Background

ACDI is a community development trust based in Auchinleck, East Ayrshire. It manages the Boswell Centre as a community hub, running various weekly activities to support community members. ACDI also operates a 2-acre community garden and gardening services company.

Need for Support

Since 2013, we have provided capacity support to the ambitious team at ACDI. 

What we Did

In 2013 supported the Board in creating a business plan to develop a community space. Once the business plan and financial strategy were created, we supported the group over the next two years in identifying grant funding opportunities that would allow them to develop the space and grow their opportunities.

In 2017, ACDI was considering a heritage project around the Highhouse mines, and we supported them with a feasibility study on what this project might look like and its possible outcomes.

2019 saw the development of another programme, this time STEP project. STEP is a person-centred employability engagement project designed to help identify the barriers preventing people from getting back into the job market, training, or education. East Ayrshire has high unemployment, so this service is crucial for many local people. We supported them with research and development of the programme.

ACDI now has several services that create sustainable revenue for the organisation, but from time to time, different grant funding will become available to help particular projects at the centre. We support ACDI in writing these funding bids.

We also recently conducted an evaluation of ACDI services to help them better understand their strengths and weaknesses and plan for future service provision based on the findings.

Outcomes

ACDI is now running sustainably with a strong board and management team. They have the tools, knowledge and confidence to keep developing services.