Addictions Support and Counselling provide three main types of service to help people recover from substance misuse: 

• Support 

• Counselling 

• Community Rehabilitation.

Addictions Support and Counselling work across the Forth area in the three local authority areas of Clackmannanshire Council, Falkirk Council and Stirling Council.

Angus Carers Centre provides information, advice and a range of services to carers located in Angus and the surrounding areas. The organisations services include: 

• Stress management 

• Carers support groups 

• Pampering for carers 

• Regular newsletters 

• A counselling service 

• Sitting service 

• Home visits 

• Training.

Angus Health and Social Care Partnership provide this service to people aged 16 to 64 who have an acquired brain injury. 

The type of support provided is based on individual need and priority is given to people who have sustained their injuries within the last two years. 

Acquired brain injury staff can provide information, advice and support in a number of areas: 

• Assessment 

• Counselling 

• Rehabilitation 

• Care management 

• Training and support for carers 

• Information on compensation 

• Benefits 

• Returning to work 

• Driving 

• Local support groups. 

Patients who are in the Centre for Brain Injury Rehabilitation at Royal Victoria Hospital, Dundee, will be referred to the service. Angus Health and Social Care Partnership will undertake an assessment of needs, implement a plan to enable a return to home and support continued rehabilitation. 

If the brain-injured person is in another hospital or in the community, a referral can be made on their behalf to social work for an assessment of need.

Angus Independent Advocacy is an independent organisation working alongside vulnerable people to help them have their voice heard and safeguard their rights. The organisation works with people who are at risk of being unable to safeguard their rights, including those with an acquired brain injury. 

AIA matches the person with an advocate that could support them with their current issues. AIA is guided by the person wanting the support. AIA do not give advice, but help the person explore their options and make their own decisions about what they want to do.

The Brain Tumour Charity Dundee support group holds a monthly meeting, which is held at Maggie’s Dundee in Ninewells Hospital. The group meets on the second Wednesday of each month. The meeting starts at 3.30pm until approximately 5.00pm. 

The address for the meeting is: Maggie’s Dundee, Tom McDonald Avenue, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee DD2 1NH.

The Brain Tumour Charity has a Fife support group held at Maggie’s Fife, Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy. The meeting starts at 6.00pm until approximately 7.30pm and meets on the last Thursday of alternate months. The support group is aimed at patients, families and friends of those diagnosed with a brain tumour. 

The Fife support group address is: Maggie’s Fife, Victoria Hospital, Hayfield, Kirkcaldy KY2 5AH

Brainwave is a charity that exists to help children with disabilities and additional needs to achieve greater independence by aiming to improve mobility, communication skills and learning potential through a range of educational and physical therapies, and the children they work with have a range of conditions including: autism, brain injuries such as cerebral palsy and genetic disorders such as Down’s syndrome. 

Their therapists, who are drawn from the mainstream fields of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and educational therapy, work with the family to devise a unique programme, specifically designed to suit their child’s needs, which will help and encourage them to unlock their child’s potential.

Central Advocacy Partners work to tackle social exclusion and to enable people with learning disabilities across the Forth Valley to have their voices heard through a diverse range of services including: 

• Advocacy support for young people and parents with learning disabilities 

• Social inclusion projects 

• Living a Life courses 

• Accessible information services 

• Person centred planning services 

• Bespoke advocacy services 

• Graphics facilitation services 

• Service user feedback workshops.

Advocacy in Fife project covers two areas of Independent Advocacy: Professional and Collective for people across Fife. Funded by Fife Council and Fife NHS, professional advocacy ensures that individual’s views and opinions are heard and listened to, respected and acted upon. 

Advocacy in Fife can support you if you are 16 or over and living in Fife with: 

• mental health issues 

• learning disability 

• personality disorder 

• physical impairment 

• acquired brain injury 

• dementia 

• autism 

• chronic illness. 

They also support: 

• people receiving long-term citizen advocacy involved in statutory proceedings

• children under 16 years who are subject to compulsory measures under the Mental Health (Care & Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Citizens Advice Scotland offer various services across the regions of Dundee, Tayside and Fife. Please use their website to find details for your local area.

Citizens Advice Scotland offer various services across the regions of the Falkirk and the Forth Valley. Please use their website to find details for your local area.

Perth Citizens Advice Bureau provides free, confidential, impartial and independent advice for all those who live or work in Perth and Kinross. 

Perth Citizens Advice Bureau provide face-to-face advice in the Perth Office, or at an outreach location, or by telephone, letter or email. 

