GoWell and Panel go to Scottish Parliament Committee

In May last year, GoWell welcomed residents to GoWell's first Community Panel session. It was an exciting new development for GoWell and reflected its commitment to share learning with communities and individuals at a local level.

The Panel is a knowledge exchange forum: GoWell learns from the Panel about how its research findings can be usefully interpreted by residents, and the Panel learns from GoWell about how it has undertaken the research. To do this the Panel has been meeting monthly and learning about residents’ experiences of regeneration by exploring the research. They have been getting out and about in the GoWell areas to see how regeneration is taking place on the ground, and meeting the people involved by working with GoWell’s researchers and meeting the housing associations and community groups delivering regeneration in their areas.

GoWell Panel (from left): Cat (GoWell Community Engagement Manager), Janice (Kingsway Court Health and Wellbeing Centre), Davie, Eddie, Jean, Margaret, Annie, Donna.

On Wednesday 20th January 2016 the GoWell Panel had a fantastic opportunity to see the Scottish Parliament in action. In their words, this is what the Panel got up to:

Why did the Panel go to the Scottish Parliament?

“As members of the GoWell Panel we were invited to the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood to watch Ade Kearns, who is the Principal Investigator for GoWell, give evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s local government and regeneration committee.” Maggie

Have you been to the Scottish Parliament before? What was it like?

“This was my first visit to Scottish Parliament building, I found the whole experience was made more accessible as I was given a wheelchair to use so I didn’t have to worry about being uncomfortable walking about.” Donna

What was watching the Committee like?

“As a member of the GoWell Panel I found it very it interesting to watch how our MSPs listen to the researchers giving their findings about regeneration and its effect on people’s health and wellbeing.” Jean

“I thought Ade’s point about public transport was a good thing to bring up; although the committee would not discuss this subject because of privatisation.” Margaret

[Ade cited transport as an example of private sector activity that needs to be taken into account as part of the social, as well as physical, regeneration of Glasgow’s neighbourhoods.]

 “…at one point two of the MSPs looked a bit disinterested when Ade was speaking. I would have liked to have seen more emotions and more passion for the topics that were being discussed. I feel it doesn’t need to be so formal for it to be official.” Donna

What did you get out of going?

“Being present at this meeting has made me more interested in the policies of local councils because as a community we should have a voice and should be heard. This was my first time at an evidence session and feel these sessions must continue, so the voice of the people can be heard.” Margaret

“Our day at Parliament was very interesting at times. It made us feel that communities were important.” Jean

What’s next?

“This has given us lots of information to discuss with our health and wellbeing centre [Kingsway Court Health and Wellbeing Centre in Scotstoun]. Will be nice to meet the clerk, hopefully put our ideas forward how communities can speak to the Committees. It shows what being part of GoWell helps you achieve.” Jean

Following this visit, the Clerk to the Local Government and Regeneration Committee is meeting with the GoWell Panel on 19 February to discuss community engagement.

“The MSPs can learn a lot from a panel like the GoWell Panel as there is a diversity of people on it with different experiences and health issues, who either work in the community or attend groups that are trying to pull communities together.” Donna

Download GoWell’s written submission to the Committee (PDF).

Members of the public can attend committee meetings at the Scottish Parliament. Free tickets can be requested using the ticket request form, emailing or calling Visitor Services: 0131 348 5200 or freephone 0800 092 7600.