Waleed would really miss him and would be very upset.
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
What do you like to do to relax? It is hard to find time to relax, as being a full-time carer I am always thinking about what Waleed may need next. However, I have the support of my husband and son and as a family, we are all there for each other. My eldest son loves producing videos of how we care for Waleed, and I enjoy helping him film these. We have a youtube channel “Shining Stars” that my son updates with different videos of how to care for people with learning difficulties. We post these on my husband’s Facebook also to share with family and friends. It is a great pleasure when receiving messages from other carers from other countries. The modern technology is helping the carers, too.
When lockdown is over, I will enjoy being allowed going back to Carers Cafes as I do not know many people in Aberdeen, I hope it will be a good way to build some friendships. People in Aberdeen are very nice and friendly. How do you keep going? This is a difficult question, as you keep going because it is my son and my family. Some days can be hard, and you maybe would like a break, but Waleed is my son and I will always do everything he needs, and I will be there for my whole family. What do you see in your family’s future?
want to write a book: “My journey from the north of Pakistan to the north of Scotland”. My older son Shahzad is a very nice and kind boy. I like when he helps someone. In future, we want to help those parents who have children with special needs. Parents and carers here in Scotland are very lucky. I came here from a developing country and I knew about the many challenges that carers and people with special needs face in their daily life. That is the main reason why I have started Shining Stars so that I can spread awareness to people in those countries.
I am very happy to be in Scotland. We had a nice time in Glasgow and now we are very happy in Aberdeen. I really
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Airyhall Carers Respite Centre Airyhall provides a range of daily respite support services delivered in a communitybased setting. Over the past 12 months the service benefited 11,670 Aberdeen people.
It has allowed unpaid carers to access support for their loved one(s) while enabling them to take time out to look after themselves for a few hours. This helps carers to avoid becoming exhausted and run down. This service is critical to people in an unpaid caring role and enables them to maintain caring for their loved one(s) at home without reaching crisis point which would mean intervention from the NHS and Social Care. The centre supports people living with a mental or physical illness who are cared for in their own home, and provides stability, routine and an opportunity to socially interact with others while providing the benefit of a few hours of respite for their carer/ loved one(s). Over the year the centre delivered a wide range of activities that were designed and tailored to the people attending to deliver outcomes relating to their personal care plans. Activities included: • Reminiscence
• Snooker/Pool
• Pampering
•
• Quizzes
•
• Music to Movement/ Music Therapy
• Dominoes
• Crafts
•
Group Games
•
•
•
Board Games
Life stories
Mindfulness Sessions
Baking Groups Singing and Dancing
Airyhall also provided specialist weekend daycare respite services for people living with dementia.
“ When I got a place at Airyhall for my husband it was like winning the lottery. It saved my sanity and also gave my husband a place to go where he can play dominoes, which he loves. It gives me time to relax or even get shopping, and I know my husband is well looked after which gives me peace of mind. All the staff at Airyhall have been amazing and honestly I can’t thank them enough for everything they do for me and my husband.” Shirley Shireffs - unpaid carer 18
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
The Adult Carers Service Our Adult Carers Support Service provides vital practical, emotional, social, financial and mental wellbeing support to thousands of people who undertake an unpaid caring role for looking after ill, older, or disabled family members or friends. In Aberdeen one out of every four people could be providing a caring role, and this means that enough unpaid carers are living in Aberdeen to fill the main arena at TECA nearly four times over. Across Scotland it is estimated that up to 1.1 million people are undertaking a caring role.
Last year, our Carers Support Advisors provided 3,000 face to face support sessions and made 10,920 wellbeing support calls to unpaid carers.
At VSA we have significantly invested in our Carers Support Service over the past twelve months; the service has a brand-new carers resource centre located in the heart of Aberdeen city centre at the Castlegate. The new centre provides the space for our Carers Support Advisors to deliver a wide range of activities, training, and social support gatherings for unpaid carers.
Our Carers Advisors helped to make sure that people in unpaid caring roles got the correct information and support to enable them to continue to care for their loved one(s); provided access to training to help upskill unpaid carers; provided vital financial support and information; helped carers get to and from appointments; and helped unpaid careers access some vital respite time to look after their own wellbeing.
The centre provides a safe space and calming environment where unpaid carers can come to talk in confidence to their carers advisor, get advice or take part in one of the many activities on offer.
Our Carers Support Service also helps support unpaid carers who are caring for people living with a mental health condition or are caring for someone living with addiction. Many people
who live with a more enduring mental health condition can often have some form of underlying addiction to drugs or alcohol. At VSA we are specialists in providing mental wellbeing support services and our carers advisors have full access to a wide range of support strategies and advice from our mental wellbeing services. We have a Specialist Carers Advisor who is based at Royal Cornhill Hospital and is a fully qualified counsellor. Last year we provided 81 counselling sessions to unpaid carers who were caring for someone living with a mental health condition and delivered 12 monthly sessions of our mental health in-forum peer support group for unpaid carers.
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Children and Family Services
Our Impact:
20
259
186
Children directly supported through school counsellors
Contact visits facilitated at our contact centre
136
21
Education staff across Aberdeen attended our ASNAP training sessions
Children supported through Insight
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
School-Based Counselling Service VSA provides school-based counselling services, offering pupils one-to-one sessions to cope with a wide range of social and emotional issues. All information shared within the sessions is confidential, unless the counsellor feels that the young person is at risk. Last year we supported 259 children aged 8-18 through the service. Pupils can self-refer to the service or be referred with support of their guidance teacher, parents and carers. VSA works in partnership with Aberdeen City Council, and throughout 2019/20 we provided school-based counselling services at the following sites: Northfield Academy, St Machar Academy and Hazlehead Academy (we also support pupils of primary age at schools that feed into the Hazlehead school cluster).