The organisation offers advice in the following areas: 

• Benefits and Tax Credits 

• Consumer 

• Employment 

• Family and personal 

• Health and community care 

• Home fuels and utilities 

• Immigration and nationality 

• Legal 

• Money advice 

• Taxation.

Digby Brown is Scotland’s largest personal injury practice. From our seven offices in Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Kirkcaldy, Inverness, Aberdeen and Ayr, we cover the length and breadth of the country. Our expertise in personal injury law, particularly in the fields of serious head and spinal injury is widely acknowledged. Digby Brown is ranked Band 1 for Personal Injury in Scotland by Chambers Guide to the UK Legal Profession and Legal 500. 

In cases of traumatic brain injury a specialist solicitor is vital. Seeking rightful and fair compensation after the accident is just one aspect of the package of measures which needs to be considered and implemented to try and ensure that the process of rehabilitation and adjustment can start. 

We can immediately provide advice and support on statutory benefits and how to access local authority social services through our in-house welfare rights service. We can make a real difference by arranging private rehabilitation, by assessing housing needs and, most importantly, implementation of care and case management regimes where required.

DSF organises an extensive programme of sports events and provides education and training workshops for coaches and volunteers. DSF employs an experienced team of coaches on a session by session basis to deliver sports specific activity sessions weekly across Fife.

Dundee Carers Centre aims to improve the lives of carers through practical and emotional support, advocacy, training and information about services, rights and benefits. 

Dundee Carers Centre provide a wide range of services:

• Adult support service 

• Minority ethnic service 

• Welfare rights service 

• Carers voice Dundee.

Dundee City Disability Sport is a local voluntary organisation for athletes with a disability and coaches, volunteers in Dundee.

Dundee Independent Advocacy Support offer independent advocacy for people in the City of Dundee who: 

• have mental health issues 

• are over the age of 65 

• have dementia 

• have learning disabilities 

• have physical disabilities 

and who:

• are unable to support themselves 

• have no one independent to support them.

Dunfermline Advocacy provides support for Citizen Advocacy partnerships across West Fife. Citizen Advocacy matches local people with vulnerable adults in the community to provide invaluable support and friendship, giving each individual a chance to have their voice heard and represented.

Epilepsy Connections fieldwork service is available to people of all ages who have epilepsy, their families, friends and unpaid carers. 

The organisation also work with anyone with a professional interest in epilepsy. 

The fieldwork team supports people to find their own way to live well with epilepsy by: 

• Providing one-to-one family and group support 

• Providing information to help people better understand and manage epilepsy, cope with seizures, identify triggers 

• Providing information on treatments and lifestyle issues 

• Supporting people to deal with feelings about epilepsy and its impact 

• Offering advice about managing epilepsy and seizures at home, school or work 

• Offering advice on housing, benefits, transport, travel, holidays and insurance.

Euan’s Guide makes it easier for disabled people to find great places to go. Euansguide.com is the disabled access review website where disabled people, their family, friends and carers can find and share reviews on the accessibility of places around the UK and beyond. It’s an invaluable tool for everything from planning somewhere to take the kids at the weekend to picking a last minute place for lunch. 

We all want to get out there and enjoy life, and having good quality disabled access information inspires confidence and removes fear of the unknown. With good accessibility information being so hard to find, one review is often enough to encourage others to visit. Reviews are also sent to venue owners and this can be a positive and powerful opportunity for education and change. 

The charity was founded in 2013 by Euan MacDonald MBE, a powerchair user and his sister Kiki after Euan was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and a lack of disabled access made everyday experiences stressful. By breaking down the barriers of exclusion with the help of other people in the same situation, Euan’s Guide hopes to make the world more accessible one review at a time.

Express Group (Fife) Ltd works with people in Fife who experience mental health problems, running a number of Groups across the Fife region. 

The aim of the Groups is to give opportunities for self-help social activities, outings and holidays; and to provide a place where members can share experiences, and offer mutual support. The Groups are supported by both volunteers and paid staff.

The Carers Centre provides information and support to carers of all ages living in Falkirk district and Clackmannanshire. 

Information and support is provided by a team of workers who are based in the Carers Centre in Falkirk and Clackmannanshire, Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Falkirk Community Hospital and Clackmannanshire Community Healthcare Centre. The work of the Carers Centre is also supported by a range of volunteering opportunities.

