Reflections: See Me Learning Event, Glasgow 24th Nov 2016

HeidiUncategorized

Four Champions travelled down to Glasgow to take part in this learning event. The aim of going to this was to share learning from our project, the Moray Wellbeing Hub, which is funded in part by See Me who tackle stigma and discrimination related to mental health.

There were representatives from a wide range of projects in Scotland including:

  • Age in Mind – Older people and stigma
  • Bun and a Blether – Workplace conversations
  • Ensemble – Music and song writing project around mental health, who performed at the event
  • Feniks / Look Around– Polish mental health project
  • Glasgow Film See Me Short Film Project – Funded four films and linked with Mental Health Arts and Film Festival
  • Inclusion Scotland
  • Just Us – Women, reform and legal system
  • Migrants Matter – Highland based migrant project
  • Neighbourhood Challenge – Shaun Moore from the project preformed some Slam Poetry at the event
  • Pass the Badge – Passing the See Me badge project
  • See Me Early Years – Primary Schools project

It was a very full day that we all enjoyed and found inspiring. Travelling back from the event we decided to capture some reflections.

Using ULab tools to help run the event:
“It was excellent to see Ulab in action. The See Me team worked hard to make the day really different and engaging. I feel re-inspired to connect again with Ulab and share some of the resources with our fellow Champions.”

Pass the Badge: This project focuses on passing the See Me badge on to others and inviting them to keep this going.
“It’s a great, simple way to get the message across.”
“The badge sharing encourages questions and conversations around mental health…”

The Slam Poetry performance by Shaun Moore:
“Shaun’s poems were powerful in words but the performance made a lot of difference, more impact, so strong. This would be an excellent for young people as well as adults, perhaps work well to connect with groups of men in workplaces or mixed audiences. I hope we can find clips of his online to share.”
“Shaun’s poems were amazing, full of humour but also with deeper meaning, like the stereotypes men are forced to conform to, ‘man up’, ‘whatever you do, don’t cry’ etc. Poignant in view of the high suicide rates amongst young men, and how so few engage with projects around mental health.”

Short Films: ‘Borderline’
“This powerful and positive short film looked at a personal perspective of dance as a tool to support trauma and managing Borderline Personality Disorder. It was beautifully shot and presented such skilled artists. Really love to being these films to Moray and share with others.”
“The dancing was really emotive, and it really put across emotions without the spoken word. It almost brought me to tears it was so powerful.”
“Lynn expressed her chaotic experience of life with BPD through dance and movement. She talked about the contradictions between, for example, wanting a relationship, closeness, yet pushing people away. The way she was able to express contradictory emotions through movement was amazing. Without it being verbalised, I felt that, on an empathetic level, I understood more.”

On travelling as a group to Glasgow for two days:
“It’s a lot of commitment of time for people to come from Moray for this event, but the time gave us opportunities to get to know each other better, give peer support, share live experiences, enjoy each other’s company and have a laugh. It’s so important when we come from quite rural areas to get the chance to hear much wider perspectives from others from Scotland and experience the city as inspiration. I’m very tired, but it was worthwhile and I was very grateful to my fellow Champions for their support and sharing.”
“It’s been brilliant being with like-minded people and feeling able to open up in their company.”
“We need to be mindful of the travel that is needed to run projects like ours in a rural area.”
“It feels like we have a family!”
“It has been a great opportunity to get to know one another better, share experiences and learning – and a lot of laughter!!”

See Me Early Years conversation:
“This project goes in to schools to work with primary school kids, and in talking to the project worker there seems to be stigma within the teaching staff that stops things getting changed. There is a hierarchy in the teaching system, and it stops them learning so much from the children – they are actually the ‘teachers’ in this situations. Not all teaching staff get mental health, so they need more training so they can listen and learn from the children. The children put the questions out that adults are too frightened to ask – they are the future; we need to catch kids before they closed down as teenagers, they don’t need held back with a label like being ‘disruptive’.”

Glasgow Film See Me Short Film Project: Talking to Ben, project organiser
“By chance I joined Ben’s group discussion and discussed the potential opportunity to make a film for spread the idea of World Peace. With the discussion, we agree it is long journey to go and face challenge. It is progress of evolution not revolution. The idea will start from stopping family violence. Step by step from family peace to world peace.”

Ensemble – the day started with three songs composed and performed by people with mental illness collaborating with musicians. The songs were powerful, on a deep level which spoke to the heart as well as the head.
“Deeply moving… Rebecca Herd who performed her own song was amazing and I will be finding her music on SoundCloud when I get home. An inspirational start to the day!”

Case Clinics:
“The whole day was inspirational. It felt like a part of my mind, which needed nourished, had found exactly what it needed. Meeting new people and sharing ideas, knowledge, stories, supporting one another’s projects, hearing what other people are doing…learning about “generative listening” and experiencing “Case Clinic Methodology” as a way to move ideas and projects along. I participated in the first clinic as a “coach”, listening then reflecting and suggesting, but in the afternoon, felt confident enough to become a “Case Giver” sharing Moray Wellbeing Hub and Mind Your Head Moray’s stories and what we need to move the projects forward and become sustainable. The group I was with were overwhelmingly positive and supportive. They said they could feel the passion for both projects and it was ‘inspirational’ – this was great feedback to receive.”

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