Open Mind Network
The Open Mind Network was a peer-led network involving communities of practice (CoP) bringing together practitioners across Scotland passionate about supporting young people around creativity and mental health and wellbeing. The network met quarterly to explore a theme of interest to the group each time and to support network building, share developing practices and challenges, and signpost resources. Themes explored included 3 CoPs play, gathering and reducing loneliness, and mental health in an unequal world.
The network developed from the Open Mind Summit, an annual event of keynote talks, panel discussions and networking opportunities with the aim of attracting like-minded individuals of all ages to be inspired, learn, collaborate and connect. After the Summit’s first year the programme moved online due to COVID-19 allowing us to reach practitioners all across Scotland. During the final Summit event in 2021 attendees expressed wanting a more frequent space to connect leading to the launch of the Open Mind Network.