Fife Carers Centre supports unpaid carers of Fife. The charity supports carers in a wide variety of ways: 

• On a one to one basis 

• Common interest groups to help them deal with difficulties that often arise 

• Represent carers interests to local and national government 

• Raise awareness of carers and the issues associated with caring.

About Fife Headway Fife 

Headway services cover Fife, the charity encourage anyone interested in ABI to visit their group and chat to all or one of the volunteers who have had experience in this area. 

In addition to monthly meetings they have been running Tai Chi sessions fortnightly. 

Activities for members: 

• Regular monthly meetings 

• Ten pin bowling trophy competition 

• Visits to theatre 

• Meals out 

• Guest speakers and facilitators for special activities such as ceramic painting 

• Tai Chi.

Carers 

A brain injury affects the whole family, and usually people are thrust into the role of carer with no prior warning. Headway Fife groups and committee are managed by brain injury survivors and carers. Therefore they fully understand the problems and pressures that people face on a daily basis. Whether you want an informal chat or would like further information, Headway Fife can help. 

Headway Fife also have future plans to get carers involved in their Social Group.

Fife Neuro-rehabilitation Service is based at the Sir George Sharp Unit in Cameron Hospital and provides a Fife wide service for those with physical disability due to neurological disability, primarily in the 16-64 age group. 

The aim is to provide assessment and rehabilitation on and in patient, out patient or community basis. The main diagnostic groups seen are multiple sclerosis, acquired brain injury including traumatic head injury and younger strokes. 

Service Developments include: 

• Service for patients with multiple sclerosis including MS Nurse Specialist and MS Nurse for disease modifying therapy 

• Brain Injury service including Acquired Brain Injury Outreach Nurse 

• Young Disabled School Leavers service for those with physical disability in mainstream education.

Forth Valley Advocacy (FVA) provides free, professional independent advocacy across Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling.

FVA supports people to access information regarding their care, treatment and services that may be available to them. FVA does not give advice. Advocacy is about supporting you to make your own decisions and choices not telling you what you should do. 

The organisation works with people over 16 who have: 

• A learning disability 

• A mental health problem 

• An acquired brain injury 

• Dementia 

• Autism. 

And also with people who are: 

• Over 65 years of age 

• Vulnerable and deemed at risk 

• Under 16 years of age subject to action under the Mental Health Act. 

Forth Valley Advocacy also work in partnership with ALLIANCE and the Scottish Government to deliver a free Welfare Advocacy Support Project (WASP) for disability benefits claimants going through the assessment process and who have mental health problems, neurological conditions or learning disabilities.

About Headway Dundee & Angus 

Headway Dundee and Angus provide an opportunity to talk and socialise with others in a similar situation. Headway Dundee and Angus fortnightly social groups meet in Dundee. The groups are all member led and the activities vary based on the requirements of the people attending. 

The charity offer social outings, activities and on occasion, complimentary therapies. 

Activities for members:

• Fortnightly social group in Dundee 

• Recreational activities including arts and crafts and games

• Quizzes and Bingo 

• Social events and outings. 

Carers 

A brain injury affects the whole family, and usually people are thrust into the role of carer with no prior warning. Headway Tayside groups and committee are designed for brain injury survivors and carers, Therefore the charity fully understand the problems and pressures that people face on a daily basis. Whether you want an informal chat or would like further information, Headway Tayside can help.

About Headway Falkirk 

Headway Falkirk has services throughout the Falkirk area and this provides an opportunity to talk to others in a similar situation. 

A place where people with Traumatic/ Acquired Brain Injury receive one to one help from other survivors, and find out that there is life after a Brain Injury. 

Activities for members: 

Held in the Stenhousemuir Salvation Army Hall: 

• A weekly Memory Group (every Tuesday from 10am-11am) 

• Music group (every last Tuesday of each month and every first Wednesday of each month) 

• Craft group (every other Wednesday of the month from 1.30pm-3.30pm, except the last Wednesday, when Headway Falkirk hold their Committee Meeting).

How can we help? 

Headway Perth and Kinross services provide an opportunity to talk to others in a similar situation. Everyone responds differently to the realities of life after an ABI and Headway Perth and Kinross understand this. The charities brain injured members and their carers offer each other a tremendous amount of practical and emotional support at their fortnightly meetings, group outings and via the links with Headway UK. 

Activities for members:

• A fortnightly meeting of the group (every second Wednesday evening) 

• Recreational activities including arts and crafts and games nights 

• Social events and group outings.

