The Support and Advocacy Team have been working on building a sense of community across our membership. A huge part of this has been the development of our Support and Advocacy Service in Scotland and saw Alison embarking on an epic trip for MPS Awareness Week.
Creating strong bonds
Over the last year, I have been connecting with key stakeholders in Scotland and getting my head around the key support needs of our Scottish community as we want to ensure that the service we provide is as unique as the members we support.
In May of this year, I was delighted to set foot on Scottish soil for what can only be described as an epic road trip!
Over the course of four days I travelled more than 700 miles over land and sea, had face-to-face contact with almost 50 of our members, experienced some fantastic Scottish hospitality (many cups of well-made tea), and even came across a Scottish piper.
During the trip, I had the pleasure of offering nine home visits to families both old and new. Meeting families in their homes gives us an insight unlike any other interaction. We see you in your "natural habitat" and can get a feel for how your family cope with living with a rare condition. We can look at that room you need to adapt, meet the family pets (some of you have rather large dogs) and meet you where you feel most comfortable.Â
I want to thank you for opening up your homes to me and for so generously sharing your stories and experiences.
The cherry on top of my Scottish road trip was our Meet & Greet. This was an opportunity for families to get together, have a meal and share experiences. I was delighted to welcome nine families, representing a range of different conditions, to The Fenwick Hotel in Kilmarnock. The children enjoyed some crafts while the grown-ups got to know each other.Â
These events are so valuable and it was wonderful to hear you all being so open with each other about your experiences.Â
It’s great to hear that some families have remained in touch and are planning to meet face-to-face again over the summer. Finding "your people" is so important and we hope to continue to offer you opportunities to do just that.
Aside from building a community and making connections, I also got stuck into some individual Support and Advocacy work with those I met. This work will continue as the families I saw navigate challenges and transitions.Â
If you would like to get in contact with me to discuss a support need (no question is a silly question,) please email me and I will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
Trips like this have a huge impact on our community and I hope to visit Scotland again soon!
How we can help
During her trip, Alison visited 12 individuals with a rare condition and 11 of their family members.
Another nine families joined us at the Meet & Greet in Kilmarnock.
Areas of support
Our experienced Support and Advocacy Team provide a unique, flexible and wide-ranging service and ensure the needs of our members always come first. These are some of the areas of support Alison was able to assist our Scottish community with during her home visits.
