Lack of cash ends service which helped people with additional support needs

A service designed to provide a platform for people with additional support needs to learn key skills has been scrapped as a result of what has been described as“financial pressures”.

People with disabilities and long-term health conditions have been volunteering with the Green 2 Go recycling scheme since its inception in 1992.

Run by Perth and Kinross Council in collaboration with the Glenfarg-based Binn Group, the project saw businesses across Tayside and parts of Fife sign-up to have their aluminium and steel cans taken away free of charge by volunteers.

Previously known as Can-able, Green 2 Go was designed help those taking part gain work-related skills in a real-life setting and potentially encourage them into further work.

But participating businesses were told a decision has been taken not to get the project back up and running following a hiatus as a result of the coronavirus pandemic after a review by the Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership.

In a letter issued to firms dated October 25 – seen by the Herald – Jackie Scrimgeour, the local authority’s depute employment development manager, said a number of factors had forced the project to stop.

The letter states:“The Employment Support Team has operated the Green 2 Go project (formerly Can-able) for a number of years, supporting many people to learn new skills and move on to employment and other work opportunities.

“People with a variety of support needs, including autism, reduced mental wellbeing, acquired brain injury and learning disabilities have volunteered with the project over the years to provide a valuable and free recycling service to our hundreds of customers across Tayside and Fife.

“The free and not-for-profit service has built up wonderful relationships with its customers far and wide who have been loyal, generous and extremely supportive.

“In turn, this has given these volunteers the chance to be important, included and contributing members of society whilst delivering an excellent customer service. The project has been funded by Perth and Kinross Council, Binn Group sponsorship and the income from the recycling of cans, which covered the running costs of the vehicles and staff. Unfortunately, as the prices of aluminium and steel fell considerably, and a large number of businesses in the hospitality sector have ceased operating, the financial pressures on the project are unsustainable.

“The onset of the coronavirus pandemic then also meant the team has been unable to operate the service to ensure we rightly protected the wonderful but vulnerable people that volunteer with us and our social care staff who support them.

“During this time, many more businesses have sadly closed and the Health and Social Care Partnership therefore undertook a review of the project.

“Many of our existing volunteers have moved on to other things and our social care staff are under enormous pressure to support the most vulnerable in our communities. As a result, it has become clear that without a large investment in a new vehicle and continued and considerable financial support, the project cannot realistically continue.

“Therefore, the difficult decision has been taken not to restart the Green 2 Go service.”

The letter concludes: “We would like to thank our amazing volunteers, our dedicated staff and of course our wonderful customers who have been so supportive for such a long time.”