Outreach network

For the Care about Rights Project to make a long term and sustainable impact we wanted to make sure that we listened to and worked with older people across Scotland who have direct experience of care services. The Commission has been working closely with Age Scotland regional groups, advocacy groups and other organisations across Scotland to empower individuals to understand and claim their human rights. Working in partnership we have established four outreach groups across Scotland - in Inverness, North Lanarkshire, Galashiels and Orkney. Participants in each group have brought with them unique life experiences and perspectives which reflect their different rural and urban locations.

Since beginning in October 2010 these sessions have been held in community venues with the support of local interest groups and activists such as the Highland Senior Citizens Network, Borders Independent Advocacy Service, Voice of Experience Forum and Advocacy Orkney.

The sessions raise awareness of how human rights law offers a framework for balancing competing interests and finding fair solutions which put human dignity at the heart of all decisions about the care and treatment of older people in residential care, and care at home settings. The groups work through the DVD film scenarios and written case studies as well as exploring current issues of broader human rights relevance in the local and national news. The subject matters can be emotive and personal at times so discussions are always lively and interactive!

We hope by the end of these sessions participants have the confidence to start applying basic human rights knowledge in campaign and advocacy work. Each participant is a very special part of the project because they have a personal commitment to human rights, are passionate about the rights of older people and are gatekeepers to ensuring that older people and their advocates are empowered to speak up when human rights are not respected.

Age Scotland CEO David Manion has given his support, saying: "Care about Rights will go a long way to bringing human rights closer to the people and making them more understandable. The pack explains concepts like responsibilities and proportionality simply and effectively, mainstreaming human rights as an older people's issue. We believe Care about Rights will prove invaluable in nurturing a human rights-based culture in care that can only improve service delivery."