“ Thank you so much for everything you have done. You have helped me find that art is the way I can express myself. It has been so amazing. I am always excited for Thursdays. It hasn’t only helped the situation about mum and dad, it has taken away my anxieties.� Quote from pupil (Fernielea Primary, aged 11)
Family Contact Centre The Family Contact Centre plays an essential role in helping children experiencing a breakdown in the family relationship by supporting them to have contact with the parent with whom they no longer live, or extended family members. The central concept of the Family Centre is to provide a safe, nurturing and child-centred environment where they can meet their non-resident parents or relatives. A dedicated manager is responsible for ensuring that the environment and activities remain child-focused and age-appropriate for those attending. The manager also has responsibility for the recruitment and training of the volunteer team employed within the service. The Family Contact Centre offered 250 hours of contact during the year, facilitating 2,240 visits between children and their non-resident parent or relative. The centre manager also worked intensively with parents to facilitate contact for eight children with additional support needs and one child with complex needs.
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Insight Insight has been commissioned to provide an independent, evidence-based assessment service to help in the decision-making process for children who are considered to be at risk. We will provide community-based specialist parenting capacity assessments and interventions to help parents learn the skills they need to safely parent their children at home. We work closely with families to help them show whether they are able to consistently meet the needs of their children. We look at all elements of the child’s safety and their emotional, physical, social and educational wellbeing.
Quote from parent:
“They helped to bring the real me back.” Quote from Health Visitor:
“ Without Insight they would not have their baby anymore. Us and Social Work could not have done this.” Quote from Social Worker
“ Insight has helped her to reflect on the past and gave her the tools and strategies to deal with the future.”
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VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Insight Delivery April 2019 - March 2020 Age of Children
12
Child’s Living Situation During Assessment
11
Family Referrals
6
1-5 yrs
1
6-8 yrs
3
9-12 yrs
2 4
16/21
15
Domestic Abuse
Children on the Child Protection Register at time of assessment
4
2
1 Parent in Prison
In parent’s care within extended family home
3
Couples
In foster care
2
Estranged Couples
In parent’s care
Complicating Factors for Parents
15
Physical Abuse 4 2
Parental Substance Misuse 0
4
6
Household Hygiene
Offending Behaviour
Recommendations Following Assessment:
4
Alternative care
Parent has care of child
11
Child remains with parent within informal kinship arrangement
86.2%
2.43 hours
14 Adverse Childhood Experiences
3
Autism
Average length of session
9
Bereavement
12
Assessments gone to duration
1
Parental Mental Health
5
Assessments ended early
5
Parental Physical Disability
Sessions Carried Out
Engagement in Sessions
6
Parental Learning Difficulties
686 21
14
weeks
8
Young Parents
Sessions Offered
Average Length of Assessment
10
Substance Misuse
19 795
NonEngaging Family
2
Emotional Regulation
7
11 Domestic Abuse
0
Other Children Accommodated
1
Neglect
Children
Single Parents
Categories of Risk
Families Worked With
Parents
7
13
Under 1 yrs
Relationship Status of Parents
Other
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After School Club/ Holiday Playscheme In collaboration with Aberdeen City Council, VSA operates an after school provision to support children with additional support needs. The after school club service is operated from Orchard Brae School. Last year we supported 80 children through our after school club and our holiday playschemes. The after school club/holiday playscheme provision is a commissioned service that is financially supported through statutory funding from Aberdeen City Council; our commissioned contract to deliver this service came to a natural conclusion on 3rd July 2020.
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We remain fully committed to supporting vulnerable children and our team is working hard to ensure the voices of these young people and their parents/guardians are heard locally within Aberdeen City Council and nationally at the Scottish Government, with the aim of influencing and shaping future children services provision to help drive better outcomes for children and their families.
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
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Additional Support Needs Advisory Project The Additional Support Needs Advisory Project (ASNAP) aims to support local service providers to facilitate the integration of children with additional support needs in nurseries, crèches, playgroups and after school clubs throughout Aberdeen. Our aim is to sustain children’s access to mainstream services. An ASNAP advisor can be allocated to a service for one term, to assist the staff team in the development of strategies that will support the child/children they are working with. Specialised training and equipment can also be given dependent on the individual child’s needs. A child does not need to have been given a formal diagnosis for discussions to take place with an ASNAP worker. Last year we provided 136 education training sessions across Aberdeen to help provide better outcomes for children living with additional support needs.
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VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Richmondhill House Residential Service During the course of this year we had to make some difficult service decisions that saw us say a fond farewell to our services at Richmondhill House and Maisie Munro’s. Since 1870, VSA has continued to evolve our services to meet the current and future needs of vulnerable people. This has meant that over the decades we have adapted, ceased operating services that are no longer fit for purpose, and opened new services to give the people of Aberdeen the best of care to enable them to live the best of lives.
4 parents were supported within Richmondhill House prior to closure in 2019
Maisie Munro’s Nursery Maisie’s operated as a private childcare nursery since 2011 with the aim of providing prioritised integrated placements for children with additional support or complex learning needs. Over the past two years, however, we experienced a significant decrease in demand in the number of families who required an integrated nursery provision outwith their natural school catchment area; with parents understandably preferring a pre-school nursery place at the school that their child will attend. This led to the Trustees of VSA, in conjunction with the Executive Management Team, re-evaluating the service we provided at Maisie’s to ensure that it was aligned with our charitable aims and was financially sustainable long-term. Together we concluded that due to the decreasing number of integrated placements, the service provision no longer meets our core charitable aims of supporting vulnerable people and we made the difficult decision to cease operating the service in December 2019. All families were supported by our team to secure alternative child care arrangements.
21 children attended the nursery until October 2019
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Adult and Community Services
Our Impact:
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3.1 million
2,340
416
Hours of care provided
Hours of mental health outreach support provided
Classes delivered at our Broomhill Activity Centre
365
150+
Adults directly supported residentially
Members of our later years in life activity centres
50
21
People supported through our mental health Reconnect group
People supported at our new VSA Care at Home Service
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Learning Disability Services Last year VSA supported 18 adults who live with a range of moderate learning difficulties at our Craigton Grove assisted living community for adults living with a range of learning difficulties. Our assisted living community for adults with learning difficulties, enables people to maintain their own tenancies with support from our specialist support workers. Over the year our team helped adults living with a learning difficulty develop a range of skills which included cooking, cleaning and maintaining the property; managing finances/banking; attending health appointments; support to do food shopping; accessing community resources (library, attending church and social activities etc.); and support to maintain relationships with family members.
