The 2012 awards, run by the Herald in partnership with the Big Lottery Fund, are designed to celebrate the best work over the last year in the public and voluntary sector.
This year’s shortlist, chosen by an expert panel of judges, can now be revealed. It includes contenders from all over Scotland and a range of eye-catching ideas, from the recycling of smoke detectors to an Olympics for care-home residents.
Two projects put offenders to work in the community, in one case to protect a threatened population of newts, while creative work putting young people in charge was also recognised by the judges.
The full shortlist is presented below – winners will be announced at our Herald Society Awards and Ideas Exchange event in Glasgow on November 2.
Go here or call 0141 302 7319 to find out more
Education Initiative of the year, sponsored by Thinktastic
Kilmarnock College: The Hive
Young people with social and behavioural problems or a history of offending have been involved in further education through a range of programmes on offer at this sector leading college.
Springburn Academy: Mentoring
This school has doubled the number of school-leavers going to higher education in the space of five years, by pairing them with professionals from the worlds of science, engineering and business.
Young Enterprise Scotland and Fortrose Academy: Innovation
A programme to offer pupils real-life business experience had a Dragon’s Den moment when their idea for a measuring cup for diluting drinks attracted the attention of investors.
Health Provider of the Year
Addaction: Over 50s Alcohol Service
Working in an unfashionable area with a difficult client group impressed the judges. Some estimates show only 3% of alcohol-dependent people over 65 are receiving specialist treatment, but , Addaction’s project improved the physical and emotional health of more than 60% of participants while 80% cut down on their drinking.
Glasgow Life: Silver Deal Active
Offered physical activity and active arts to residents living in sheltered housing across the city.
Maggie’s
Shortlisted for the work of its seven Maggie’s Centres across Scotland (with a further one in Aberdeen under construction) and their work, including gaining £16m in benefits for users in 2011.
Environmental Initiative of the Year
Fife Council: Recycling Smoke Detectors
A degree of obsessionalism saw Fife Council’s Building Services department shortlisted for their refusal to accept that old-fashioned smoke detectors were unrecyclable and could only be despatched to costly landfill sites. Found a way of reusing every part of the detectors, thought to be fit only for landfill, and created “Ecosheet”.
Glasgow Housing Association: GHA Solar Panel Project
500 GHA tenants’ homes were equipped with solar panels, reducing their energy bills by around £100 a year and reducing C02 emissions.
North Lanarkshire Council: Greenspace at Gartcosh
Groups of offenders were given unpaid work in Gartcosh Nature Reserve, such as cementing a “newt wall” for greater crested newts.
Young People’s Project of the Year (U-24s), sponsored by the improvement service
Covey Befriending: Celebrating 20 years
For two decades, this charity has been supporting children aged seven to 18, most of whom are at risk of abuse, homelessness or are from deprived backgrounds. Currently 90 at any one time are linked with befrienders, with transformative results.
Dundee International Women’s Centre: Leading in Confidence
A three-year programme to develop the confidence and leadership skills of young ethnic-minority women: from a range of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds.
Irvine Housing Association: Pryde
A youth-led group which converted a derelict pub into a learning suite and social hub managed by people aged 11 to 25.
One Parent Families Scotland: Transforming Lives
Tailored, holistic support for pregnant teenagers and young parents aged 13 to 21 in North Lanarkshire.
Older People’s project of the Year (60+)
National Galleries of Scotland: Memories Are Made Of This
Introduced reminiscence sessions based on NGS collections for older people from local care homes.
NHS Tayside: Perth and Kinross Go4Gold
Residents from 25 homes across Perth and Kinross took part in a care-homes Olympics, with separate homes carrying their own flags and with events such as beanbag basketball, napkin folding, sock pairing and a memory challenge.
University of Strathclyde: Learning in Later Life
Running over 400 classes a year in a host of subject areas, the university bases its provision on a refusal to accept that older people cannot learn new skills and contribute to society.
