Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living

05/02/2026

As part of our ongoing skills development within Voices at Work, some of our steering group members spent the morning with Project Manager, Stacey and SDS Development Team Lead, Will.

We focused on building digital communication skills using Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp, and other tools to support participation, connection, and confidence with technology.

Participation is more than just being invited into a space, it’s about having the tools and support to be there in a way that suits you.

If you would like to take part in the Voices at Work project and help shape the experiences of disabled people in the workplace, then get in touch by DM or by email at Stacey.Highfield@gcil.org.uk



Image description 1: Three people sat behind a wooden table with laptops and phones. One man in a denim top and wearing glasses is sat on the left, a woman wearing a black top and glasses is in the middle, a second woman is on the right wearing a light top and has a headset with a mic on.

Image description 2: Two men sat at a wooden table, with a large blue water bottle ands a laptop and ipad on it. One man in a denim top and wearing glasses is sat on the right, another man is on the left in a light blue shirt.

Image description 3: Two steering group members sat behind a wooden table with laptops and phones. One man in a denim top and wearing glasses is sat on the left, a woman is on the right wearing a light top and has a headset with a mic on.

05/02/2026

Today, disabled people made history.

In a European first, disabled people took over the Scottish Cabinet, placing our voices, expertise and lived experience at the heart of government decision-making.

The Cabinet was co-chaired by First Minister John Swinney alongside the CEOs of Inclusion Scotland, Glasgow Disability Alliance and Disability Equality Scotland. Disabled People’s Organisations worked directly with Scottish Ministers to produce the Disability Equality Plan to address the barriers disabled people continue to face across employment, health, housing, transport and access to public services.

Discussions focused on disabled people’s employment and tailored employability support, accessible transport, Adult Disability Payment, social care and mental health. This was about practical change, not token consultation.

Inclusion Scotland CEO Heather Fisken said: "Today’s event has given the Scottish Cabinet a real opportunity to hear directly from Disabled People’s Organisations about what needs to change"

This takeover showed what meaningful co-production looks like when disabled people are in the room and setting the agenda. The challenge now is turning today’s conversations into action.

Find the Disability Equality Plan here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/disability-equality-plan/



Image Description: A light green graphic features the Inclusion Scotland logo at the top. Large bold text reads: “Scottish Cabinet Takeover,” with the subheading: “Today, disabled people made history.” Along the bottom are three organisation logos: the pink speech‑bubble logo of Disability Equality Scotland, the dark purple Inclusion Scotland logo, and the multicoloured circular logo of Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA).

03/02/2026

GCIL are proud to stand alongside our DPO colleagues at Inclusion Scotland , Glasgow Disability Alliance , Disability Equality Scotland and others at The Scottish Government Cabinet Takeover, where disabled people’s voices, expertise and lived experience were placed at the heart of government decision-making.

This powerful event saw Disabled People’s Organisations working directly with Scottish Ministers to progress the Disability Equality Plan.

At GCIL, we continue to champion inclusive decision-making and the principle that there should be nothing about us without us, ensuring disabled people are not just consulted, but are shaping policies that impact our lives.



[Image description: First Minister John Swinney stood behind a podium. He is wearing a grey suit, light shirt and grey tie and is wearing glasses. He us stood in front of tall windows and to the left is a grey wall.]

28/01/2026

Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living welcomes the publication of The State and Future of Social Work and Social Care Funding in Scotland. In particular the findings from the survey on disabled people and unpaid carers in part 3.

The report highlights the real-life impact of reductions to Self‑Directed Support budgets, showing that disabled people are losing choice and control over their care, while unpaid carers face increasing strain. Many respondents described inflexible, crisis driven support that undermines independence, wellbeing, and dignity.

GCIL’s 30th Anniversary Manifesto for Inclusive Living calls for rights-based, long-term funding, the abolition of unfair care charges, and the central involvement of disabled people and carers in decisions that affect their lives. The report confirms why these demands remain urgent.

We support the recommendations within the report.

1. Improve the use of data across the Self-directed Support system in line with Recommendation 4.2 of the Self-directed Support Improvement plan focusing on information, choice and quality of options.