Barry, Stuart and Lesley’s Trip to Blackpool! Last year two members of staff from our Learning Disability Support team supported Barry, Stuart and Lesley on holiday to Blackpool. The guys had a brilliant time and spent five days in Blackpool on holiday and did a range of activities. One highlight was afternoon tea in the ballroom. Stuart said “I had a brilliant time in Blackpool with my friends from Craigton. My favourite part was afternoon tea in the Tower Ballroom. I am a big fan of Strictly Come Dancing and I enjoyed the dancing in the ballroom where the Strictly final is held. It brought back many happy memories of dancing with my mum when I was younger. Without the help of VSA we wouldn’t have got to experience this holiday.”
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Later Years in Life Services Later in life some tasks can become more difficult to undertake without help and support; however, this does not mean that there is any reason as to why you should not maintain your independence. Over the year we supported 265 across our two assisted living communities and our two care homes for older people.
Delayed Discharge Project VSA, working in collaboration with Aberdeen City’s Health & Social Care Partnership, launched a new pilot project in 2019 to provide special interim accommodation for people who are fit to leave hospital but who are not yet ready to go home permanently. The scheme provides a range of supportive homely settings for hospital-leavers, with care and support on hand.
professionals take care of care support arrangements and any necessary adaptations needed at their home.
Evidence shows that the sooner someone leaves hospital when they are well, the better it is for them both physically and emotionally. Research has revealed that older adults who remain in bed for a significant period are five times more likely to go to a care home on their eventual discharge.
“This is a truly joint venture, with the Partnership providing the funding and the social work professional support, and VSA providing the premises and the care team to support people.”
Efforts by VSA and the Partnership has already led to significant improvements in reducing delayed discharge numbers in Aberdeen.
In 2015, the city was the worst-performing area in Scotland – but it is now in the ‘top 10’ Scottish local authority areas. Partnership Chief Officer Sandra Ross said: “These flats have in-house care teams, telecare, and full disability accessibility, allowing people leaving the hospital to avoid dependency, regain confidence and get ready for going home – while
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Senior service manager with the Partnership, Kenny O’Brien, who heads the Delayed Discharge Team, added: “We’re delighted to be working with VSA to help support people leaving the hospital. “By working jointly in this way, we help get people out of the hospital and into a homely setting – keeping them safe and healthy, and building their confidence before they go home. “This is just one part of our wider plan to manage delayed discharges in Aberdeen and is going live just as everyone in the health and social care sector is getting ready for the inevitable demands of winter. This service will be a welcome addition to the resources we have available.”
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Bob and Gordon’s Story Bob moved into Ruthrieston House a little over a year ago with his beloved guide dog Gordon. Bob sadly suffered a stroke a few years ago, and because of this doesn’t have full mobility so Gordon is not only his companion and best friend but helps with daily tasks such as opening doors and moving the footrest on his wheelchair. Gordon was our first ever dog at Ruthrieston House, so we had to make adjustments for his arrival, but we did everything we could to ensure that Gordon and Bob had everything they needed — and now they are truly part of the VSA family. Bob said: “Gordon is now 6 and I have had him since he was 18 months, so for the past four years he has been by my side helping me. Gordon is truly a special dog that is loved by everyone here at Ruthrieston House, he is always getting petted and told how lovely he is. All the staff here have truly supported Gordon and me since moving in, and I can’t thank them enough for what they do for us.”
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Mental Wellbeing Services Mental Wellbeing support services remain a core strategic priority for VSA. Over the year we supported people aged 16+ living with a range of mental wellbeing illnesses. We provided support to people across our specialist residential facilities and supported people in the community through our outreach services and peer support groups. Many people living with a mental health illness often, from our experience, have an underlying addiction to drugs or alcohol. Our mental wellbeing team works with the person to empower them to take control of their lives and works to support them, without judgment, on their journey to recovery. In addition, over the year we provided mental wellbeing awareness workshops and talks to a range of employers across the city providing information and guidance on how they can better support their employees’ wellbeing.
Reconnect Mental Wellbeing Peer Support Group Reconnect offers a peer support service to individuals living with a mental health condition to connect with other people and helps the person to build confidence and get them active and engaged in life in the community. Engagement is key, and although overseen by a VSA staff member, the focus is on the group and volunteers taking ownership of the service to ensure it remains meaningful. The group meets five days a week to allow people to take part in a calendar of activities that they are encouraged to help design. Morning or afternoon sessions are available and each person also has the option of one-to-one sessions with a member of the VSA team should they feel this would be helpful. For individuals who may find it difficult to join the group, additional support — such as individual sessions or bringing a friend or family member along — can also be arranged. Last year 520 peer support sessions were delivered and the group supported 50 people.
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VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
33
Education and Learning Services
Our Impact:
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30,000+
20,000
9,600
Supported education hours
Visitors to Easter Anguston Farm
Qualified Teaching Hours
950
400+
200+
950 face to face curricular teaching hours during COVID lockdown
Hours of community based sport activities (pre-COVID)
Dedicated speech and language therapy hours
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15
Children and young adults supported at Linn Moor Residential School and Campus
Adult Trainees with learning difficulties supported at Easter Anguston Farm
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Easter Anguston Farm Easter Anguston Farm (EAF) is an operational farm and local community resource which serves as a training facility for adults with learning difficulties and other additional support needs. Situated in Peterculter, it has 70 acres of arable land used as a working farm, plus 20 acres of woodland, which attracted over 20,000 visitors from across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and beyond during 2019. The farm provides meaningful and individualised training placements for 15 adult trainees who are supported by a skilled staff team to learn and develop their knowledge and understanding of working in an agricultural and retail setting whilst gaining certified SVQ qualifications. A strong emphasis is placed on developing personal, social, vocational and land-based skills that can be useful in preparing for future employment whilst also increasing their contribution to the local community. The farm and its associated woodland, conservation and education areas also provide a vital community resource that is invaluable. As a charity we do not charge any entry fee for the community to access this resource, instead, we rely on voluntary donations to enable us to provide free access for all. EAF provides unique experiences to those that grow up in areas of deprivation across Aberdeen, sparking an early interest in the
land-based sector. Education is a key pillar upon which the farm is built, and we continue to invest in our educational resources. Last year we constructed a new educational classroom to host school groups in the hope of teaching children about where their food comes from alongside animal care.
