Integration central to transformation and cultural shift across the third sector

"In reaching those heights, integration has been central in championing change."

Transformation and culture shifts are two interlinked themes heavily tied to integration. The Connected Communities series has identified and spotlighted these themes in particular in three organisations: Procrastination Station, the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA), and Cumnock Juniors Community Enterprise (CJCE) – as they are exemplary in pushing for cultural change and transforming the communities they represent.

Procrastination Station are the first and only adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) hub in Scotland, meaning they are at the forefront of pushing a cultural shift in attitudes towards the condition. Since it was founded in 2019, the organisation has filled the gap in knowledge and support for ADHD by providing individuals with strategies for managing symptoms, whilst building strategic relationships across sectors to educate and inform organisations and health and social care professionals alike about the condition. As a result, Procrastination Station are transforming the lives of people with ADHD in Scotland by utilising integration to spread awareness of a once underrepresented and misunderstood condition across the country. 

Similarly, the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association empower men to come together and socialise in healthier ways by championing integrated ways of working, creating healthy change, and transforming lives for the better. Acting as a national support hub for Men’s Sheds, the SMSA assists in developing and maintaining Sheds to a purposeful standard, whilst highlighting the many health and social benefits associated. 

The charity utilise the teachings of human psychology to emphasise Men’s Sheds as a necessary social space in provoking empathy, compassion and kindness, as opposed to competition or aggression. SMSA Chief Executive, Jason Schroeder, said that after ten years of Men’s Sheds in Scotland, we are already seeing a “completely different male engagement culture forming”, which highlights the strength of integration in pushing a transformational culture shift that is encouraging men across Scotland to live healthier lives.

Transformation on this level has also been seen in East Ayrshire, where Cumnock Juniors Community Enterprise has embraced integrated ways of working to harness community involvement, target health and social determinants, and transform the lives of many. With a focus on community sports, CJCE was founded in 2013 to contribute to community regeneration in Cumnock by developing community sports facilities and improving health and wellbeing. Ten years on, the charity have hundreds of registered players and coaches and welcome hundreds from the local community weekly thanks to the offer of a wide range of sports and events, with both children and adults ranging from age two to 75 participating in many different activities. 

By working in partnership with local schools, councils, businesses, and sporting associations, CJCE provides activity for the entire community and have contributed to a culture shift that is geared towards community engagement and togetherness. As a result, the integration of sporting activities and services has been transformational for Cumnock, as well as the wider East Ayrshire community.

The three organisations featured in the Connected Communities series champion integrated ways of working and healthy cultural change. ADHD awareness is on the rise across Scotland, Men’s Sheds are growing in prevalence across the country, and integrated community sports are proving to be invaluable for healthy community transformation. In reaching those heights, integration has been central in championing change, with more closely connected communities working together for a Scotland where everyone has a strong voice and enjoys their right to live well with dignity and respect.

You can read the case studies on Procrastination Station, the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association, and Cumnock Juniors Community Enterprise by following these links. The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association have also created a new video animation showcasing their work and their purpose.