The ILF Scotland 2015 Fund is designed to support individuals who have complex disabilities to live independently. The funding makes a positive difference to the lives of recipients. 

The new ILF Scotland Transition Fund provides money, for up to one year, to support young people living with disabilities (as defined in the Equality Act 2010) to improve their lives. This includes autism, learning difficulty, physical disability, mental health (e.g. anxiety or depression) or hearing or visual impairments. 

The purpose of the Fund is to help young people, between the ages of 16 and 25 living with disabilities, with the transition after leaving school or children’s services to be more independent and to continue spending time with other people.

Kindred works with families of children and young people with additional needs throughout Fife. 

The organisation provides: 

• Support and information with regard to education, including school placements 

• Applications for trust grant funds for specialist equipment and grants required for caring 

• Assistance with applying for benefits such as Disability Living Allowance 

• Advocacy support for statutory meetings with health – including Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS), social work, education and housing 

• Parents groups.

Linlathen is a specialist centre providing long-term person-centred care and support for male and female adults (aged 18+ years) with either a brain injury or complex neurological condition. 

The 48 bed purpose-built centre provides the following services: 

• Complex disability management 

• Neuropalliative care 

• Respite care. 

The centre has been designed to care for adults who are medically stable, with a range of neurological conditions, including but not limited to: Acquired Brain Injury, Huntington’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease and Spinal Injury. 

Throughout their stay, patients are encouraged to make individual choices about all aspects of their life at the centre and to be as independent as possible.

The neuro physiotherapists at NeuroPhysio Scotland provide a service in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness and the surrounding areas. NeuroPhysio Scotland visit patients in their own homes or arrange visits to specialist clinics. 

NeuroPhysio Scotland treatments can help people who have a neurological condition achieve their personal goals of maximum fitness, function and quality of life: 

• mobility in walking, climbing stairs and physical transfers

• hand and arm movement such as grip strength, dexterity, eating and drinking 

• balance and co-ordination to prevent falls 

• stiffness and tightness in muscles 

• pain control.

PLUS aims to provide a better quality of life for children and young people with disabilities and their families across the Forth Valley through social inclusion and short breaks. Services were initially developed in Stirling, but are now taking place on a smaller scale in Clackmannanshire and Falkirk, supporting parents to have regular short breaks which help to increase the capacity and resilience of families in their caring roles. PLUS currently engages with individuals between the ages of 0-35 with a range of disabilities and complex needs. 

Projects include: 

• Parent and toddler groups in Stirling and Falkirk 

• Family PLUS - support for parents online and in person

• Play PLUS - for children of primary age 

• PLUS Youth - for teenagers 

• The Bank Project - for adults 

• After School Groups -term time support, one evening for primary aged children, and two evenings for secondary aged children Inclusion - a child can be supported to attend Brownies, Cubs Youth Groups etc 

• AM3 - named by young people, this is a project for primary and secondary aged children with Asperger Syndrome

• 1:1 support - offered through PLUS Short Breaks project, funded primarily by local authorities or by parents utilising the Self Directed Support Budgets. 

PLUS also offer some opportunities for supported volunteering.

Manor Hall is a neurobehavioural rehabilitation service with two nine bedded rehabilitation wards and two transitional flats. 

Manor Hall works with men and women with an acquired brain injury, including traumatic brain injury and stroke to build their independent skills, to learn appropriate behaviours and optimise functional ability to live in the community. 

Manor Hall offer an intensive clinical programme consisting of 1:1 and group therapy, including: 

• Neuropsychological assessment 

• Neurobehavioural rehabilitation 

• Individual neurobehavioural interventions 

• Risk reduction work 

• Psychosocial and psychoeducational programmes Occupational Therapy programmes 

• Individual communication programmes 

• Physiotherapy.

Speakability Self-Help Groups are run by and for people with Aphasia - language-loss following stroke, head injury or other neurological condition. 

The groups allow people to support each other, share experiences, make new friends, rebuild self-confidence and develop new skills. You will have the opportunity to practice total communication using words, drawing, pictures and gesture. Everyone understands Aphasia and encourages each other in their recovery. 

Perth Speakability Group raises awareness of Aphasia in the local community and raises funds to support group meetings, activities and outings. 

The Perth Club meet up monthly on Fridays between 2pm and 4pm at Perth & Kinross Council, A K Bell Library, 2-8 York Place, Perth PH2 8EP.

Please get in touch to check details of meeting dates, times and venue as things do change.