Through our free entry we open our doors to everyone, regardless of wealth or background; offering outdoor learning activities, conservation good practice and an insight into farming. VSA’s EAF operates many volunteer days, bringing various groups together and forging new relationships within the community. This is an excellent springboard to get local people interested and engaged with the service, teaching them about the complex learning needs of our adult trainees as well as the countryside. Our volunteers have been essential during the EAF wood transformation, which connects people with disabilities to nature. This new mixed broadleaf woodland replaces a conifer plantation as part of a sensory
development trail for children with additional support needs, allowing them to safely explore nature through free play. The farm is accessed by children and adults from areas of high deprivation/ regeneration areas from across the city. For many children it is the first time they have ever experienced a family day out, nature, seen animals up close or had an opportunity to enjoy the fresh air and play parks that EAF can offer. We also have many sensory areas across the farm for children with additional support needs and have developed our woodland walks to incorporate disabled access enabling children or adults with disabilities to access woodland and connect with nature. During 2019 we continued to further enhance our farm environment and introduced ‘The Stick Man Trail’, based on the popular children’s book, to encourage children to learn more about the outdoors in a fun and interactive way.
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Linn Moor Campus The education and learning services at our Linn Moor campus provide outcomedriven care and tuition that is responsive to the individual needs and requirements of the children and young people within our setting, who have a diagnosis of autism and other additional support needs. We benefit from an enthusiastic, dedicated, and highly-skilled staff team across the campus, all of whom are supported and trained to deliver best practice. The students at Linn Moor Campus continue to amaze us with their resilience and flexibility in the face of the many challenges that 2019-20 has presented. The campus provides residential space for 21 children and young people, with a further 5 tenants also supported on-site at our Linn Moor adult service accommodation at Rowanlea House and Rowanlea Cottage. VSA continues to invest in staff training to support the team at Linn Moor in delivering best practice care and support to the students who have a diagnosis of autism and other additional support needs. There are currently 21 staff across both Children’s and Adult’s services at Linn Moor Campus who are undertaking HNC and SVQ Awards. Our Modern
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Apprenticeship scheme is also fully operational with three staff currently on the programme. Over the last twelve months, VSA has benefited from volunteering hours and funding from a number of corporate organisations across Aberdeen to enable enhancements to the environment at Linn Moor Campus and we are enormously grateful for their support. Notable projects completed include the redevelopment of the camp site area, providing an exceptional environment for outdoor learning opportunities for the students, and the completion of the fruit and vegetable garden at Rowanlea House which provides meaningful activities and sensory experiences for the tenants.
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Linn Moor Residential School Linn Moor Residential School provides students with a breadth of outcome-focused learning opportunities, utilising the wealth of resources available on the campus and a variety of accessible activities in the local community. All of our students have access to the education workshop and classroom at Easter Anguston Farm, with our qualified teachers working collaboratively with our professional Support Workers to provide the assistance and encouragement to support them towards the development of life skills and SQA qualifications. Throughout 2019 our varied curriculum continued to focus on the students’ ability to access the community and on a weekly basis they had the opportunity to participate in activities such as horse riding, rock-wall climbing, swimming, and trampoline sessions in a structured
environment. They have also been supported to build upon classroom learning in areas such as numeracy and literacy through the use of public transport, visits to local shops and other opportunities beyond Linn Moor Campus. A wide range of learning styles and abilities are evident across Linn Moor School and our teaching staff provide diverse and stimulating activities for them to enjoy in line with the national GIRFEC Framework and Curriculum for Excellence. The opportunities afforded to our students are augmented by our external therapy sessions in drama, music and speech and language whilst
our in-house Occupational Therapist provides further professional expertise to aid their development. Throughout the challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, the team at Linn Moor have worked diligently and professionally to ensure both the safety of the students and the continuation of a rounded education package that combines outdoor experiences with curricular objectives, in line with their individual needs and interests.
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Rowanlea Adult Service Linn Moor Campus continues to provide tenancies for five young adults across accommodation at Rowanlea House and Rowanlea Cottage. The service aims to provide an intensive Housing with Support package which focuses on the development of skills that will allow the tenants to be part of the wider community and involved in a broad range of meaningful and enjoyable activities. Tenants are supported through programmes which empower them to enhance their individual skill sets in domestic, personal, social and community areas. This aims to promote greater personal independence, informed choice-making and understanding of their wider environment.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the tenants have had significant changes to their weekly schedules, including being unable to access public transport which is a regular feature in some of their lives. All of the tenants have adapted extremely well and have enjoyed accessing other resources instead, with one of the tenants planting sunflowers and another involved in feeding the birds in the garden every day.
Linn Moor in Lockdown As the world came to terms with the global outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, along with the rest of society Linn Moor Campus and the residents were faced with an unprecedented “lockdown.� For the students, whose autism means that they see, hear and feel the world differently, the change to their daily routines overnight had the potential to be extremely difficult. As the government guidance on managing the pandemic evolved, the students required to adapt to these changes and they responded to the situation admirably. With restrictions on their movement from Linn Moor and limits in terms of visits to the campus, the students have shown great resilience in coping with this challenging situation. At VSA the safety of all those within our care is of paramount importance and with that clear focus, the decision was taken to temporarily re-purpose the school building during the
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pandemic in order to best protect those children and young people with underlying health conditions. Almost overnight the school building was transformed into a residential unit for three of our students offering them the best protection possible from the virus at the height of the pandemic. Our teachers and support staff worked tirelessly to deliver educational provision in an innovative manner within the residential units, ensuring their learning opportunities were sustained albeit in an alternative format. Despite the trials posed by the pandemic, the whole campus has risen to the challenge and remains focused on ensuring the best of lives for those being cared for.
