Sport Aberdeen and Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) are delighted to be shortlisted in the ‘Making a Social Difference’ category of the 2025 Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards for a successful collaborative project, ProActive Minds.
ProActive Minds was a two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) funded by The Wood Foundation and Innovate UK, delivered between 2022 to 2024.
Its aim was to improve the mental wellbeing of young people in local communities through the power of sport and physical activity and new resources developed including “Just Being” mental health training and the “Being Me” pilot – to help young people navigate the complexities of body image, with the aim of reducing body dissatisfaction.
A sport and exercise psychologist Dr Ciara Reidy, appointed as the Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate, led efforts in Aberdeen through the Active Schools network and the wider Sport Aberdeen community. By creating resources, upskilling staff and volunteers, and offering individual support, the initiative had a positive impact on the mental wellbeing of children and young people across Aberdeen.
Backed by sportscotland, NHS Grampian, SAMH and Aberdeen City Council, the ProActive Minds pilot now aims to build a compelling case for wider implementation nationally.
L-R Dr Bryan McCann Alison MacLachlan and Graeme Dale (002)
Graeme Dale, director of sport and active communities at Sport Aberdeen, said: “Through successful partnership working with GCU, we are delighted that our ProActive Minds project has been shortlisted for the ‘Making a Social Difference’ category for making a meaningful contribution to children and young people’s mental health during its pilot.
“We champion mental health at the core of our programmes and we are grateful to The Wood Foundation for funding our contribution to the project.
“Our KTP Associate Dr Ciara Reidy was supported by ProActive Minds project Knowledge Base Supervisor Dr Bryan McCann from GCU throughout the project’s duration.
“It is great to see that Dr McCann has also been shortlisted for the Knowledge Exchange Champion award. Congratulations to all the finalists!”
Alison MacLachlan, The Wood Foundation’s UK director, said: “At The Wood Foundation, we are committed to investing in innovative approaches that create meaningful change for young people. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships offer a unique opportunity to fund organisations who want to test and learn from innovative solutions for social gain.
"ProActive Minds is a fantastic example of how collaboration can drive impact, equipping communities with the knowledge and resources to support mental wellbeing through physical activity and healthier choices.”
Dr Bryan McCann, senior lecturer in Psychology at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: “It is wonderful to see Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) and Sport Aberdeen’s partnership recognised by being shortlisted for the Making a Social Difference award.
“GCU is the University for the Common Good, and our Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Sport Aberdeen demonstrates how powerful these partnerships can be.
“The ProActive Minds KTP has seen a range of resources grounded in sport and exercise psychology principles developed and piloted which aim to support and improve children and young people’s mental health. This knowledge exchange project really shows how powerful collaborations can make a positive difference.”
The Awards ceremony will take place in Edinburgh on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, the full shortlist can be viewed here.