Starbucks St. Nicholas Centre

We provide a range of services in Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray including residential care, supported accommodation, training for employment initiatives and respite. We support people in a variety of settings, from enabling individuals and their families to plan for current and future support needs using person centred planning, to providing self directed support to help people achieve their chosen outcomes. We currently offer a range of over 50 services including: Residential services, Day services, Support to people in their communities, Respite care, Holiday Activity Schemes, Social Support Groups, Social enterprises and Training for employment initiatives.

Integrate Scotland is a social action charity running a number of projects to support the disadvantaged, those on the margins and the excluded. The CAP Debt Center project provides Free Debt Help and a Budgeting Skills Course. We provide a free, award winning debt help service in association with CAP, for people who find themselves in an unmanageable debt situation. The service is unique in its delivery. Our Debt Center Manager makes 3 visits to the client’s homes to: 1. Explain the service and provide reassurance, 2. Gather the necessary financial information and 3. Explain options and obtain agreement. CAP head office creates a realistic budget, prioritising housing, heating and food. They contact the creditors on the clients’ behalf and agree manageable repayment terms, working to stop unfair interest and charges. In extreme cases, we can walk the client through insolvency and can even attend court with them. Recognising the isolating consequences of debt, The Center Manager allocates a volunteer befriender to each client. The befriender maintains a relationship for as long as is required / desired, with a view to supporting the person emotionally and practically, by way of food parcels for example, and to help them access community. The service user no longer has to have any contact with their creditors and their budget is managed for them until they are debt free. The system is highly effective, over 90% of bills & debt repayments are paid on time by established clients. 94% of clients rated the service as a ‘great help’ or ‘life transforming’. CAP are multi-award winning, including The Martin Williams Award for Contribution to the Credit Industry 2013 & 2014. We also deliver the CAP money course, a free course that teaches budgeting skills and a simple, cash-based system that works. Delegates are enabled to get to grips with their finances so they can budget, save and prevent debt. The course has something for everyone and caters for a wide range of clients, whether they feel confident and organised or whether it's like a lucky dip every time they try to withdraw cash from their account, the CAP Money Course helps them to take complete control of their finances. On the face of it, unmanageable debt is owing money that you can’t afford to repay, but often, it’s the unseen consequences that can cause devastation… • 68% of (CAP) clients suffer from depression as a result of their debt situation. • 38% are taking medication due to the stress of debt. • 21% miss meals on a regular basis to feed their children. • 34% of clients have considered suicide or attempted suicide due to debt. CAP are unsurpassed when it comes to the debt help they give people across the country. There’s nothing better to start you on the path to having more money in your pocket. Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert CAP is fantastic, I came across its work a few years ago & what they have done is staggering. Prince Charles, HRH, Prince of Wales

Sunrise offers a free, confidential service in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire to children and young people up to age 18 who have been affected by loss and bereavement. It is the only organisation of its kind in the area to allow access to all children irrespective of the cause of loss or bereavement and to provide ongoing support as long as required. All support staff are fully qualified, very experienced in loss and bereavement work with children and have PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme) membership. Referrals can be made directly by the family or young person, or via a statutory or third sector organisation. Support is tailored to suit the individual child taking into account their age and stage of development. This support may take the form of one-to-one sessions or family/siblings/group sessions in an environment where the child feels most comfortable. Sunrise works with the children and young people to mitigate the negative impact of bereavement which can affect every aspect of well-being, from physical and mental health to feelings of connectedness and the ability to function at school or work. The physical effects are varied and include: physical injury; illness; increased risk of drug and alcohol abuse; increased risk of girls under the age of 18 who have lost their mothers becoming pregnant. Childhood bereavement is linked to higher rates of emotional difficulty, depression and anxiety and lower rates of self-esteem. Attainment and achievement can be affected by concentration difficulties and there can be problems with school attendance, both of which impact on educational performance. Children whose parents have died are less likely to take up employment when leaving school at age 16 and are more likely to be unemployed at age 30. Those bereaved in childhood are over- represented in the criminal justice system. Appropriate, timely, good quality bereavement support will foster resilience and have a positive impact on self-esteem, confidence, ability to learn, physical and mental well-being and relationships with others now and in the future. Sunrise's vision is that all children and young people will have access to the support they require when they suffer loss or bereavement.