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
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Our COVID-19 Response VSA has been caring for the people of Aberdeen for 150 years, and during this time we have supported generations of your families through two World Wars, the Spanish Influenza pandemic, and the Aberdeen Typhoid outbreak. Today, we are here for you, helping care for you or your vulnerable relatives and friends. The Coronavirus outbreak is one of the most challenging we have faced due to its highly contagious nature.
a conscious decision that we believe saved lives.
Our Response at our Residential Sites:
• Strengthened our PPE reserves in February - we continue to ensure that we have a 4-6 month operating pandemic stock level.
We have 22 residential sites across Aberdeen City, and our team of carers and support workers are working tirelessly to ensure that your loved one(s) do not feel alone or isolated during this time. The health and wellbeing (both physical and mental) of the people we care for and our staff is of the utmost priority for VSA. We were actively monitoring the evolving situation regarding the virus from mid-January, with full pandemic planning meetings commencing in February. At VSA, the welfare of the vulnerable people we support and our staff is our utmost priority and we have had no cases of COVID-19 in any of our residential sites. Our sites have been undergoing random COVID-19 testing, and we are really pleased to share that to date all staff and residents’ tests have been negative. At VSA, we implemented our enhanced infection prevention and control protocols ahead of Government advice;
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Key infection control steps we have taken but are not limited to, include:
• Implemented our enhanced infection control measures at all sites from 2nd March. • Block-booked additional agency staff, known and exclusive to specific sites, at the beginning of March for a four-month period to ensure that, in a worst-case scenario, we could still deliver the outstanding level of care that we are renowned for. • Suspended all external visitors until further notice (includes next of kin) to our residential sites (including sheltered housing complexes) on the 12th March unless for exceptional circumstances such as end of life care or medical assistance. • All external packages suspended from arriving at our residential sites to aid with infection control. • Invested in medical equipment, such as Oxipulse meters, so that our staff could undertake daily medical
observations on residents – we take all residents’ temperatures, oxygen levels and pulse rates daily to look for any early signs and symptoms of the virus. • Closed all communal areas in our residential sites and implemented social distancing measures. • Our staff had full access to PPE from early March and staff have been wearing full PPE to protect our residents and other employees. • Enhanced deep cleaning of all traffic areas in our sites and staff areas regularly. • Since March, all staff have been required to undergo daily temperature checks as they arrive for a shift. • Provided daily briefings to employees, and our team have had access to our own in-house Occupational Health Nurse. • Provided daily briefings to employees. • Invested in an Occupational Health team to support colleagues with their physical and mental wellbeing.
VSA VSA Annual Annual Report Report 2018-2019 2019-2020
Over the past four months, our team has worked tirelessly to adapt the support and companionship they provide to our residents in their later years to provide additional mental health support and cognitive stimulus to maintain their wellbeing. This included but was not limited to: • We have provided our residents with technology such as iPads and mobile phones, so that they can maintain vital visual contact with a loved one(s) via video calling.
• Introduced a range of sociallydistanced gentle exercise classes.
technology and play card/board games, or help our residents take gentle walks in our grounds.
• Introduced digital entertainment trolleys so that our residents, for example, can take part in virtual bingo, sing-along sessions, and reminiscence activities.
• Invited well-known Scottish music singer, Fiona Kennedy to undertake virtual concerts for our residents.
• Invested in additional staff, so that staff have more dedicated time to spend with each resident on a oneto-one basis to discuss areas of interest, partake in hobbies, help upskill our residents on how to use
• Provided an increased number of cognitively stimulation resources available to our residents such as craft supplies, puzzles, and board games
• Art therapy sessions.
Volunteering | 41
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Our COVID-19 Support Across Aberdeen March 2020-June 2020
900 school-based counselling sessions delivered virtually to 42 children aged between 8-18.
45 fuel poverty grants distributed.
1,000 mental wellbeing support calls made to unpaid carers.
32 mental wellbeing counselling sessions provided digitally to adults.
1,600 unpaid carers supported.
245 adults supported residentially.
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VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
26 children and young people supported residentially.
Mindfulness session watched by 2,000 people.
Resilience workshop session watched by 1,500 people.
New unpaid carers’ ID cards launched.
5,000 people read our new unpaid carers’ digital magazine.
Food aid provided to 150 people.
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From a person’s first breath through to their last, VSA has stood next to the people of Aberdeen for 150 years offering care, support, and vital services to vulnerable people living in our communities as and when they needed it. As times have changed, so has the way we have delivered our services, but always with one ambition; to give the people of Aberdeen the best of care to enable them to live the best of lives. VSA, changing lives every day for 150 years, yesterday, today and - with your help - tomorrow.
ry o t S s ’ VSA Here Starts
1875
1910
Formation of Prisons’ Aid Society: focused on the rehabilitation of prisoners and provision of support.
The Association began undertaking administration for the “Fresh Air Fortnight” and Ailing Children’s Home (which later became Linn Moor School).
1870
1895
10th March
The Association made the purchase of 15, 17, 19 & 21 Princes Street. These were used to house both a nursery and workshops. Workshops offered the unemployed paid jobs in either timber or steel.
Alexander Nicol - Aberdeen Lord Provost - called a public meeting to form the Association with regards to the condition of the poor time rule and regulations.
8th November The Association held their first Annual General Meeting formalising the board of volunteer charity trustees.
18801895 The Association set up penny banks throughout the city to encourage the poor to save what they could.
1899 The Association made the purchase and move to 38 Castle Street at a purchase price of £1,600, where it has operated from since.
1871
1884
1905
The first day nursery for children in East North Street opened. This provided care from 5.30am to 6.30pm each day to meet the needs of working people.
The Association rented a house for the rehabilitation of women recently released from prison.
The sudden closure of Bannermill textile factory resulted in the loss of 400 jobs. The Association coordinated free meals and rooms to those affected and 254 applications for assistance were answered.
1870
1900
1914 – 1918 World War I – This was a relatively quiet period for the Association due to the increased employment available in the city, although the Association worked in conjunction with the War Pensions Committee among other things.
1922
1952
The Bairns Boots and Clothing Fund was set up; recycling old garments and shoes with proceeds going towards the Association. This was so popular there was need to hire a shoemaker.
