Cash-First Programme: final evaluation report

Appendix C: Overview of activity

A summary of the Programme logic model is noted below.

VISION:

• Making food banks the last port of call in a crisis by improving access to emergency financial assistance, money advice, holistic support services
• Strengthening incomes from fair work, social security, and reduced cost of living

Scottish Government

Outputs / activities

• Distribution of funding
• Evaluation
• Policy framework and guidance
• Support for collaboration

Learning Partner

Outputs / activities

• Facilitate learning within and across Delivery Partners
• Promote and advise on good practice, policy and legislation

Delivery Partners

Outputs / activities

• Disburse cash to people in financial crisis
• Develop referral pathways
• Facilitate access to additional support
• Involve people with lived experience
• Knowledge sharing and learning in local partners

Core Local Partners

Outputs / activities

• Development of referral pathways
• Share good practice and knowledge
• Facilitate partnership working

Initial Programme Outcomes

Reduce the need for food banks

• Increased awareness and access to Cash-First services
• Increased engagement with identified target groups
• Engagement of new groups
• Increased uptake of wider support services
• Increased household incomes

Improved systems and processes

• Strengthened referral pathways
• New partnerships and ways of working developed
• New processes developed and implemented

Learning and best practice

• Identification of success factors
• People with lived experience can shape and form the services that impact them
• Understanding the differences in access between rural and urban areas

Longer-term Programme Impacts

Reduce the need for food banks

• Reduction in food bank visits, including repeat visits
• Individuals can access food that meets their needs and preferences consistently
• Improved access to sufficient and secure incomes
• Individuals engaging with support are treated with dignity
• Long term sustained decrease in food bank visits

Improved systems and processes

• Referral pathways embedded in practice
• Sustainable partnerships and ways of working embedded
• Reduced individual need for support from wider financial or other services
• Best practice referral/application process addresses barriers to access to facilitate uptake

Learning and best practice

• Referral pathways are embedded and consistent
• People with lived experience are integral to service design
• Cash-First is clearly understood by all stakeholders and promoted as an effective intervention
• Learning is implemented to deliver sustained outcomes and impacts for services and individuals
• A Cash-First approach is embedded in service

Now, looking at the activity undertaken by the Delivery Partners

And now looking at the activity by the Learning Partner.

Learning events

• April 2024: In-person learning event, Stirling. This functioned as an introductory event between Delivery Partners, the Scottish Government, the Learning Partner and the Evaluator. It was an opportunity to hear about what each area was planning or delivering, and any early challenges identified.
• September 2024: In-person learning event, Aberdeenshire. The focus of this event was to learn about wider associated research and activity; and engaging people with lived experience.
• January 2025: Online learning event. The focus of this event was supporting people with No Recourse to Public Funds.
• April 2025: Online learning event. The Edinburgh Delivery Partner shared experiences of using the Lightning Reach platform to support people and help them identify sources of financial and other support, and the Aberdeen City Delivery Partner shared their experiences of engaging people with lived experience in service design. Citizens Advice Scotland and StepChange Debt Charity, also shared relevant experiences of supporting people living with debt.
• An in-person event was also held in Edinburgh in April 2025, focusing on sustainability and evaluation, and giving an overview of the ALISS (A Local Information System for Scotland) platform.
• September 2025: In-person learning event, Edinburgh. The focus of the event was to share experiences of engaging people with lived experience.

Action Learning Sets

The Learning Partner also delivered structured Action Learning sessions for Delivery Partners to share challenges and explore solutions to these. These were initially offered on a monthly drop-in basis (online). However, the format was subsequently amended to be more focused and structured, as a means of encouraging participation and a solution-focused approach.

Workshops and Facilitating Peer Support

The Learning Partner also supported informal peer conversations, facilitated strategic leads sessions between local Cash-First strategic leads, and delivered a number of bespoke workshops for individual Delivery Partners.

Resources

Further details on events and resources provided by the Learning Partner are included in the Learning Partner’s Cash-First partnership resources padlet, an internal resource accessible by all relevant Cash-First partners.