2. Recognise the harm being caused to disabled people and unpaid carers and stop cuts to direct payments immediately.

3. Where cuts have been made without appropriate assessment of potential harm, or the involvement of disabled people and unpaid carers, reinstate these direct payments immediately.

4. Undertake equality impact assessments of cuts to date, to understand the impact of cuts across specific groups of people accessing direct payments, including those whose voices may not have been represented in this research.

5. Prioritise the reform of eligibility criteria nationally, in line with commitment laid out in the COSLA and Scottish Government Joint Statement of Intent.

6. Prioritise the reform of complaints procedures, prioritising a fair, effective and consistent approach to complaints and redress with appropriate and timely access to advocacy .

7. Stop non-residential social care charging nationally and locally to ensure that disabled people are not excluded from accessing social care, and pushed further into poverty.

8. Re-align practice around direct payments to existing statutory duty and best practice guidance, focusing on enabling flexibility in the use of direct payments and increasing transparency and accountability as per SDS Standards.

9. Invest in a rights-based approach to budgets, recognising the multiple marginalisation of disabled people and unpaid carers.

Independent living is not a privilege; it is a human right. GCIL will continue to champion a Scotland where disabled people and their carers have the resources, choice, and voice they need to live full, inclusive lives.

[Image description: White background with a speech rectangle in a light blue frame. Royal blue speech quotations on the upper left hand side and royal blue GCIL logo In the middle reads "Independent living is not a privilege; it is a human right. GCIL will continue to champion a Scotland where disabled people and their carers have the resources, choice, and voice they need to live full, inclusive lives."]

09/01/2026

We are currently recruiting for the following:

Administrator
Support Services Team Lead
Self-Directed Support Development Worker

If you are interested in joining the GCIL team, please click the link on Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector post for more information.

New updates on the noticeboard for 2026:

🫶 Najwa New Scots Carers Centre - SCIO are opening a new coffee morning and beauty therapy wellbeing project
📲 COPE Scotland are hosting a Network Weaving session on digital Inclusion next month
📑 Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living has job vacancies closing on 16th January

If you're a member, share your news free anytime - our noticeboard is open to all! Get in quick and we'll share your updates in next Wednesday's newsletter😉
https://bit.ly/boardposts

07/01/2026

We are pleased to announce that our Voices at Work steering group is now full!

We are still recruiting for our one-off workshops, giving you the opportunity to use your lived/living experience of employment to help us better understand and shape fairer, more inclusive work. This disabled person-led project offers paid involvement, accessibility built in, and travel costs reimbursed.

To get involved, you must be:
- Living within the Glasgow City Council tax boundary
- Currently in, or have been in, paid employment within the last five years

And have one or more of the following:
-Visual and/or hearing impairment
- Epilepsy
- Multiple Sclerosis
- A long-term health condition

If you would like to join us, or would like more information, please get in touch at Stacey.Highfield@gcil.org.uk or call 0141 550 4455.



[Image description- Light blue background that reads "Have your say” in large blue text. A speech bubble reads: “Help shape fairer work for disabled people using your lived experience and expertise.” The GCIL logo appears in the top right. An illustration of a hand holding a megaphone is shown on the right. Contact details are displayed at the bottom: stacey.highfield@gcil.org.uk
and 0141 550 4455.]

24/12/2025

The GCIL team have logged off and the office is now closed for the remainder of the year. We will be returning on the 5th January, upon which we will respond to your queries.

We would like to share a heartfelt thanks for another year of incredible support for GCIL as together we work towards a more equal and inclusive society. We look forward to continuing this work with you in 2026 💙💚💛

We would like to wish each and every one of you a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year 🎄

We understand that the festive period can be difficult for some people. Please do reach out if you need support.

