Explore the stories from these communities about what helps and hinders their social action.
Sharing stories
making change.

Short documentary film.
A story about overcoming adversity despite all odds, and the transformative power of community solidarity. Guided by Lena, a young Roma woman, activist and aspiring filmmaker.
Experimental short film.
Unmasked explores masking as it relates to neurodivergence and chronic illness. The work explores why we mask and the toll masking takes on your sense of self, as we attempt to shift where the responsibility for change falls.
Report.
This storytelling journey started with a collaborative art exhibition with the young people of Families First, a child support group in St Andrews. The report contains the story of the exhibition.
Audio podcast.
Afreshe promotes heritage to nurture the esteem of African children, young people and adults through active participation in their local communities. This story explores what supports and what hinders this social action.
Graphic booklet.
Trade unions are the very essence of social action. Collectivism and solidarity are at the heart of trade unionism and trade union activity. However, trade unions face significance barriers, not least the draconian anti trade union legislation that is place.
Short documentary film.
This film tells the story of the Dundee’s Community Food Growing Network. The network works collaboratively to share resources and ideas, influence policy and make growing spaces in Dundee more visible and accessible.
Short stories.
This series of short stories is based on interviews with members of a group that supports refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The aim of these narratives was to build a visible archive of what this community experienced during the Coronavirus lockdowns.
Interactive pdf newspaper.
The Third Sector Grind tells the story of 6 practitioners working as part of Oban-based community-led organisations and the trials, tribulations & little bits of magic that they have experienced during their careers.
Four-part documentary.
A group of local people in recovery from addiction came together to make recovery visible and accessible in the community. They established Let the People Sing to improve the lives of those who have become problematic substance users, their families and friends.
Graphic illustration.
This storytelling piece was created as a visual way to display the important parts of conversations with members of the Autistic community. These conversations mainly surrounded what they saw as the barriers to navigating through parts of their lives and what they thought helped them cope.
A ‘poetic-storytelling’ piece.
Why are people of colour are four times more likely to die in childbirth than their White counterparts in the UK? This story uses ‘poetic-storytelling’ to curate and provide a human dimension to the troubling reality.
Six-part video testimonies and a written testimony.
The testimonies within this storytelling piece showcase the helps and hinders faced by these young people in their advocacy in topics such as, trans-rights, disabilities, and neurodivergence as well as being young people based in the Highlands of Scotland.
Digital pdf resource.
This resource was created for organisations who work with people and their lived experiences to inform their policies, services and campaigning materials. The resource aims to guide organisations towards using more equitable and ethical methods of participation.
Short film.
This film is an intimate glimpse into Living Rent, and the hopes, dreams and challenges of its members as it works to transform a broken housing system into the homes we so desperately need.
Graphic illustration.
This storytelling piece was achieved through the sharing of incredible stories of personal growth through social action within diverse minority ethnic communities in Scotland. What helps and hinders social action within diverse cultures, faith, and backgrounds?
Audio podcast and document.
Aid and Abet provides peer-to-peer support for people coming out of prison. Four men tell their personal stories with incredible self-insight and generosity. The power of their direct, plain, honest truths became the focus for a podcast, and this publication.
Multimedia spoken word project.
This social action was sparked in 2021 after a child was racially attacked within the school setting. Responding to this incident the parent’s and community experienced the shortfalls of institutional systems in place. They responded by creating POCE, in 2022. It is led by Priscilla Mandona.
Sharing these stories
Social Media Posts (Instagram/LinkedIn)
Here are some suggested posts to promote this collection of stories.
Instructions: Copy and paste the wording below and download the images attached below to add to the chosen social media post.
Post 1
What gets in the way of social action? And what helps it to thrive?
Explore the collection of storytelling pieces (from documentaries, to podcasts, and short stories) from communities across Scotland to find out. In partnership with Social Action Inquiry Scotland @social_action_scotland #HelpsAndHinders https://socialaction.scot/stories/
Post 2
People across Scotland are responding to the needs of their communities through social action. They may be seldom-heard, treated unjustly, face stigmas and discrimination due to the current systems in place. They have decided to create change.
Together with Social Action Inquiry Scotland @social_action_scotland they are sharing their stories to highlight what helps them make that change, and what hinders that change. Curious about what #HelpsAndHinders ? Explore the stories now. https://socialaction.scot/stories/
Post 3
How can we nourish communities doing social action? We need to explore what #HelpsAndHinders their social action.
This collection of stories in different mediums from communities across Scotland showcases some examples, such as the systemic barriers, as well as the joys of collective action. Join Social Action Inquiry Scotland @social_action_scotland in sharing these #HelpAndHinders to social action. What helps and hinders do you find when you explore these stories? https://socialaction.scot/stories/
X (Twitter) Posts
Here are some suggested posts to promote this story.
Instructions: Copy and paste the wording below and download the images attached below to add to the chosen social media post.
Post 1
What gets in the way of social action? What helps it to thrive?
Explore the collection of storytelling pieces (documentaries, to podcasts, and short stories) from communities across Scotland to find out. In partnership with @Soc_Act_Scot #HelpsAndHinders https://socialaction.scot/stories/
Post 2
Post 3
Images for social media posts
Instagram and LinkedIn image
- Download the image.
- Add this to the post caption: [Image description to attach to post caption: 12 images in three rows of the snapshots of the stories are an array of faces, graphics, podcasts covers, and text from written stories. Below it reads ” what helps and hinders social action? socialaction.scot/stories”. Social Action Inquiry Scotland’s logo is in the bottom right corner, it is a sound wave that turns into a fist moving upwards.]

X (Twitter) image
- Download the image.
- Add this alt text when posting: [12 images are in two rows. These are snapshots of the stories and they are an array of faces, graphics, podcasts covers, and text from written stories. Below it reads ” what helps and hinders social action? socialaction.scot/stories”. Social Action Inquiry Scotland’s logo is in the bottom right corner, it is a sound wave that turns into a fist moving upwards.]

Want to explore more?
Check out our podcast Wavicle, which delves into our journey.