On this page you will find news and information on forth coming events, reports on past events, resources for you to use and copies of the Newsletter.
EVENTS
Scottish Social Networks training day in association with Shelter Scotland - Monday 22 September and Tuesday 28 October.
The next Scottish Social Networks training day, in association with Shelter, takes place on Monday 22 September between 10am and 4pm at Shelter Training, 5th Floor, Scotiabank House, 6 South Charlotte Street, Edinburgh.
The training will examine ways of extending and strengthening social networks and is invaluable for those who work with people who experience social exclusion and require support to take control of their lives and move on. This session is particularly designed for housing support staff but is still relevant to all working in health or social care.
For further details please click on the link to the booking form given below. Please note completed booking forms should be returned to Shelter Scotland.
NEWS
Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland consultation events were held on the 10th March in Glasgow in association with GHN, and on the 14th March in Edinburgh in association with City of Edinburgh Council.
The consultations gave participants the chance to influence the Scottish Government’s Action Plan for mental health improvement, to ensure that inequalities are addressed and that the mental health and wellbeing of all of Scotland’s people flourishes.
Participants in the workshops confirmed that strong social networks are a key element in good mental health, mental wellbeing and routes out of homelessness.
The views of participants will be reported to the National Reference Group and contribute to the development of an Action Plan for implementation for 2008-2011, which will be issued later this year.
For an electronic copy of the report from the consultation events, please click on the link below –
Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland: the Future of Mental Health Improvement in Scotland 2008-2011
Following the recent consultations in connection with the Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland discussion document, comments and suggestions that were put forward are now being considered towards the development of an action plan. Full details of respondents and their responses are now available to view online through the Scottish Government website:
Additionally, an analysis report of all the responses has now been produced, and can also be viewed online through the Scottish Government website:
The development of an action plan is currently in progress; in partnership with the National Reference Group, who represent a wide range of backgrounds and areas. The plan should be published in late summer, and will set out the future direction for work towards improving mental health from 2008-11.
New pages have recently been added to the Scottish Social Networks website
We hope these will provide you with useful sources of information and welcome feedback or suggestions for additional resources we could add. Links to these new pages can be found on the home page.
Stewart Maxwell, Minister for Communities & Sport launched the Scottish Social Networks online database on the 29th January 2008. The Minister drew the winning ticket in the prize draw which everyone who had updated their information was automatically entered into. The lucky winner of £100 M&S vouchers is Suzanne Macleod from GCSS Mediation Service.
The 8th November 2007 saw the launch of a new toolkit for successful project development at the Scottish Council Single Homelessness Conference.
The Toolkit is designed to make it easier for local authorities, voluntary organisations and others to develop successful mentoring, befriending and mediation projects which will help prevent homelessness. It was developed thanks to Scottish Government funding.
- Social Networks Toolkit Launch
- Successful Project Development Toolkit PLEASE NOTE this file is 2.2MB
TRAINING PACK
- Social Networks Training Pack Launch
- Information Leaflet and Training Pack Order Form
- Training Pack Powerpoint Presentation
NEWSLETTERS
October Newsletter 2006
June Newsletter 2005
REPORTS
Speakers and delegates from home and abroad gave a wide perspective on how social networks can create healthy communities as well as ideas and personal experience of what we can do to bring this about. There was so much on that, even if you were there, you will not have been able to cover it all. Now is your chance to get an overview of the day and to catch up on the sessions you wished you could have fitted in!
| Details from the speeches, lunch time video, breakout groups and discussions can be downloaded by going to this page and then clicking on the individual sessions on the programme. This will be updated as information is received so please check again or contact us if the information you want is not there. Last update August 2006. | |
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To obtain a copy of the conference DVD please e-mail info@scottishsocialnetworks.org and a copy will be posted out to you. |
SEMINARS JUNE 2006
A series of five very successful events involving over 200 people were held in June 2005 "to look at the national issues and contribute to local solutions which will enable people affected by homelessness develop positive social networks". Feed back has been very positive and the success of the seminars has taken many forms. Most importantly, the events were enjoyed and found useful by the participants but in addition:
- The very process of arranging them with partners and participants and discussing their input made them look seriously at social networks and really consider what they were and should be doing;
- The advertising raised the profile of social networks as an issue and the Forum as an organisation;
- Previously uncommitted participants were persuaded that social networks were a pivotal issue and not just a nice add on;
- Participants heard of new approaches, discussed and developed ideas, made new contacts and really thought about what they could do within their own sphere to promote positive social networks; and
An enthusiasm for action to develop social networks was generated.
View the final report
or the reports from the individual events
These are the resources page, which includes electronic versions of the Training Pack and Toolkit, a research page with links to research papers guides and strategies and there is also a case studies page.