Signs of Hope

A walk down to Newhaven harbour this morning in bright sunlight provided a number of signs of hope and a feeling of new energy. On the far side of the park a line of crocuses added some colour and nearby some bunches of snowdrops.

Once at the Harbour, a fishing boat bobbed in the breeze with the lighthouse as backdrop. I am sure that that lighthouse has offered hope to folks in the past.

All simple things, all looking great in todays superb light.

Images are powerful things. What images of hope are around for you at the moment? What images of hope are visible in Scotland right now?

Start with young people

Ideas from Scotlands Future -young people in Scotland's schools are keen to respond to questions about the future of Scotland. Here is what one school group had to say. We designed a process that engaged the young people and their parents in questions about the future and they creatively portrayed this in any way they chose. The ideas were many and varied and the room included great aunts, community police and mothers and father. The conversation followed a lively and moving whole school assembly on St Andrews day.
The young people chose the theme and designed the assembly themselves after we had been working with the class for just one period of time. Imagine the potential in Scotland's schools-they are waiting to be asked.

Stories are powerful.

This is a cartoon by a great guy Graham Ogilvie whom I have had the pleasure of working with on a number of occasions. A lot of the work I do involves stories and many cultures value stories. They have the advantage too of being accessible to everyone.
Someone also pointed out to me that no-one can argue with your story because it's your story. So unlike a debate, where people put over different points of view and people feel obliged or enjoy taking an opposite stand, with a story -its your story and you relate it and people cannot take it away from you. Stories are indeed powerful.

Another good colleague of mine Patricia Boyle also explained to me that " stories are to dialogue as facts are to science" So science deals in facts and dialogue is about dealing in stories and truly listening to what other people say and valuing them and the story. Its a very different way of engaging with people and aids understanding.

So tell me a story.... Stories with a wee picture as even more powerful.

So when we imagine Scotland we tell a story and paint or draw a picture either in reality or in other people 's minds. Enjoy story telling and drawing a picture.