Samaritans: Call 116-123 or www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/

NHS: Call 111 or text SHOUT to 85258

Breathing Space: Call 0800838587

Scope- disability related support: Call 08088003333 or www.scope.org.uk/giving/cost-of-christmas

Scottish Women's Aid: Call 08000271234 or https://womensaid.scot/contact-us/

Abused Men In Scotland: Call 03300949395 or https://abusedmeninscotland.org/about/helpline/

[Image description- A festive red graphic with green pine branches, baubles, and stars along the top. Large white text reads “We are now closed.” Below, smaller yellow text says 'We will be closed from the 24 December, reopening on 5th January 2026, with a message saying 'we look forward to seeing you all in the New Year'. Snowy hills, Christmas trees, and two snowmen appear at the bottom of the image. The GCIL logo is shown in the bottom right corner]

21/12/2025

Our year in review 🎉

Thank you to each and every one of you who have been part of GCIL in 2025 💙



[Image description: Series of 3 Images that is a colour infographic in blue, yellow and white.

Image 1: Titles 2025, year in Review it says;
2025 has been a year of change for GCIL. Alongside challenges, we’ve seen growth, resilience and many successes. Here’s a summary of what we’ve achieved together — thank you.
It lists the number of people we have supported (1000+), the number of new cases (500+), the hours of support (2200+), number of payrolls processed (5800+), bills paid (2600+) and new members (40+).

Image 2: Under the heading 'Our team', is the text;
2 new Mental Health 1st Aiders and a beautiful wellbeing room.
26 different roles within GCIL evaluated and a new staff forum created.
2 new posts created for Recruitment specialist ILAs, and welcomed our 1st Social Work student.
18 core training, specialist training and Development sessions introduced.
PA adverts personalised and improved.
Under the heading 'Our organisation';
We celebrated our 30th birthday with a parliamentary reception.
Job adverts, applications and interview process reviewed and improved.
New database, new branding and new website.
2 Lanarkshire offices merged and contracts renewed in Glasgow and North Lanarkshire..
Became ILF award Managers.

Image 3: Under the heading 'Our projects';
Young people's project; Funded by the National Lottery, Worked with young people and school pupils from across Glasgow, Recommends a Transition focussed service within GCIL
Voices at work; Funded by Glasgow Futures (No-one Left Behind) / Scottish Government, Working with disabled people across Glasgow, Focussed on understanding what keeps disabled people in jobs.

18/12/2025

We recently took part in Beyond the Label, a powerful training session delivered by Elaine McTaggart.

Elaine is mum to Grant, a 20-year-old who she describes as “a great teacher of resilience and how to live a different – and sometimes very complex – life in an ordinary way.” Grant is also an employee of the family business and a Look for a Book - West Kilbride enthusiast, actively contributing to his community.

Through Elaine’s reflections, and the shared experiences of Grant and Team Grant, the session explored how disabled people are often described by their needs first, rather than as people — with strengths, individuality, qualities and potential.

The session highlighted how barriers within systems, services and societal attitudes limited Grant’s opportunities — not because of who he is, but because of perceptions placed upon him.

Moving beyond the “subtext”, as Elaine described it, challenges assumptions and attitudes, helping to create a society where disabled people are supported to truly thrive.

Sessions like Beyond the Label give us valuable space to reflect on the language we use, the expectations we hold, and the role we all play in building more inclusive environments. We explored how this learning applies to our everyday practice at GCIL, reinforcing how positive, person-centred language supports inclusion.

We thank Elaine and Team Grant for sharing their lived and living experience so openly and honestly.



[Image 1: Elaine sits behind a table in a meeting room has grey carpeted flooring, white walls and overhead ceiling panels. She has a burgundy top on, grey hair and is wearing a smart watch, she is smiling with her arms crossed over. On the table is papers with sticky notes, an open laptop, a reusable water bottle and a glass of water.

Behind Elaine is a large screen is mounted on the wall displaying a presentation slide. On the left side of the slide is an orange graphic with luggage-style tags reading “Beyond the Label.” On the right side, the slide reads “Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living,”. A radiator and power sockets are visible along the wall on the righthand side of Elaine. ]

[Image 2: A blue graphic with a clean, modern design featuring two participant quotes in white text, each inside rounded speech-bubble style outlines with quotation marks. The background includes soft abstract shapes and small star-like decorative icons. The GCIL logo is at the top on the right hand side.

The first quote reads:
“I really enjoyed the session. Elaine’s way of sharing her and Grant’s story was both brilliant and thought-provoking.”

The second quote reads:
“The session reinforced the need for person-centred language and why it matters. It really showed how small changes can make a big difference.”]