Live Digital Scribing for the Royal College of Occupational Therapists

Last week I was at a 2 day conference for children and young people OT's (Occupational Therapists) and it was quite an emotional couple of days! 

So many great people, doing all they can to help people get back to what they love doing, whether that's walking to school (after a brain aneurism), or dancing freestyle in a wheelchair. 

Here are a few of the images I drew for the conference, and more about the RCOT here: https://www.rcot.co.uk/

Illustration of a live event - in advance!

This is the 10th year I've done illustrations for the annual 'My Voice Matters' event for Merton Centre for Independent Living. https://www.mertoncil.org.uk/

This time they've given me the main points in advance and they are going to print this as an A3 poster to give to attendees. I think it's probably the first time I've been asked to draw out a live event in advance, but it does take the pressure off!

If you've never heard of the 'Social Model of Disability' it's basically the built environment and lack of adjustments that makes it difficult for people who live with a disability to live as they'd like to. 

The 12 pillars at the bottom of the graphic outlines what needs to be in place to support people in their day to day living.

Cafcass Practice Week

 I've been asked to cover Cafcass Practice Week for the last few years and it gets better each time!

This image was commissioned in advance of the live work and represents the difficult balance that Cafcass' staff are involved in, between the voices of families and children and the law, and trying in the midst of it all to get it 'right' for the welfare of the vulnerable.

This was one of the compulsory sessions, it's so important that children know and understand what's going on, and in a child-friendly way:

These were two think-in workshops, they were interactive and about gathering ideas and suggestions from staff:

Part of the opening event:

This session was all about supporting the workforce:

A great session with Justice Gwynneth Knowles. All about a focus on policy and the need to protect people in cases of domestic abuse, as this has been on the rise nationally:

Strengths Based Social Care - Illustrations

This was a commission by a local authority in London, it came out of a live event where I drew out people's ideas at the event, and then these were worked up and used in this short booklet to help social workers focus on this way of working, that empowers individuals to have agency and a say in their own futures.

Staff Conference Merton Council, London

 It was a pleasure to be asked back to this staff conference for the third year. Lots of changes have happened over the last 2 years, and still more to come...

Online Scribing, Healthcare Educators

This summer I was asked to scribe this meeting remotely, so I was working on my Ipad, and the meeting was held online. This was all about educators in teaching hospitals and whether they had the support they needed in order to deliver the training for the next generation of healthcare professionals. 

Basically, if there is no protected time (or space) then you end up sitting in a cupboard to join the online meeting and not having a lunch break (it's that bad..)

Radiation Services, The North West

 I was asked to create an explainer poster for the radiographers in the North West of England. 

The region is struggling to recruit and retain staff, so I'm hoping this assists them explain their vision for their new ways of working.

Merton Young People's Plan

A 'you said we did' explainer, for London Borough of Merton's Young People. 

An ambitious list!

 

London School of Economics, Postgraduate Poster

A piece of work for a postgrad research project at the London School of Economics.

I was asked to represent the findings of the project as an A2 size poster (click on the image to see more detail), this was mainly about the galvanising impact of activism, and that even though everyday life was still a struggle, the main impact of being part of the disability activism movement was one of  collective and individual joy as well as lifelong friendship and learning.

 

 

Neighbourhood Healthcare Forum, Whitechapel, London

This meeting was all about the healthcare needs of local people people in Whitechapel. 

The needs of the group were about accessing timely healthcare interventions and basic access to GP appointments, these concerns reflect the current situation nationally, as since 2020 there have been a lot less GP appointments available.

Chinese Students visit Derby

A large format image (1 metre square) commissioned by a school in Derby to celebrate a recent cultural exchange. They packed a lot in to 3 days!

I wasn't there for the 3 day trip, I was sent a description of what the head wanted to include, as well as photos and descriptions. It was fun bringing it all to life!
 

National Co-Production Week

I had a wonderful afternoon in Hammersmith recently, this was commissioned by Hammersmith and Fulham council, but the participants were local disabled residents who are mainly volunteers, speaking on behalf of all local disabled residents and steering services using the method of Co-Production.

Really energetic crowd, favourite phrase of the day: 'let's be ruthlessly inclusive!

More info on the work they're doing here: https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/councillors-and-democracy/co-production-doing-things-residents-not-residents/co-production-matters-hf

Cafcass Managers Conference

Had a busy week last week, this was done at the venue, but I scribed digitally on my Ipad. 

Cafcass are under considerable pressure due to the volume of families in the courts. They've also recently been judged as 'outstanding' by Ofsted, so the challenge will to stay at that level of performance, despite the huge workload. 

Listening to the child and being their advocate is at the heart of their work.

 

British Screen Forum

 Had a great morning last week, working on a round table discussion with the British Screen Forum https://britishscreenforum.co.uk/, on what the future political horizon will hold in store for the sector. 

Not long now until we find out...

Keeping Children in School, Derby Inclusion Partnership

Had a fab time up in Derby City last week scribing for their Inclusive Partnership, and I loved how the've embraced my drawings and are using them for a campaign to get kids back into school, and enjoying themselves there!

They've teamed up with the talented team at Fluid Media: https://www.fluid-ideas.co.uk/ to do a media campaign, more on that later in the summer :)

This (pink image) was for the teaser for the campaign: