Our Inclusive Community Project - Issue 3

<strong>Issue</strong> 3

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2 <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Inclusive</strong> <strong>Community</strong> Bulletin 3<br />

Welcome!<br />

Welcome to the third issue of <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Inclusive</strong><br />

<strong>Community</strong> <strong>Project</strong> Bulletin, formally known<br />

as the Bertha Park Bulletin, the newsletter<br />

that brings the latest updates on our plans<br />

to relocate from our Upper Springland site<br />

to a new, purpose-built site at the heart of<br />

the developing Bertha Park community, in<br />

Perth.<br />

Accessibility is<br />

Key<br />

We want to make sure these<br />

newsletters are accessible for you to<br />

read in a way you prefer. We’ve got a<br />

few versions ready to go but welcome<br />

any request for a different version. Get in<br />

touch if you need this in another format:<br />

hello@capability.scot<br />

So much has happened since our last<br />

update, firstly you will notice the change<br />

in project name. Until recently, we have<br />

referred to the relocation of Upper<br />

Springland as the Bertha Park <strong>Project</strong>,<br />

however this did not encapsulate what<br />

we want to achieve. It is our aim to build<br />

an inclusive community within our new<br />

site but also that, through the development<br />

of this project, we will create an inclusive<br />

community within Bertha Park and beyond.<br />

Hence why we have changed the project<br />

name to <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Inclusive</strong> <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Project</strong><br />

(OICP).<br />

In this issue we will update on:<br />

• overall programme summary<br />

• co-production and upcoming plans<br />

• MOBIE design challenge<br />

• our microsite

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4 <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Inclusive</strong> <strong>Community</strong> Bulletin 5<br />

Overall Programme Summary<br />

So far in Stage 1, we have invested our time establishing the suitability<br />

of the land at Bertha Park, developed a financial model with high-level<br />

estimated costs, appointed an ethical funder, engaged a fundraising<br />

consultant, and built the mock-up studio flat to provide a focal point for our<br />

co-production activities.<br />

We are currently well established in Stage 2, working together on the<br />

service model and design that will create the foundations for the design<br />

statement, and ultimately the design brief, these will shape our site layout<br />

options. This will allow us to review our project budget and identify any<br />

potential shortfall to fundraise for.<br />

Once the design brief has been developed into layout options we will<br />

move into Stage 3 and secure the land area we need from the site already<br />

identified at Bertha Park next to the High School.<br />

In Stage 4 we will fully develop the way the studios and supporting<br />

facilities connect and, through our work with MOBIE, link with the local<br />

community. At Stage 5 it gets more technical as our design team converts<br />

everything agreed into a technical design and costed proposal. Stage 6 is<br />

where the contractor starts to build and, finally, on to Stage 7 where the<br />

buildings will be handed over. We will ensure the move happens in a careful<br />

and phased process.<br />

This indicative staged programme (see below) takes us to a completed<br />

project potentially at the end of 2026 or early 2027. The co-production<br />

process will continue throughout the design and service development<br />

processes and follow through to the operational phase.<br />

January 2022<br />

March 2023<br />

May 2024<br />

December 2026<br />

March 2022<br />

October 2023<br />

July 2025

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6 <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Inclusive</strong> <strong>Community</strong> Bulletin 7<br />

Co-Production & Upcoming Plans<br />

The <strong>Inclusive</strong> <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Project</strong><br />