Relocation of the Children’s Shelter from Castle Street to a newly-purchased Millbank House, located on 139 Hardgate, Aberdeen.
1947 Richmondhill House opened its doors to unmarried mothers from all over the UK. This service supported women and their babies and continued to be a core service for the Association for many years. Prof. Craig opening Millbank as a Children’s Home
Castlegate Children’s Shelter
1925 The Association opened the Children’s Shelter at 38 Castle Street to support young people while their parents were in hospital. The renovations were paid for by the Evening Express at a cost of £2,400.
1948
1939 1945 World War II – the Association set up the Aberdeen Branch of Citizens Advice Bureau to help people understand war time rules and regulations.
Halloween Party, Broomhill Park
7th May The Association initiated the North East Association of Mental Health; one of the first mental health services in Scotland. Richmondhill House Opening
Formation of the Joint Liaison Committee to work closely with the statutory departments (known now as the Health and Social Care Partnership board).
1958 The Knitters’ Guild formed in Aberdeen to create garments for the children and families of those helped by the Association.
St Aubin’s Opened
1927
1946
The Association erected a tent at the Beach each summer to house lost children until their parents could be found. This was undertaken until 1948 and reunited hundreds of lost children with their parents.
Marked the employment of the first trained social worker within the Association.
1960
Broomhill Park Opening
1920
1940
Forestgait Care Home Completed
1960
1970
1984
Formation of the Castlehill Housing Association – this service specialised in providing housing for the homeless and those in need.
1962
1973
The Association first founded the Adoption Society to aid with the adoption rates especially children with learning difficulties.
The Association purchased and converted 56 Loanhead Terrace. Creating 5 sheltered housing units and a further 2 chalets in the garden designed for couples.
The construction of Ruthrieston House began; a 30-bed elderly people residence in Broomhill Park. Funds for this construction were raised through the Happy Old Age Appeal which was the first appeal for the Association and raised the £1million needed for the build.
1989 The Association first began offering day care for older people living with such problems as dementia. This would later evolve into our current Airyhall service.
The Queen came to visit
1985
Annual Variety Entertainment. Sing Sing Sing!
Local authority adopted responsibility for prisoners and their rehabilitation and therefore the Association discontinued their work with the criminally convicted.
1963
1972
The Association worked with Aberdeen University to develop a social science course within the city. It was 1966 before the course was first opened to the public however The School of Social Science still exists today and hosts a wealth of courses.
The Association purchased Easter Anguston Farm in order to deliver hands-on care for up to 20 adults with learning difficulties.
The Association undertook a large amount of development; renovating Fountville sheltered housing to create 16 units at a cost of £75,000 and Forrestgait to create 28 units at a cost of £182,000.
VSA phased out the adoption service after helping more than 300 children since 1963.
1987 The working title of the Association changed to Voluntary Service Aberdeen.
Carers Handbook
The St Aubin’s Project was established for people with mental health problems and as such the house was converted to an eight-bed facility.
1992 The Children’s Home at Linn Moor altered its service to specialise in children with disabilities.
Craigton Grove residential accommodation opened for Easter Anguston trainees, situated conveniently in the heart of Peterculter close to the farm. Van for Easter Anguston Farm
1980
1994
2015
2019
The Association opened the first Carers Centre in Scotland in conjunction with the Princess Royal Trust, recognising and supporting those that have a caring role.
VSA achieved Investors in People - Gold Standard.
The Education Centre at Easter Anguston Farm was completed and ready for use. This is utilised by the school as well as other groups as an extra educational space.
2001
2017
VSA completed its largest construction project, Cloverfield Grove, costing £3.4 million and providing 40 flats. This facility was opened by Brian Murphy and was a fantastic achievement for the Association.
Adult Carers’ Respite Service (day care) moved to Airyhall Community Centre.
2010
1995 125th Anniversary Appeal raised £250,000. The Maisie Munro Children’s Resource Centre was constructed and opened adjacent to Richmondhill House.
VSA opens the Mercat Bookshop at Castle Street - this is VSA’s last remaining thrift shop. Completion of Cloverfield Grove
18th November Building work began with ground being broken on Abergeldie House - a new 20-bed mental health facility.
VSA undertook a large development at Easter Anguston Farm constructing the café, shop and car park. This increased accessibility; providing a new disabled toilet and blue badge car parking. Work begins on Abergeldie House
1997 Woodgrove care home opened for older people with dementia which later became Crosby House.
2005 Broomhill Park Housing with Care and Support Unit was completed and opened by Sir Alex Ferguson after a successful campaign raising over £2million. The Broomhill Activity Centre was also opened.
2011 Apache Cottage was developed at Linn Moor, to act as a transitional step into adulthood for young people.
The gym hall at Linn Moor School was created by converting the swimming pool. This has provided a fantastic indoor facility with a range of uses that better meets the needs of the students.
2020 VSA helped support hundreds of children, adults and families across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, as the coronavirus spread around the world.
2012 Ruthieston House opened again by HRH The Duke of Gloucester after a £1.5 million redevelopment, increasing the provision for older people services. Linn Moor School Play Ground
1870-2020
2000
2020
Our founding story 10th March 1870, the precursor to VSA was born. The Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor came into being as an organised response to supporting the people of Aberdeen who had the least. It was founded by a group of people who were willing to do three things: make regular donations to support the poor, visit the poor to better help and understand the problems they faced and to manage the Association.
Over 500 visitors were recruited and each was allocated 10-12 families to build a supportive relationship through gentle speech and behaviour, kindly inquiry and interest and advice of a practical sort. It was hoped that this was a way of coping “with the great evils that prevail in the midst of the population, by organising a system of combined and harmonising action”. It was inspired by similar poor associations in London, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Glasgow. There was a strong focus on enabling the poor to help themselves, rather
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than just giving handouts. The aim was to “foster a spirit of self-reliance and thrift.” The Association did a lot of work to identify who they believed to be “the proper objects of relief”. They considered worthy recipients to be “sober and industrious” individuals who, through no fault of their own, risked falling into poverty from which there was no way out. This could be caused by accident, sickness or family distress, which they could not predict or avoid. The members of the Association, through their visits, set about encouraging the poor of Aberdeen to live “temperate, frugal, industrious, provident and cleanly lives” and to better understand what assistance they could provide to help them turn their lives around. It was not a religious association and one of its early aims was that relief should be given without reference to any religious distinctions and that complete impartiality should be observed. The prosperous people of the city were keen to show that they really cared about those who were worse off and wanted to explore ways to encourage them and lift them out of poverty.
