Early Adopter Programmes

The aim of the Early Adopters programme is to complement the programme’s wider discovery work and bring key learning from organisations working to make digital inclusion a reality for people at risk of drug related harm and death. Organisations taking part in the Early Adopter programmes will be funded to continue their work in digital inclusion to provide us with vital learning and, most importantly, ensure they have the funds right now to continue their vital work while the programme makes the journey through the definition and design stages.

Early Adopters 1

Launched September 2021 with a funding pot of £150k with an aim to understand in greater detail what interventions work most effectively with which people under what circumstances. We provided small grants to ‘overlay’ the provision of digital inclusion interventions on to some innovation projects funded through the Drug Deaths Taskforce, who encompass a wide range of circumstances and people operating across Scotland in urban and rural areas. They seek to innovate with a wide range of different approaches and service designs, including around the Medicine Assisted Treatment Standards, overdose response, peer to peer naloxone supply, families Holding On project, and a Scottish Ambulance Service roll out of take-home naloxone.

Nine projects received grants of up to £15,000.

Click here to find our Early Adopter 1 interim report and other reports.

Organisation	Description
East Ayrshire ADP (Alcohol and Drugs Partnership)	East Ayrshire ADP sits within the Health and Social Care Partnership and works with partners throughout the Council to reduce alcohol and drug-related harms.
CHAI (Community, Help and Advice Initiative)	CHAI supports and empowers people and communities across Edinburgh and Midlothian through free, confidential, high-quality, impartial advice, information and representation on welfare benefits, money, housing and employability.
Angus ADP (Alcohol and Drugs Partnership)	A multi-agency group with representatives from statutory and voluntary sector organisations. The group delivers key outcomes to address substance misuse in Angus; influences the planning and commissioning of substance misuse services and ensures that the provision of these services meets local needs and priorities.
Fife ADP (Alcohol and Drugs Partnership) - Clued Up Project	Clued Up provides a comprehensive “youth friendly” substance use support and information service to young people under 25 across Fife, also targeting the wider issues of general well-being and lifestyle. The project provides education, prevention, early intervention and diversion for young people affected by their own or someone else’s drug/alcohol/substance use.
Fife ADP (Alcohol and Drugs Partnership) - Restoration Fife	Peer and volunteer led community group for people in recovery providing a diverse range of activities (open to family, friends and children), support, social events and access to new experiences and opportunities to reduce isolation and loneliness and to promote recovery.
Fife ADP (Alcohol and Drugs Partnership) - FASS Action, Adapt Project	ADAPT is the main drug and alcohol triage service in Fife. It provides assessment of need and referral to specialist drug and alcohol services within the NHS and Third Sector as well as providing information, education and early interventions that help prevent problems.
Fife ADP (Alcohol and Drugs Partnership) - Frontline Fife Homelessness Services	The Recovery Link service is offered to those with drug and/or alcohol addictions who wish to either begin the road to recovery or who need help to sustain their recovery programme.
SRC (Scottish Recovery Consortium)	Scottish Recovery Consortium supports, represents and connects recovery across Scotland.
People Know How	A Scottish social innovation charity with a passion for solving social issues. Based in Edinburgh and East Lothian, working with people and communities to develop innovative strategies and services to address social issues both locally and nationally.
My Support Day	A charity based within South Lanarkshire which supports families and loved ones who have been affected by someone else’s substance use. The support is person centred, and individuals are supported via 1:1, support group both face to face and online.
Turning Point Scotland	Turning Point Scotland specialises in supporting people facing the most complex and challenging situations. TPS delivers improvement in Scotland’s social care sector through high quality services, leadership and innovation.

Early Adopters 2

The second phase of Early Adopters aims to address issues that have been identified as pain points where digital inclusion intervention could be of benefit: within the field of homelessness, at the point of discharge from hospital and in the very early time following release from custody.

Organisation	Description
Bethany Christian Trust	A national charity dedicated to ending homelessness in Scotland, one person, one family and one community at a time.
Glasgow City Mission	Glasgow City Mission is the world’s first City Mission. Since 1826, they have been showing Christian care to vulnerable adults and children by fighting against poverty and disadvantage in Glasgow.
Grassmarket Community Project	The Grassmarket Community Project takes an innovative approach to creating community, providing sanctuary and support to people dealing with multiple complex issues. These include homelessness, mental/physical health problems, learning difficulties, poverty, substance misuse, physical abuse and more.
Recovery Enterprises Scotland	Recovery Enterprises Scotland vision is for the support needs of individuals, family & friends & members of the local community looking to engage in, support & sustain recovery from multiple barriers.
Recovery Scotland	An independent voluntary organisation and charitable company limited by guarantee. We have been working in the Forth Valley area since 1975 and we have recently engaged in partnership working in South and North Lanarkshire.
Salvation Army	The Salvation Army expresses its faith through charitable action by working at the heart of communities across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. With 650 churches and community centres that offer friendship, practical help and support to some of the most disadvantaged people in communities.
Shine	Shine is a national mentoring service for women offenders. The service is provided as a Public Social Partnership (PSP); a strategic partnership between public and voluntary sector organisations. Shine was launched in April 2013 and is now available all across Scotland.
Simon Community	Founded in 1963, Simon Community Scotland focuses on providing housing and support for people facing homelessness. Working across Scotland, the charity supports people to resolve their homelessness and recover from extremely difficult circumstances.
Turning Point Scotland	Turning Point Scotland specialises in supporting people facing the most complex and challenging situations. TPS delivers improvement in Scotland’s social care sector through high quality services, leadership and innovation.