Our Partners

ASDAN

ASDAN (Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network) is an education charity and awarding organisation providing courses, accredited curriculum programmes and regulated qualifications to engage, elevate and empower young people aged 11 to 25 years in greatest need.

At Better Lives Partnership we offer a range of ASDAN Short Courses to our young people. Our core programme focuses on Short Courses in Employability, Independent Living, Expressive Arts and Environmental. Our learning is person-centered so the ASDAN Short Courses are ideal as young people can choose the subjects which interest them. The courses give the young people valuable skills that they can use through all aspects of life.

D&G Council

Dumfries & Galloway Council provides services and information to the local community. They are a valued partner supporting our work and providing access to varied government funding streams.

Living Wage Foundation

The Living Wage Foundation is an independent organisation which supports businesses to provide their employees with a fair living wage which meets their everyday needs.  Better Lives Partnership is a Living Wage accredited employer.

Disability Confident

The Disability Confident scheme helps employers to recruit and retain great people with disabilities and health conditions.  Better Lives Partnership is a Disability Confident Leader which means we continue to support our employees and build confidence when they have a disability or health condition.

The Holywood Trust

The Holywood Trust is a charitable organisation which aims to help young people aged 15 – 25 across Dumfries & Galloway. It gives grants to individuals and organisations, creating opportunities for young people across the region which in turn helps them reach their full potential. The Holywood Trust has been a great supporter of our work providing funding which has enabled us to grow and develop our Bridge to Employment Programmes across the region.

Young Start

Young Start provides grants for organisations to help young people aged 8 to 24 become more confident and play an active part in realising their potential. The funders criteria focuses on young people;

• having better physical, mental and emotional wellbeing,
• having better connections with their wider community, and
• gaining access to new skills and training.

Better Lives Partnership is grateful to the funding support we have received from the Young Start Fund.

D&G Unlimited

D&G Unlimited (The Dumfries and Galloway Chamber of the Arts) is a membership organisation that works with, and provides a voice for, Dumfries and Galloway’s creative and cultural sector. They work in partnership with Dumfries & Galloway Council to support the creative sector with a variety of networking events, creative professional development, and funding opportunities. Their support gives opportunities for our young people to access Art and creative activities like workshops and gallery visits.

NHS Dumfries & Galloway

NHS Dumfries & Galloway Endowment Fund offers funding support to enhance the services provided by NHS Dumfries and Galloway and also the wider community. The Endowment Fund has supported the work of Better Lives Partnership both in Castle Douglas and in Stranraer.

Agnes Hunter Trust

The Agnes Hunter Trust was established to support registered charities delivering health and social welfare projects. Their key area of funding support is offering grants to charities that help disabled people in Scotland. The Trust has offered funding support to both our Dumfries and Castle Douglas sites.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is an international treaty signed and ratified by almost every country. The UK is a ratified signatory to the UNCRC. It has been since 1991. In 2014, the Scottish Government legislated to ‘secure better and further effect’ children’s rights through Part 1 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. The policy is a milestone on Scotland’s journey towards making rights real for every child. You can see how this is incorporated into our organisation by downloading the policy briefing below.

Galloway & Southern Ayrshire Biosphere

We are proud supporters of Galloway & Southern Ayrshire Biosphere with their goal to foster a sustainable economy, providing an opportunity for businesses of all sectors to ‘do things differently’ while safeguarding the environment for future generations. In working together for this common purpose, businesses can develop new ideas and ways of working which better focus existing resources and attract investment into our region.

Self Directed Support Scotland

SDS Scotland work to promote the values and principles of Self-directed Support, including choice, control and flexibility, in all aspects of social care support. They do this by working collaboratively across the social care sector: with Scottish Government, Local Authorities, third sector organisations and our members, to improve Self-directed Support implementation in Scotland. We are proud to be a full member B of Self Directed Support Scotland.