Some of these aims, set out in March 1870, still ring true in 2020. VSA aims to provide the best of care to enable the best of lives by supporting individuals and communities to fulfil their potential.
What an incredible thing it is that the people of Aberdeen have built and maintained these ambitions for 150 years. What a powerful thing it would have been for those founding members to know how many generations of Aberdonians their vision would support. To mark our 150th Anniversary, we will be releasing a special ‘150 stories of VSA’ anniversary book. The book will highlight our rich heritage, the amazing people behind it, the individuals, families and communities who have been helped and some of the landmark moments in our history.
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Did you know? Did you know that our connection with the Royal Household dates back to 1870? When VSA was born in March 1870, as the Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor, Queen Victoria accepted the position of Patron, which was a fantastic achievement for the City of Aberdeen and a real boost to the profile of our charity. Ever since Queen Victoria said yes, the reigning monarch has been the Patron of VSA, spanning six reigns and 150 years. After inheriting the throne at just 18 she went on to be a national global icon for her strict sense of personal morals and straight-talking.
Our 150th Anniversary Celebration Plans Many of our celebration plans have been postponed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. We intend to re-start anniversary celebrations in March 2021. These will include:
A special heritage programme which will start late 2020 and continue across 2021 into 2022.
Celebration ‘Afternoon Tea Parties’ on the 10th March 2021.
A special anniversary celebration event, will take place on the 6th November, 2021 at Balmoral Castle by gracious permission of our patron, Her Majesty the Queen.
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VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
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Volunteering and Community Engagement
59
corporate volunteer groups
over
10,000 individual volunteering hours 56
880
individual corporate volunteers
160
individual volunteers
6,160 corporate volunteering hours
Based on the real Scottish Living Wage of ÂŁ9.30 per hour this equates to ÂŁ57,288 per annum
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Volunteering Volunteers are at the heart of VSA, and without the support of individuals, groups, corporate partners and many others who each year generously give their time, we would not be able to provide the vital services and support that we do to thousands of vulnerable people year after year. At our 2019 AGM we were delighted to recognise a number of individuals and corporates who had gone above and beyond throughout the year with the time they had selflessly dedicated toward helping us change lives.
Well done to all of our 2019 winners The Lady Joan Catto Unsung Hero Award went to May MacDougal James Logan Award for Outstanding Achievement went to Helen and Bob Cowie The Dr Vijay Jandial Award for Corporate Volunteering went to Shell UK The Melville Watson Award for Corporate Achievement in Fundraising went to Apache The Lata Jandial Memorial Award for Volunteering went to Anthony Low The Community Group Award for Charitable Fundraising went to The Rolling Tones
Special recognition certificates went to: Subsea 7
HIS Markit
Laura Pike
Sarah Caldwell
Doug Soden
BP
The Scott Family
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Fundraising Raising the money we need to help change the lives of vulnerable children and adults. Each year VSA relies on a diverse funding model that consists of a mix of statutory and voluntary income to deliver the lifechanging work that we do. Our aim over the last financial year was to increase our voluntary income to ensure we can reach and support more vulnerable people living across Aberdeen and beyond. It is with thanks to the support we receive financially through voluntary income that we can give vulnerable people the skills, experiences, opportunities and environments they
need to realise their dreams and lead more independent and integrated lives. During the past twelve months we raised an incredible ÂŁ1,970,000 in unrestricted and restricted income (including income from legacies). Some of this cash for accounting purposes is deferred into different financial years depending on when a project will be realised.
We raise our voluntary income across six core areas:
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Corporate Partnerships and Giving
Groups and Associations
Individual Giving
Trust and Foundations
Events
Legacy Giving
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Our supporters have gone above and beyond over the past year and we are incredibly humbled and grateful to everyone who donated to VSA.
Last year
2,000 people attended a VSA event
1,545 individuals made a donation to VSA
ÂŁ557 average individual gift size
159 donations received from Trusts, Foundations, Corporates, Groups and Associations
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Supporter Story Trekking the Inca Trail in aid of VSA Our team of five supporters set off from Aberdeen to take on this tough ten-day challenge through Inca ruins to the iconic city at 15,000ft altitude. Aches, pains, endless steps, high mountain passes, meeting the locals, making friends, and rough sleeping; VSA’s Inca Trek team went through it all to reach Machu Picchu. John Morrison, Managing Director of General & Technical Services, was pushed out of his comfort zone during the challenge. He said: “It was a fantastic challenge for us all. The traveling, change of culture, high altitude, and the tough second day climbing 1,200m made completing the trek very difficult. There’s no way to prepare, mentally and physically, for the gruelling nature of the challenge, but it makes it even more satisfying to overcome this, especially knowing that we were raising funds for VSA’s Changing Lives Campaign.” The team spent four hard days trekking up the slopes of Machu Picchu, which made it all the more special for the participants. John Mutch, Director of John Mutch Building Services, said: “The experience was always going to be great, visiting one of the seven wonders of the modern world; however, arriving via the original Inca Trail route made it even more rewarding. Many, including myself, had to dig deep into
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the challenges faced with hiking long distance at altitude. Over and above the fabulous views I have gained wonderful friendships, and these memories will remain with me forever.”
“To anyone else considering a trip like this, the most important aspect is that through your efforts, with support from friends and family, you will help VSA to change lives in Aberdeen.” Gordon Edwards, VSA’s Ex-Director of Finance, said: “It was a fantastic experience, learning about the history and culture of the Inca people and Machu Picchu, along with the incredible scenery. The second day of the trek was the hardest, with a very steep climb up to Dead Woman’s Pass to 4,200 metres (13,800 feet) and a challenging descent down the other side. It was an unforgettable experience with everyone supporting each other through the highs and lows to finish the challenge together.” The team raised just over £25,000 towards our capital Changing Lives Appeal.
