SCOTTISH social enterprise, Scran Academy, has embarked on The Big Scran Care Tour, a six-month tour of more than 100 social care sites across Edinburgh.
The tour aims to deliver a token of ‘foodwill’ to as many as 4,500 health and social care workers across the city in celebration of their hard work throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
The youth charity based in North Edinburgh is teaming up with Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership and Edinburgh City Council’s Thrive Edinburgh for The Big Scran Care Tour.
The funding has enabled Scran’s young people and staff to prepare either Scran munchy boxes, a Scran lunch table, or hot meals from the Scran Van to workers at 73 GP surgeries and 30 social care sites across the city, with more sites being scheduled.
Working with Scran Academy’s business model, the Big Scran Care Tour is being co-designed and enabled with a team of inspiring young people at its heart.
All the young people engaged have faced poverty-related barriers or life challenges such as care-experienced, risk of homelessness, poor mental health, disengaged from mainstream school or unemployment.
Will Bain, Scran Academy Catering Manager, said: “The Big Scran Care Tour is an exciting programme for the young people we work with.
“They get involved in everything, helping us to plan, cook, deliver and evaluate the whole thing, so each event on the tour is something they really get behind.
“It’s such a big confidence and skills boost – and when they meet the healthcare staff and get great feedback, they know they’ve achieved something meaningful.”
Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership Staff Wellbeing Group decided to use some funding allocated by the Scottish Government to engage Scran Academy.
The Scran Academy will provide celebratory treat meals and snack boxes delivered on-site to GP practices, health centres, community hospitals and community care services to say a thank you to staff for their commitment.
Dr Linda Irvine Fitzpatrick, the staff wellbeing lead for the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “Thrive Edinburgh has a long-standing partnership with Scran Academy.
“They have an exceptional model that is a win-win for all involved, and by partnering with them, all we’ve done is extend it to a win-win-win.
The programme of events will see young people empowered with the skills and confidence to lead in the hospitality industry, fostering huge social return as well as promoting staff wellbeing.
Faye (15), a Scran Academy attendee, said: “I like working on the van and it makes me feel happy that I am doing it to say a big thank you to all the hardworking doctors and nurses”
