ABD Group takes part in the iSocial Foundation’s InnoTrip to Scotland

From 20 to 23 May 2024, the ABD Group took part in the 2nd InnoTrip of the iSocial Foundation in Scotland. For three days, some thirty representatives of iSocial member organisations visited 10 innovative Scottish initiatives in the field of social action.

The programme included visits to innovative organisations and projects of various Scottish non-profit organisations, social enterprises and public administration bodies. The Scottish social services and care system is internationally recognised for promoting the implementation of different innovative models and initiatives. The integration of health and social care, the self-directed support model, community building or preventive approaches are some examples.

First, representatives of the Scottish Government and the Scottish Enterprise welcomed the members of the group. They presented the Scottish context, the social and health integration model, and the social enterprise model.

Visit to social projects

The head of European projects of the ABD Group, Lara Rot, and the other members visited projects such as Simon Community Scotland, an organisation that tackles homelessness and social exclusion with community, digital and gender-sensitive projects. The participants learned about the Access Hub, digital tools and the Housing First model, aimed at people at risk of social exclusion.

The group also visited Kibble, with more than 160 years of service to children and young people in vulnerable situations. They learned about the comprehensive care model that includes education, residential care, psychological support and social enterprises for job placement, such as The Skills Academy.

At Aberlour, a leading organisation that provides care for children and families at risk of social exclusion, they learned about the integrated health and social care services, support for perinatal mental health and care for children with disabilities.

To conclude, they visited Social Bite, a social enterprise that provides housing, employment and other basic support to homeless people, exploring projects such as pay it forward coffee shops and the construction of social housing.

Participating in the InnoTrip allowed us to discover new ways of tackling social issues, create international synergies and strengthen relations with iSocial entities.

InnoTrip is a service provided by the iSocial Foundation with the support of the Catalan Government’s Department of External Action and Open Government for its member organisations. It consists of an international study visit to promote innovation by discovering in situ experiences in the field of social action.