The Aberdeen Cash First Project, part of the Scottish Government’s “Cash-First: Towards Ending the Need for Food Banks in Scotland” pilot, aims to understand how access to financial crisis support can replace emergency food provision.
This pilot project is a ‘test of change’ and includes a Flexible Crisis Fund, prioritising direct cash assistance over emergency food provisions. Across the 8 national pilot areas, each locality has chosen a different demographic and implemented a different approach to distribution of funding based on the individual needs and systems available.
In Aberdeen, Cash First supports single males between the age of 18 and 45 who are in receipt of Universal Credit who present at food banks in crisis. You can read more details about this in one of our previous blog articles.
To meet the aims of the pilot project, ACVO have developed partnerships with 7 organisations who can identify and refer those eligible for the Flexible Crisis Fund.
At present, the partner organisations able to refer individuals to the Fund are CFINE, Instant Neighbour, Aberdeen North Foodbank, Alcohol & Drugs Action, Aberdeen Cyrenians, Aberdeen Foyer, and Social Bite.
Trusted Partners are responsible for:
- Attending steering group meetings and weekly panel meetings
- Being involved in the development of the Cash First project
- Identifying and referring individuals eligible
- Managing the distribution of funding in the agreed format to recipients
- Encouraging the recipient to engage with wrap-around support identified by the panel
- Completion of monthly reporting
We understand the need within the demographic is greater than the level of financial support that can be provided through the pilot. As the funding is limited, there needs to be a level of control over the number of referrals received in each quarter.
The trusted partner model is crucial for maintaining control over referrals, ensuring that the available funding is distributed effectively while also monitoring how the financial and holistic wrap-around support offered impacts on the individuals use of food banks in the long-term.
Additionally, due to the level of risk in providing some of the demographic with cash, information sharing is necessary to safeguard recipients. All referrals are assessed through a weekly panel which reviews the applicants’ circumstances and agrees the method of distribution alongside the wrap-around support required to best suit the individual needs. The applicant signs a privacy notice at point of referral which allows panel attendees to develop these discussions and reach agreement.
Other organisations can refer eligible individuals to the Flexible Crisis Fund, but this has to be done via one of the trusted partners.
The Aberdeen Cash First Project is not just about emergency financial relief – it is about looking at new ways of how crisis support can be delivered through strategic partnerships. If successful, the programme could be expanded if funding becomes available. Valuable lessons are already being learned and new ways of working being developed.
acvo.org.uk/cashfirst/delivering-change-with-local-partnerships