sets out, through a codesign and<br />

collaborative process, to deliver<br />

exemplar accommodation that aims<br />

to enable customers to have a greater<br />

quality of life, and more choices around<br />

establishing and fulfilling their personal<br />

goals, and the opportunities available<br />

to them. Co-production also fully<br />

recognises the unique relationship and<br />

understanding staff have with customers<br />

and harnessing their expertise to shape<br />

the future development of care provision<br />

and the design of the project is critical.<br />

We have been working with Architecture<br />

& Design Scotland (A&DS) over the<br />

last few months to develop a design<br />

statement for the new project. A&DS<br />

was set up in 2005 by the Scottish<br />

Government to champion good design<br />

and place-making.<br />

We had our first design statement<br />

workshops for customers, families and<br />

staff at Upper Springland in October.<br />

<strong>Project</strong> aspirations and critical success<br />

factors that have evolved so far from the<br />

co-production process were presented.<br />

We then workshopped and expressed the<br />

priorities and aspirations everyone had<br />

around specific design areas.<br />

The mock-up studio flat has been<br />

painted, with floor covering, accessible<br />

units and bathroom fittings currently<br />

being fitted. We have also started a<br />

review by the Allied Health team before<br />

trialling the latest toilet and body drier<br />

equipment. As part of our co-production<br />

work, we will be reviewing design-related<br />

factors and service ideas around:<br />

• bathrooms<br />

• living and communal areas<br />

• food services and kitchen facilities<br />

• transport services and transport links<br />

• laundry service and facilities<br />

• therapies service and facilities<br />

• day opportunities<br />

• external space<br />

• environmental controls in flats<br />

• environmental controls for wider<br />

building<br />

<strong>Our</strong> architects, AB&C, have been<br />

commissioned to understand and define<br />

the ‘Spectrum of Need and Ability’ of<br />

the existing customers and the working<br />

practices of staff. For customers,<br />

this includes understanding medical<br />

diagnosis, mobility, learning difficulties,<br />

environmental sensitivities, care/support<br />

requirements, equipment requirements,<br />

dietary requirements, communication<br />

methods, age, and length of residency.<br />

The architects spent several days at<br />

Upper Springland talking to customers<br />

and staff about what’s important in<br />

their daily routines, and what could<br />

be better within both the working and<br />

home environments. Plus they recorded<br />

direct feedback about the importance<br />

of therapies, activities, interactions with<br />

the wider community and the current<br />

service/ support systems.<br />

The learning from this process will be<br />

merged with information gathered from<br />

the design statement work and together<br />

will form the basis for a project design<br />

brief.<br />

Design Statement Workshop in full swing

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8 <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Inclusive</strong> <strong>Community</strong> Bulletin 9<br />

MOBIE Design Challenge<br />

Pupils from Perth, together with Capability Scotland’s Corseford and<br />

Stanmore House Schools, have already started to unleash their creativity on<br />

the <strong>Inclusive</strong> <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Project</strong>, as part of the innovative MOBIE (Ministry<br />

of Building Innovation and Education) scheme, which is the brainchild of TV<br />

architect George Clarke.<br />

The MOBIE Challenge is around ideas that will forge strong and positive links<br />

between the growing Bertha Park development (3,000 new houses over the next<br />

20 years) and our new residential development, located adjacent to the newly<br />

completed Bertha Park High School.<br />

The Challenge was kicked off with an initial workshop in June.<br />

Representatives from Scottish Water were invited to start everyone thinking<br />

about the importance of saving water to get ideas “flowing.”<br />

Stephen Oswald, Capability Scotland’s <strong>Project</strong> Lead, said: “This was a brilliant<br />

start and the young people have amazing ideas about everything – quite<br />

simply their imaginations are unfettered.<br />

“We plan to be neighbours with the school, and we want to make sure we<br />

have the best possible relations and are part of a flourishing, inclusive and<br />

positive community. We are incredibly excited to see what the young people<br />

come up with over the next six months as part of their schoolwork and in future<br />

workshops.”<br />

Stephen added: “MOBIE will be challenging the pupils to produce ways<br />

to define what makes a community. For some that might be about being<br />

good neighbours, enjoying shared spaces, or creating new and positive<br />

opportunities.<br />

“Whatever it is, we can be assured there are going to be some colourful<br />

and creative ideas and no doubt lots of concepts that we can bring to life.<br />

Ultimately this is about making sure that our new development and the wider<br />

community are well connected.”<br />

While MOBIE aims to introduce young people to the value of careers in design,<br />

engineering and construction, Stephen hopes the process will also inspire<br />

pupils about the varied and rewarding career opportunities in the care sector.<br />

Bertha Park High School is the first completely new school built in Scotland<br />

for 25 years and has a capacity for 1,100 pupils, including 35 with additional<br />

support needs. It is one of 17 schools globally selected as a Microsoft Flagship<br />

School using advanced technology to enhance student learning.<br />

Gerry Ruffles, MOBIE’s Head of Education, said: “we need the younger<br />

generations to define how they want to live, learn, work and play now and<br />

in the future. MOBIE challenges are a launch pad for student creativity. This<br />

innovative project at Bertha Park provides a unique opportunity for our future<br />

designers and planners to share ideas and create a special, inclusive living<br />

and learning community.”<br />

MOBIE Workshop

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10 <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Inclusive</strong> <strong>Community</strong> Bulletin 11<br />

New Microsite<br />

Over recent months we have been working on developing a microsite (a small<br />

website) dedicated to <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Inclusive</strong> <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Project</strong>. The site will act as an<br />

online hub for OICP, there will be regular updates posted on the development<br />

of the project as well as opportunities to have your say through online surveys<br />

and a live chat. The microsite is now live and can be visited at:<br />

https://oicp.capability.scot<br />

We would love to hear your feedback on the microsite, please get in touch<br />

through the contact us page or via the chat.

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Capability Scotland delivers exemplary care,<br />

support, and education for disabled children<br />

and adults across Scotland.<br />

We were founded in 1946 and have always<br />

strived to be a major ally in supporting<br />

disabled people to have full equality of<br />

opportunity and participation as citizens of<br />

Scotland.<br />

Capability Scotland<br />

OICP, Upper Springland, Isla Road, Perth, PH2 7HQ<br />

Tel: 01738 632 995<br />

Email: hello@capability.scot<br />

Web : www.capability.scot<br />

Please get in touch on hello@capability.scot if you require this document in a different format.<br />

Limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland, number SC036524.<br />

Registered Scottish Charity, number SC011330