Important news about the Partnership Drugs Initiative (PDI)
PDI is currently paused to new applications while we undertake a review and refresh of the funding programme. It is likely that the fund will reopen in Spring 2023.
This change does not affect existing grant holders wishing to apply for continuation funding or those organisations who are completing full stage applications due on the 9th of September 2022.
Please contact john@corra.scot to discuss further.
Background
The Partnership Drugs Initiative (PDI) has delivered grant programmes for over twenty years. In that time, the need for high quality support for children and families has not changed, although the policy landscape has shifted considerably.
Since PDI’s inception, Scotland has achieved a greater understanding, and acceptance, of the impact that poverty, trauma and structural violence has on our most socially excluded and vulnerable citizens.
Purpose of review
Corra Foundation is committed to being the best grant maker we can be, including listening and responding to the people, organisations and communities we work alongside. As part of this commitment, Corra will be reviewing the Partnership Drugs Initiative.
The review will propose a way forward for PDI as a grant programme. The review will listen to the needs of people who use services and the needs of the sector.
The review will also consider Scottish Government priorities as well as approaches to grant making, that align with Corra’s commitment to be an open and trusting grant-maker.
Need more information?
For information and advice on anything PDI related please contact john@corra.scot.
PDI Supported Groups
PDI funded groups will be supported to build links and opportunities to share the learning you gather from your work.
- Reporting – You will be asked to provide us with an annual report. PDI will provide three days evaluation support. Please see the Evaluation Support Framework.
- Learning from each other and making connections with other groups across Scotland. There is a detailed list of all groups including contact information to help make the links in the Funded Project List.
If you would like to update your information or the contact details have changed for the lead in the project then please complete and return the Authorisation Form.
PDI promotes awareness and opportunities that can help support children and young people affected by alcohol and or other drugs. This includes networking opportunities, briefing materials and reports.
Groups funded:
Groups supported through PDI, FRIF and the Challenge Fund in 2019.
Groups funded through PDI from March 2020.
Groups funded through PDI from December 2020.
PDI learning
PDI Learning
Everyone Has a Story, a PDI research project aimed to find out about children and young people’s experiences of parental recovery from addiction. The findings showed how crucial it is to take a rights-based approach, which means listening to children and young people and responding to their stories.
What we learned:
- Actively listening to children and young people is crucial to understand their needs and experiences.
- Joined-up approaches are needed between adult and children and family services.
- Children and young people may not identify with the concept of ‘recovery’ but often talk about their experiences of change in their family because of parental drug or alcohol addiction.
- Positive relationships and role models are essential for children and young people.
The work was facilitated in part by Evaluation Support Scotland and Ice Cream Architecture.
Connections are Key
In 2019 Corra Foundation’s Partnership Drugs Initiative (PDI) gathered information on third sector support services, to identify elements of practice that support, strengthen and maintain positive relationships for children, young people and families affected by drugs and alcohol.
The purpose of this research was to influence knowledge, policy and practice of relationship-based support so that children and families can develop and sustain loving and nurturing relationships.
Building on learning from Everyone Has a Story, this latest research project explores the role of relationship-based practice in supporting children, young people and families affected by alcohol and drugs. You can read the Connections Are Key research reports as well as supporting documents here.
Learning Exchange
PDI funds a wide range of projects throughout Scotland who all make a difference to children and young people affected by drugs and alcohol.
Since 2001 when the first grant was made we have started to are a pattern of areas of support, this list is not exhaustive but gives some insight into the approaches delivered by funded groups
- Intensive support for children affected by parental substance use (including young carers)
- Intensive whole family focused approaches to supporting children and young people.
- Intensive support for young people with their own issues
- Preventative approaches for children and young people who at risk of developing drug and/or alcohol issues
- Peer mentoring and support
- Befriending/Mentoring
Understanding of the importance of relationships and flexibility of support is a key component in nearly all PDI supported projects.
Details on all projects supported through PDI can be found in the Funded Project List.
PDI continues to use knowledge from funded work to help inform practice guides, shape future which has helped inform Government and our own national resource and support guides including;
Everyone Has a Story is about understanding the recovery needs for children and young people whose parents are in recovery. This work took an innovative approach to understanding and researching an identified gap in knowledge. It took a collaborative approach that focused on keeping children and young people’s voices central.
As a result of the work we have produced a number of resources which are available on the Everyone has a Story Project page.
PDI is working hard with key partners to take forward the recommendations so far we have…
- Shared findings on existing websites to help influence the Scottish Government in planning future preventative approaches
Incorporated findings into the National Recovery Outcomes Framework recognises the voice of children and young people.