Quarriers Epilepsy Fieldwork Service supports people in their local communities across the North East and other areas who have epilepsy as well as their families, carers and professionals who support them. 

The service provides information, support and advice on managing the condition and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The organisation provides advice on issues such as benefits, housing and employment, and Quarriers Epilepsy Fieldwork Service can help individuals access appropriate support resources. 

The organisation provides a Support Group which meets the last Saturday of every month at the Hayfield Clinic, Dunnikier Road, Kirkcaldy KY2 5AD.

SSAFA help veterans, service personnel and their families, in Dundee and Angus, by providing support with experienced, non-judgemental and friendly advice, as well as a variety of practical services which cover a range of social, family and financial issues. Opening hours are Tuesday and Thursday 10.00am to 12.00 noon.

SSAFA help veterans and service personnel, and their families, in the local community. SSAFA provide a professional and non-judgemental advice, as well as a variety of practical services which cover a range of social, family and financial issues.

Signpost Recovery is a community addictions service which offers support and direction for drug and alcohol misuse. Signpost Recovery operates a number of district services all unique in terms of delivery and expectations. Their current services include: 

• Social Inclusion Project 

• Target Group 

• Custody Arrest Referral 

• General Practitioner Prescribing Service 

• Harm reduction 

• Core drug and alcohol service 

• Clackmannanshire Healthier Lives.

Speakability Tayside Ltd support people affected by aphasia to lie well with long terms changes in communication. 

Aphasia means disruption to speaking, understanding, reading and writing and is a common consequence of stroke, brain injury and other brain illnesses.

Stirling Carers Centre provides information, advice and support to unpaid carers throughout the Stirling Council area. 

The organisation provides: 

• Advice and information 

• Carer support plans 

• Benefit checks 

• 1:1 Support 

• Basic advocacy 

• Respite events 

• Hospital Support 

• Peer support groups. 

All the services are free, confidential and impartial.

There are a number of Stroke Support Groups across Tayside, Fife and Forth Valley. They are as individual as the people who run them, reflecting local interests and diversity. The principle of all Community Stroke Groups is to support their members to participate in and enjoy activities in their local community. 

These self-managed groups are affiliated to Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) though not provided directly by the charity. CHSS provides dedicated support to the community stroke groups, offering advice and guidance. Details of each group can be found on the CHSS website.

ECLIPS Community Recovery and Moving On Service operates throughout Tayside to provide one to one support and group activities for those striving to move into or maintain recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. 

In order to access the services you should be: 

• Aged 16 years and over 

• Living in Tayside 

• Currently in or recently completed drug/alcohol treatment 

• Looking to get involved in new activities in your local area 

• Interested in meeting other people in recovery.

ECLIPS Community Recovery and Moving On operates throughout Tayside to provide one to one support and group activities for those striving to move into or maintain recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. 

In order to access the services you should be: 

• Aged 16 years and over 

• Living in Tayside 

• Currently in or recently completed drug/alcohol treatment 

• Looking to get involved in new activities in your local area 

• Interested in meeting other people in recovery.

The Centre for Brain Injury Rehabilitation (CBIR) is situated at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Dundee. The CBIR is an area wide service, admitting people from across the whole of Tayside. The CBIR provides in-patient rehabilitation to adults aged 16-65 who have complex disability following a brain injury, and who will benefit from interdisciplinary rehabilitation before being discharged from hospital. 

All patients have an individual, goal orientated programme tailored to their own needs. With assistance from their families, patients are helped to achieve their goals in areas of health, activity and well-being. Families and carers also have an opportunity to attend the rehabilitation sessions.

Veterans First Point (V1P) has been developed by veterans for veterans. The service provided is free at the point of access and provided as part of the NHS. V1P Fife provide veterans services throughout the Kingdom of Fife. We have drop-in centres in Cupar, Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline. Please see our website for details of locations and opening times. 

The team consists of veterans peer support workers, clinicians, therapists and administration team. 

They provide: 

• Information and signposting 

• Understanding and listening 

• Support and social networking 

• Health and well-being.

Visibility Scotalnd is a charity working across Scotland, delivering a range of holistic services and support to people living with visual impairment. Visibility Scotland supports children and adults to make their own choices and live their lives fully, confidently and independently. At Visibility Scotland we believe that you don’t need sight to have vision! 

There are many ways that Visibility Scotland can help, support or advise you or your family member. If your vision has been affected by stroke or head injury, its “Neurosight” project might be able to help.