People at the Centre: ALLIANCE Digital Gathering – Mid week recap

The ALLIANCE Digital Gathering features sessions on topical issues throughout the week.

The ALLIANCE Digital Gathering opened with a welcome by Chief Officer – Development Sara Redmond. Sara spoke about the recent change in leadership at the ALLIANCE. She highlighted the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to have on health and social care organisations throughout the last year and the effect it is having on disabled people, people living with long term conditions and unpaid carers.

Following Sara’s welcome, we were joined by Scotland’s Makar Kathleen Jamie, who spoke with Interim Director of Policy and Communications Justine Duncan, about her role as Makar and what matters to her, and performed a couple of poems about hope. Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full opening session (this link will take you away from our website).

The Scottish Sensory Hub explored the second podcast in a series looking at sensory loss and the Social Model of Disability. To view a discussion of the first podcast in the series, visit our YouTube channel (this link will take you away from our website).

Our ALISS team ran a networking session to connect participants with others in their local area, or those with similar interests. Director of Strategy and Engagement, Irene Oldfather chaired a panel discussion on Realistic Medicine joined by Scottish Government panellists Deputy Chief Medical Officer Graham Ellis and Principle Medical Advisor Alastair Cook, among others.

Day two started with a wellbeing cuppa, hosted by the Scottish Recovery Network, encouraging attendees to share what they do to keep well. This was followed by an in-depth workshop, unpacking stigma and how to destigmatise campaigns in the third sector. Associate Director, Mandy Andrew took participants on journey into Network Weaving with co-host Hilda Campbell from COPE Scotland, before our Links Worker Programme provided an insight into their work, helping individuals, families and groups.

Day three has started with a session looking at how food insecurity is being tackled within the third sector. We had a topical panellist discussion looking at the future of a National Care Service Bill, one of the most substantial items of legislation to go through the Scottish Parliament. This afternoon we will hear from National Lead Caring and Outreach Tommy Whitelaw as he interviews Chris Lubbe about his life living and working in South Africa as Nelson Mandela’s bodyguard. To register, visit the event session page (this link will take you away from our website). The final session today will look at the impact gambling and gaming has on young people. Visit the event website to register your place (this link will take you away from our website).

With lots more to come for the rest of the week, there is something for everyone. Check out the sessions below and follow the links to register for the remaining places available:

Thursday 24 February

Strictly communication 

Health in today’s world

Stories from the COVID-19 frontline: How we kept our humanity

Sensory stories

Friday 25 February

Kindness is the Secret: Developing person centred culture in organisations

Putting people and stories at the centre

Human rights principles in action

Laughter is the best medicine

ALLIANCE Digital Gathering reading list

Can’t make it to the event? Follow along on social media to catch highlights from each session, search #ALLIANCEGathering22.

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