Scottish Community Payback Awards 2012

At the second Scottish Community Payback Awards ceremony held on Monday 26th March 2012, Stirling Community Payback team won the Best Partnership Project award for their involvement in the Valley Project.  

The Scottish Community Payback Awards are designed to acknowledge the best and most innovative community payback unpaid work and community service projects taking place across Scotland.  All the projects involve offenders who have been ordered by the Courts to undertake unpaid work in the community.

The Valley Project in Stirling is an excellent example of the benefits of involving offenders who are ordered by the Courts to perform unpaid work in their communities.

The Valley Project in Stirling is run by the Salvation Army.  It is a furniture recycling project that now provides quality furniture at affordable prices.  Offenders are involved in all aspects of the operation; collecting unwanted and abandoned items, revamping and renovating all kinds of household goods that previously would have gone to the local tip.  Not only have offenders acquired a range of practical skills, there have been significant benefits to the environment with thousands of tonnes of goods diverted from landfill sites. Scottish Community Payback Awards 2012

Stuart Landels, Shared Criminal Justice Service Manager said: “We have worked closely in partnership with the Salvation Army, Stirling Council’s Housing, Waste Services and the Employment, Communities and Youth services.  Each partner has provided knowledge and experience which contributed to our success.

“The benefits for the people of Stirling in terms of access to good quality and affordable household essentials at a time of widespread financial constraints are self-evident.”

Further benefits of the Valley Project:

·    Offenders have benefited by positive placement experiences, where it has been possible to learn new skills and to become aware of the need to recycle.  

·    Housing and Waste Services in Stirling Council have been able to save public money.

·    Three full time jobs have been created in the Valley Project.

·    The ecological benefits of reducing landfill by normalising the terms “reuse”, “recycle” and “resource” are evident.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, MSP said:
“There is a lot of hard work being carried out by Community Payback teams to improve communities across the country and I have had the opportunity to see first hand many examples of the good work taking place.

“These awards are all about recognising and celebrating the role of staff behind the scenes.  The projects nominated demonstrate what can be achieved, the staff are doing fantastic work, and they all fully deserve this accolade.” 

 Picture shows: From left to right: David Hayman (actor and convenor of Scottish Community Payback awards ceremony), Envoy Billy McMurray (Salvation Army), Gary Weir (Volunteer @ The Valley Project), Helen Grinly (Team Leader, Criminal Justice, Stirling Council), Carol Hamilton (Tenants Services Manager, Stirling Council, Housing), Brian Smith (Unpaid Work Supervisor, the Valley Project), Paul Charters (Team Leader, Stirling Council, Waste Services), Norman Gilmour (Senior Criminal Justice Officer, Stirling Council, Criminal Justice), Des Friel (Head of Service – Employment, Community and Youth, Stirling Council) and Kenny MacAskill, MSP (Cabinet Secretary for Justice)