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Aning Amaz
0 0 0 , 5 2 £ Raised
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Changing Lives Campaign Update We were delighted to officially break ground on our new mental wellbeing build in November 2019. Construction has been slightly delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions, however, we aim to open this much-needed facility in the spring of 2021. There is a growing demand for mental wellbeing services — in Aberdeen alone, 1 in 3 adults every year are diagnosed with a mental health condition. As Aberdeen’s largest and trusted provider of mental health services, we are more than aware of the pressures this brings. As a result, we were delighted to publicly announce our exciting ‘Changing Lives’ campaign which aims to raise £3.2 million to build an ambitious purpose-built mental
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wellbeing facility in the heart of Aberdeen to support adults on their journey to recovery. This new 20-bedroom facility, with an associated communitybased outreach service, will provide vital support to people living with a range of mental health conditions, empowering them to take control of their lives through our highlyregarded recovery model and specialised mental wellbeing support staff.
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Digital Innovation Over the year we developed new ways to raise money which enhanced our supporter experience. This included:
Introduction of contactless collection points which allows a donor to tap to donate via their mobile phone or contactless bank card.
Enabled giving through social media.
New donation function on our website.
New ability to create fundraising pages on our website for individual donors or corporate partners to raise money for VSA through their connections.
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Future of Fundraising Over the course of 2019, we continued to make sure all of our fundraising activities were aligned and compliant with regulatory standards as set by OSCR and the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice. Looking forward, COVID-19 will have a profound impact on voluntary income and the way in which supporters engage and give. We will be re-writing our fundraising strategy to reflect the significant economic impact COVID-19 will have on our business. This new strategy will include a review of our existing fundraising portfolio to ensure each individual activity brings in an income that justifies the amount of money, time
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and energy we spend on it. If activities in our portfolio do not meet the framework created for it, we will cease to undertake the activity. It is of the utmost importance to us that we spend our supporters’ generous donations in a way that leads to us reaching and supporting more vulnerable children and adults.
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
How we spent our money: Total income for 2019/20 was £17.4 million Charitable Activities £15.4 million Donations & Legacies £1.7 million Investments £0.1 million
Income
£17 Million+
Other Trading Activities £0.2 million
Total Expenditure in 2019/20 was £17.8M Charitable Activities £17.4 million Cost of Raising Funds £0.4 million
Expenditure
£17 Million+
A full copy of our audited accounts can be found on our website.
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Thank you to our amazing supporters We would like to thank all of our incredible supporters who across the year have donated financially or given their time and energy to helping VSA. Special thanks goes to:
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A G Bain Trust
Foundation Scotland
NYOP Education Ltd
Aberdeen City Council
Garfield Weston Foundation
Patrick Mitchell Hunter Fund
Aberdeen Health Improvement Fund
General and Technical Services
People’s Postcode Trust
Aberdeen International Airport
Graham Reid
Peterkins LLP
Aberdeen Standard Investments
George Summers
Romex Ltd
Addleshaw Goddard
GSR Healthcare
Rose Recruitment Ltd
Alex McLeish
HMT/Balmoral Estates
RS MacDonald Trust
Apache
James Cordiner & Son Limited
Share Care Scotland
Barrack Charitable Trust
Jazzercise
Shell UK
Balmoral Group
John Clark Motor Group
The Ina Scott Sutherland Trust
BP
John Gordon Charitable Trust
The Lunar Foundation
Burness Paull LLP
John Mutch Building Services Ltd
The Robertson Trust
CNOOC International
John Shivas Memorial Trust
The Late Anna Bella Rae
CNR
Laura Pike
The Late Pamela Bruce
DM Thomas Foundation
Leadingham Chalmers LLP
Thomas Primrose Trust
Evening Express Newspaper
Life Changes Trust
The Wolfson Foundation
FG Burnett
Miss Caroline Jane Spence Fund
All VSA event participants
Finnies the Jeweller
Morningfield Association
All VSA Volunteers
Fiona Kennedy OBE DL
Nae Ordinary Burns Supper
All VSA Supporters
VSA Annual Report 2019-2020
Finance & Trustee Information Patron Her Majesty the Queen
Chair of the Board of Trustees Mrs Maggie Wilson
President The Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Councillor Barney Crockett, LL
Honorary Treasurer Mr Alan Gall
Honorary Presidents Fiona Kennedy, OBE DL Martin Gilbert, Public Service Star (Singapore), MA LLB CA LLD, FRSE (appointed June 2020) Vice Presidents Lady Joan Catto, MBE DL Mr James Stevenson Mr Mathew Finnie
Chief Executive Dr Kenneth Simpson, BA BSc MPA DBA CMgr FCMI FloD FRSA Honorary Law Agent Burness Paull LLP External Auditors RSM UK Audit LLP
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31st March 2020 The trustees are pleased to present their trustee report together with the audited financial statements for the year to 31st March, 2020.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Directors and Trustees April 2019-March 2020
Charity Name Aberdeen Association of Social Service
The directors of Aberdeen Association of Social Service (the charity operating as VSA) are its trustees for the purpose of charity law.
Operating Name VSA
The trustees of Aberdeen Association of Social Service who were in office during the year and up to the date of signing the financial statements were:
Charity Registration Number SC012950
Mrs M Wilson (Chair)
Mr K Shand
Mr J Knowles (Appointed Vice Chair June 2020)
Mr G Watt
Mr A Gall
Mrs A Powe
(Treasurer)
Mr H Ouston
Mrs C E Wilkie (Co-opted August 2019)
Mrs K Sinclair
Mr G S Poon (Co-opted August 2019)
Dr D P B Watson
Prof S D Heys (Co-opted June 2020)
Mr P Murray
Mr B P Docherty (co-opted August
Mrs L Fenn Mr S Burt Mr A McBurnie
Registered office and Principal office 38 Castle Street Aberdeen AB11 5YU
2019 - resigned June 2020)
Mrs G Miller (resigned October 2019) Mrs K Begg (resigned February 2020)
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lives
Annual Report
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