Highland Family Recovery Initiative Fund

Please note this fund is currently closed to new applications.

The Highland Family Recovery Initiative Fund (HFRIF) can offer one-off grants of up to £1000 to groups or projects that support families affected by alcohol and drugs in the Scottish Highlands.

The overall aim of the HFRIF is to better support family members affected by someone else’s alcohol or other drug use. The Fund will support the development of independent local groups and projects to establish and grow more family-focused recovery opportunities to build on the learning from the Highland FARI project.

The Highland Family Recovery Initiative Fund is funded by the Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership (HADP) and will be supported and administered by Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs.

The Highland FARI Project

In 2021, the Highland FARI (Families Are Recognised and Included) project conducted a survey with 77 responses and 13 qualitative interviews across the Scottish Highlands. The recommendations from the summary findings report are provided below. Applications that can evidence ideas that help to address one or more of these recommendations are encouraged.

Highland FARI (Families Are Recognised and Included) Project Recommendations

Bereavement support for families affected by alcohol and drug-related deaths in the Highlands. Many of our survey participants spoke of losing loved ones and people they knew to a drug or alcohol-related death.
Promotion of existing support and services is needed across the Highlands. Lack of awareness of what services are available was one of the strongest findings from both the community survey and the interviews.
Activities to reduce stigma and stigmatising language toward people, families and communities affected by harmful alcohol or drug use. (Highland ADP have set up the Highland ADP People First Language Matters Partnership Pledge: click here for more information and an application form.
Dedicated Peer Support Workers to extend family support to more parts of the Highlands.
Evidence-based practice support is recommended for family members to help them cope with their circumstances and improve confidence. Examples of evidence-based support include ‘SMART Friends and Family’ and ‘CRAFT’ (Community Reinforcement and Family Training).
Increasing opportunities for Advocacy. An advocacy project specifically for family members would help to ensure families voices are heard by services.
Accessibility, transport and choice should be a priority. Services must be accessible to families all over the Highlands. People must be supported to access services out with their local area, and provision must be increased beyond Inverness.
Early-intervention and community-based initiatives in the Highlands, including diversionary activities for young people and young adults.

Eligibility

To apply to the fund your group or project will need:

2 or more individuals who have an aspiration to change the lives of people who are affected by someone else’s alcohol or other drug use
An organisational bank account (the grant will be paid by BACs)
An annual income of less than £100,000
This fund is specifically aimed at groups offering support for families
The fund welcomes applications from all communities and all areas of the Scottish Highlands

If you are an un-constituted group, or you are thinking of starting a new group, and you do not have an organisational bank account, you may be able to apply with the help of a partner organisation.

We will advise the Highland Alcohol and Drug Partnership (HADP) that you have made an application to this fund.

What to do next:

If you are interested in applying for a grant from the Family Recovery Initiative Fund, the first step is to contact Susie McClue at Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs to discuss your idea: susie@sfad.org.uk. Scottish Families can offer advice and guidance and answer any questions you might have.

The next deadline for applications is Wednesday 24 May 2023.

Download Application Forms:

How your application will be processed:

Awards will be agreed by a panel including family representatives living in the Highlands who will decide how funding should be distributed to align with the FARI Findings Report. This will ensure the voices and insight of families with lived experience will continue to be heard and ensure an open and transparent governance process with families involved in shaping and designing services in the Highlands at a local level.

Applications will be reviewed within 4 weeks of receipt. You will be notified of the outcome by email.