Equalities Award
Article 12 in Scotland: Young Gypsy/Travellers’ lives
Arguably one of the most socially excluded and isolated ethnic minority groups in Scotland, Young Gypsy/Travellers led this project aiming to challenge portrayals of their community and build bridges with the “settled” community.
Glasgow Disability Alliance: Purple Poncho Players
Formed after a demonstration against benefit cutswhere disabled protestors were given matching purple rainwear, this group puts on a stage show highlighting the daily challenges faced by disabled people.
Trust Housing Association: Happy to Translate
With a logo to flag up the availability of translation services in the public sector, the initiative now has more than 60 members, including councils, police and housing bodies.
Campaigner(s) of the Year, sponsored by Third Sector Lab
Equality Network: Marriage Equality in Scotland
Since 2009, the campaign has put the issue of equal partnership law for all couples regardless of their sexual orientation on the agenda, to the extent that the Scottish Government is now to legislate on the issue.
Oxfam Scotland: David Grimason, control arms campaign
The East Kilbride dad, whose two-year-old son was shot accidentally in Turkey nine years ago, is now a global campaigner and an ambassador for Oxfam’s Control Arms campaign.
Shelter Scotland: Reclaim your Fees
The charity has helped clarify the law and seen up to £169,000 claimed back from landlords and letting agencies who were illegally charging up-front fees to tenants.
Partnership Award, sponsored by GHA
Glasgow City Council: Glasgow’s Helping Heroes
Provided a single point of contact and a better service for more than 564 veterans.
Glasgow Council on Alcohol: SOS Glasgow
A fully-equipped “SOS bus” for the benefit of people in the city centre on Friday and Saturday nights.
Third Sector Internships Scotland: The Open University/SCVO
Offered 122 internships in third-sector organisations, giving students experience and aiding charities.
Community Project of the Year, sponsored by EVH
Horshader Community Development: Isle of Lewis
A private company wanted to put up wind turbines on community land, but local people installed a £1.87m community turbine which will earn three villages at least £80,000 a year.
Newlands Community Development Trust
The Trust succeeded in convincing Scottish Borders Council that a closure-threatened school could be re-developed for community use.
North Lanarkshire Council: Townhead Allotments
The council’s community payback team put former offenders to work creating a garden and allotments for the local community.
Starter Packs Glasgow
An innovative recycling charity based in Govan, Starter Packs now describes itself as a cross-community project helping a range of people in need.
Herald Society Worker of the Year
Michael Adair: Epilepsy Scotland
Epilepsy social worker Michael Adair works with families of young people affected by the condition.
Irene Hogg: Loanhead Community Learning Association
Irene Hogg has shown remarkable dedication in many ways, not least raising £1.2m to build a state of the art new building, The Kabin.
Mary Reilly: North Lanarkshire Council
A senior criminal justice social worker, Mary Reilly demonstrates flexiblity and exceptional team-work skills.
Herald Society Team of the Year
University of Strathclyde Law Clinic
Provides a service to hundreds of clients, increasing access to justice and changing students’ perceptions of law.
Social Investment Scotland
Since 2001 SIS has invested over £43m in almost 180 social businesses and charities.
Unsung Hero Award, sponsored by Big Lottery Fund
Frank Conway: Manorway Neighbourhood Watch
Coordinator and founder of the neighbourhood watch, Frank is also involved in a wide range of voluntary community activities in Burnside.
Linda Ann McConnell: The Symphony of Dreams
As founder of the Symphony of Dreams trust, she has helped more than 100 terminally ill, sick or disabled people to have their musical dreams come true.
Jim McConkey
A 75-year-old full-time caretaker, Jim McConkey still finds time to create socially useful inventions such as the self-extinguishing chip pan and a new door safety alarm for vulnerable people.
Ian Macdonald, Westside Football Club
Running junior football teams for young players of all ages across the Westside of Lewis.
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