Living Well Island Grant Fund

The Living Well Strategy for Argyll & Bute HSCP was launched in September 2019. A 5 year implementation plan has also been developed to support the Strategy and a mid-strategy report has been published. All documents can be found at: https://www.ablivingwell.org/resources-publications

The Living Well Strategy aims to achieve a shift in how people are supported, with an increase in people accessing third sector led services and projects within our communities, improved understanding of how people live with their conditions, and strengthened leadership within the HSCP. The Living Well strategy aims to promote a preventative and partnership approach to health and wellbeing.

The Living Well grants are an opportunity for Third Sector or constituted community groups to fund projects that support the health and wellbeing of people living in Argyll & Bute, while aligning to the key priorities of Living Well.

In 2024-2025 our grants will be focused on improving health and wellbeing in rural island communities through ‘connecting people to community activities’. The following section will explain this in more detail.

Priorities In 2024-2025, our grants will be focused on ‘connecting people to community activities in rural island communities’. Connecting people to community activities and services that support their health and wellbeing is also known as ‘social prescribing’.

What is social prescribing? Social issues like loneliness, isolation, money worries, problems with housing, employment or caring responsibilities can impact negatively on our health and wellbeing.

Social prescribing is about finding out what matters to you. It is about helping you to find the right support when you need it, connecting you with activities, groups and services in your local community that can help address some of the challenges and issues that you may be struggling with.

We know that there are lots of great examples of social prescribing happening in island communities, and that this may work differently to mainland communities. We would like to increase capacity in island communities for social prescribing work, through this small grant scheme.

Key activities We are looking for activities to support the priorities above. Partnership bids are allowed. This funding stream is targeted at adults over 18 but we will consider bids that also include young people as part of the overall service/project. Examples of key activities include:

• Projects which involve connecting people in your communities to the right support.

• The right support may include self-management, activities, groups and services in your local community.

• Projects which raise awareness of support available within local communities.

• Projects which explore the local need for social prescribing, e.g. engaging with the local community about how we connect people in islands communities to the right support when they need it. Projects which focus on developing community support for local health, wellbeing and social issues, using collective knowledge, skills or resources within the community.

A single application process opens on 16th September 2024 and closes at midnight on 25th October 2024.

Maximum amount available for 1 single application is £4000.