This video introduces Ellie Hutchinson, a community film-maker and consultant commissioned by the Inclusive Public Service work strand of the RSE’s Post-Covid-19 Futures Commission. Ellie explores active citizenship in practice. She has spent the last few months making films with users and facilitators of people-centered community support and services, gaining insights about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and how people have created and used support to help them through. The films are part of the working group’s wider work to identify projects and structures which promote and enable self-directed care and community support.
We asked six organisations; Distress Brief Intervention (DBI), ENABLE Scotland, Glasgow Life, Paths for All, Scottish Ballet and Trojan Theatre to take part. They helped identify people using their services to tell their story about what it means to have services meet their needs, and what it means to have their needs met in ways that work for them. People also show what it means to be seen in all their complexity, with many occupying multiple marginalised identities. Using participatory film making, Ellie worked with twenty-seven people, creating space for them to explore inclusive public services and the impact such services have had for them.
In this feature, Ellie introduces the key principles of her work, her creative approaches and tools, and explains why the films are important.
For me, it’s all part of the same picture. It’s, it’s different ways to talk about the same thing, which is how do we all work together to create equal societies where all our voices are heard, where our identities are respected, and that we’re safe and that we are able to express ourselves. – Ellie Hutchinson
The films will premiere in June – more details to follow.
Ellie works with organisations and individuals looking to make long-lasting impact and change. Using a feminist, collaborative and creative approach to facilitation, research and wellbeing, she works with folk in the arts, third and public sectors to enhance knowledge, care and compassion for change. To get in touch send an email to ellie@elliehutchinson.com.
