The Town House, Hamilton, February 16th: First Discussion
February 16th 2010
The Town House, Hamilton
On a Tuesday night in Hamilton, a group of over two dozen local people with an interest in the arts, culture and making a contribution to their local area came together. The auspices was a joint event between A Scottish Wave of Change and Make a Splash! Two group discussions were held as part of A Scottish Wave. It was a night with lots of animation, engagement and some interesting perspectives.
1. Introduction
Gerry Hassan introduced A Scottish Wave of Change and the aims of the evening’s discussion – linking Olympic and Paralympic principles and values to Scotland’s past present and future and opening up ideas of how our future might be.
2. Warm up exercise
Barbara Chambers, facilitating part of the evening invited the group to share their family values as they introduced themselves.
3. Past present future exercise
The group was invited to consider aspects of Scotland’s past present and future
Past
Wallace
Craftwork – lost skills, part of women’s revolution
Children love to engage (quilting, cooking etc)
Shipyards
Steel
Pioneers
Medicine
Transport
Haggis, tartan, shortbread
Storytelling, oral tradition, not recorded
Turkey red dye works, Dumbarton, Clydebank works
Lose memories
Who’s interested? Stories to tell, no one to listen
Present
Alcohol
Hogmanay
UK context
Icons in artforms
Whisky distilleries
Incomers, slagging off English
Communities – Armadale, Bathgate
More prosperous
Bigger gap in haves-have nots that we haven’t managed to close
Yob culture
Drugs
Mixed housing – older people mixed with bigger families to create intergenerational links: good – older people have time to help
SW Scotland – friendly, helpful, get a laugh in Glasgow
Scottish Parliament – cost so much
We don’t talk politics to strangers
Future
Independence
Resent reserved matters in government
Whole country cloned towns – same shops as UK: no Scottishness
Polish an Asian immigrants
Shops closing down
Savvy investment opportunity
Heritage is part of future
Grierson documentary maker – should have world class institution for journalism
Identity/fashion – all girls look the same: how will that impact – blame the media
Out of town hospital
Identity of towns: architecture torn down
3. Olympic and Paralympic principles discussion
The seven Olympic and Paralympic principles were shared and the group invited to discuss these and come to some consensus of how relevant these are to Scotland today and whether these or other values/principles might guide our future.
Courage: we’re bold and come up with ideas
Equality – not just men and women; equality of wealth; equality of opportunity – universities, don’t like positive discrimination – should be on merit; people getting degrees not really graduate material – devalues education system; should be like Germany – skills and knowledge balance, apprenticeships
Determination – do the best you can
Excellence: health and education used to be strong; not now
Inspiration: need good teachers to motivate
New Principles:
Should add ‘thoughtful’ and ‘flexible’ – needs to be room for change.
Lose
Excellence: should be about ‘good enough’ not ‘best’ – the sense of aspiration good
Important for future
Renewable energy: infrastructure for expertise: small, island, light, sea
We’re not good at compromise – bit black and white
Strength is our national identity – this prevails and we punch above our weight
Scottish politicians in England intrusive
No oil – windpower.
Third World stronger economy than us and Europe.
Scottish industries won’t come back – crafts, manufacturing – loss of position
Ability to govern.
Insecurities because part of UK – English centric.
What ONE thing could make life better:
For you
• Better work/life balance
• Developing arts career
• More exposure to positive news stories about Scotland
• Finance
• Public transport to be more reliable
• More opportunities (work and leisure)
For your local community
• No Sainsburys
• Arts development
• More money to allow small projects to go ahead
• Better transport
• More volunteering by people themselves – not Council-led or similar
• Involvement
• More opportunities to get involveld in things for fun
• Better social environment
For Scotland
• Less deprivation
• Profiling of visual arts generally
• More apprentice schemes. More balance in education. Would like to see trades valued more highly.
• A more serious attitude to underage drinking
• Everyone should stop looking for monetary help from others and help themselves
• Inspiration
• Turn the A1 into a motorway through the border and NE England
• Advertising our good points
Values
Shared Olympic and Paralympic values and asked which are relevant to Scotland today – or come up with own:
• Equality
• Thoughtfulness
• All of them but most of all INSPIRATION. If we have someone to inspire us then we can develop and nurture all the other qualities. We need to try to inspire others.
• Excellence
• All
• Courage to face the future with confidence in yourself
• Determination, excellence
Tell us your thoughts
Participants invited to use prompts to share their thoughts and stories. Prompts were: The Olympic and Paralympic values and Scotland today; Your hopes for Scotland’s future; Your experience of life in Scotland:
• Scotland is a bit depressed just now, but we are determined people and will get better
• Important to move with the time whilst keeping national identity alive
• Like many of my friends, I went to university in England, instead of staying in Scotland. I don’t think it’s just the educaion sector that needs improving (such as hiring too many freelancers instead of full-time staff) but links with business here and abroad. I think Scots are curious people, and need more opportunities to find inspiration.
• Hopes for the future: That the vibrancy of children in primary school could be reciprocated as they become older
• Experience of life in Scotland: pretty good, despite despair at demeanour and attitutde of secondary pupils in public (litter, language etc). Would like to see a return to manners and discipline as well as inspiration.