At the end of March, Our Hearings, Our Voice (OHOV) and Experts by Experience (ExE) travelled to Lochgoilhead for a weekend away together.
Both groups work hard to improve and reform the children’s hearings system, using their voice, skills and lived experience. Sometimes our priorities can be different, but we know how important it is for us to be able to communicate well and trust each other so that we can maximise our influence and create the change that children and young people want and need.
Our residential weekend was planned to ensure we had fun and got to know each other better, through spending time together, having a laugh, but also feeling challenged. We managed all of this and more!
The Scottish weather gave us the usual challenges – cold, wet boat rides and abseils down stunning rock faces. Nothing that a brilliant hot chocolate couldn’t fix though! We climbed high above ground on the gladiator challenge and climbing wall and had a few budding Robin Hoods showing off their new archery skills.
We ate together, made the most of the food offered and the snacks we put together, and everyone looked out for each other in our communal chalets. The best laughs were had at night, playing cards and games, sharing stories and laughing hard!
We even spent some time working jointly on how to prepare panel members for hearings and thinking about how children can be better supported digitally for hearings.
Everyone headed home exhausted, but with great memories and new friends to sustain us in our ongoing work together!
You can find out more about ExE.
