School of Health & Wellbeing

Our Hub Mondays are a chance for groups to come in and see the space. If you’re new to our Hub, or if you’re already familiar with us, come and pop in! There will be tea and coffee, an opportunity to chat to our Hub volunteers and network, and dedicated time to see the Byres Community Hub space and our public spaces in Clarice Pears.

 

10am: welcome with tea, coffee, and biscuits

10.30am: Tour of our Hub and Clarice Pears building

11am: Topic presented by a researcher or community partner and open discussion/networking

 

Join us every fortnight.  Dates below:

• 29th July: Peer Research: Veterans and Mental Health
• 12th August: Climate justice and sustainability in the community
• 26th August: Public Engagement at Research Data Scotland
• 9th September: TBC
• 23rd September: TBC
• 7th October: The overlap of mental illness and obesity, diabetes, and heart disease
• 21st October: CONNECT: using digital devices to predict relapse in psychosis
• 4th November: Using the Law for Social Change: for Communities and Activists, with Lawmanity
• 18th November: Self-Care

 

In the community consultation to develop what became Byres Community Hub, ‘advice for community organisations undertaking own research’ was one of key things that respondents wanted to see provided through the hub.  Participants in our coproduction workshop wanted to see the space used to facilitate research collaborations between academics and community organisations and the Hub was envisaged as a platform to ‘bring people together with similar interests’ and for ‘mutual skill sharing’.

A focus group participant said:

‘We’re all in these little silos of research in the community, whereas the community should be at the centre. And if it has that kind of ethos, where the community can have their say, they can influence, and are the power then I think that would be the unique selling point.’ 

So our Hub Mondays are also a means to facilitate networking between community, between university and between community and university.  They help realise the goals within our consultation and bring more skills, knowledge and experience in our research.  So if you have something you would like to talk through or make connections, we hope you can join us at one soon. 

 

Please find below a list of forthcoming topics for discussion at Hub Mondays:

26th August: Public Engagement at Research Data Scotland

 

Research Data Scotland aims to make it quicker and simpler for researchers to use data for research and improve lives. To help make that happen, they work with the public to guide the decisions they make - including how data is held and accessed by researchers. In this session, you'll get the chance to learn about what Research Data Scotland do, how they make sure the public shape that work, and a new community fund they're developing. 

 

7th October: The overlap of mental illness and obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. 

Mental illness is often associated with poor physical health, with obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease being more common in those with mental illness, than the general population. For a long time it was assumed that lifestyle factors (such as smoking, poor diet and sedentary lifestyle) and medications (anti-psychotics and anti-depressants) were the reason for this. Recent research suggests that the reality is more complex, with shared biological pathways being responsible for both mental and physical illness. Join us to share what you know about this area, what you’d like to know, and hear about some of the research that Dr Rona Strawbridge and her colleagues are working on. 

 

21st October: CONNECT: using digital devices to predict relapse in psychosis

Psychosis can involve a range of experiences from hearing voices, feeling suspicious around others or having confused thinking. Sometimes, these experiences can become distressing and get in the way of living a fulfilling life. In CONNECT, we provide participants with digital devices to see how changes in activity levels, thoughts, feelings and behaviours might relate to someone’s mental health getting better or worse. 

Join us to hear about the study, how we are helping digital inclusion in Glasgow and share your thoughts with us! 

 

4th November: Using the Law for Social Change: for Communities and Activists, with Lawmanity  

Jen Ang, Founding Director, of Lawmanity will lead a participatory workshop for community organisations and activists, on using the law as a tool for social change.  No prior experience of using or studying law is necessary!   Come along to hear about historical and present day examples of how people and movements have made impactful change in their communities using the law, and to talk about how we can tackle issues that matter to you, using legal thinking and to support your campaigning strategies.

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First published: 23 October 2023