All the young people who participated in the ‘Open Aye’ course really enjoyed the whole experience. They learned how to use a camera and took some fantastic pictures which really boosted their confidence. The Scottish Guardianship Service is grateful that our young people had the opportunity to participate in the ‘Open Aye’ course and would love for more of our young people to have this opportunity in the future.

It’s been brilliant. It’s opened up my confidence to go and explore with the camera and explore different types of photography in different settings. But I think the most important thing that I’ve really loved out of this is that it’s begun to change how I see things… I feel like something has been switched on in my brain that is allowing me to see the world in a different way, which is really exciting.

We commissioned Open Aye to carry out a series of participatory photography workshops with people in Recovery. We wanted to support people in recovery to take their own photographs to describe their recovery journey and the results were inspirational. Images from the workshops are captured in Recovery Through the Lens, a photography exhibition which has been displayed across Scotland. Overall, the Open Aye participatory workshops were a massive success.

From the first week on a cold damp day in Springburn Park through to a warm sunny day on a beach on the Isle of Bute (even in December!) something in us was “sparked” that stayed throughout the project. We all loved this project from start to finish. To summarise I would leave you with this ringing endorsement from all the participants of this project “When Can We Do it AGAIN?”?

I suffer from anxiety. I am trying to combat it. This course helped me with my anxiety and got me out and about. A highlight for me was seeing Glasgow city buildings and meeting new people and learning how to take photos. I went to this course worrying what to expect but it was very relaxing and a great experience. I learned how to use a camera, how to make stories with pictures. It also highlighted different sides of homelessness to me.

I’ve gained confidence. I give this project 10/10 (if I could give it 100 / 10 I would!). This was a fantastic opportunity. It gave me an honest insight and new skills.

Working with Open Aye was a fantastic experience both in the run up to our event and on the day itself. They had everything well planned and specifically adapted to what we were looking for. It was clear that they had properly researched and prepared for the particular requirements of what we were trying to do. When the event came, Open Aye demonstrated that they are just as brilliant at working with young people as they are with cameras.

Working with Becky on this project was a sheer delight. She was reliable – came when she said she would- went the “extra mile” to get it right and her presence always added more fun, more energy and more zest to whatever we were doing. It wasn’t an easy project but she was patient and sensitive to the needs of the women and to the staff as we worked with the difficulties and we responded accordingly, wanting to give her our best effort. I would work with her again without hesitation and have recommended her to others.

The (Planning Aid for Scotland) project was about coming together with people working in the same field, although with different roles – we share the same vision of creating more productive places for people to live and work. Having the opportunity to collaborate outdoors really helped to develop an exciting creative approach to our work.

I have to be honest with you, I was going through a bad time there and this opportunity came up and the only words I can put to it are that it gave me a kick in the backside. It got me out and gave me a wee sort of boost to get me oot and aboot again and to just get out my door.

This was a great project. One designed to make you feel good. Not many other refugee services are designed to do that. It was very unusual.. but good!

The young people from Chrysalis had a great day out in Pollock Park, it was a wet November day but it didn’t seem to dampen their spirits! They enjoyed being outside and said how beautiful the trees were whilst they piggybacked each other across puddles and tiptoed through the mud. This mini-adventure really brought the group together and this cohesion is important at the early stages of our group work programme. Taking photographs was a great way for them to interact with the environment and with each other. Facilitators Becky and Eilidh were very sensitive to the needs and mood of the group and made lots of provision for the wet weather conditions, with macs and snacks and somewhere warm to end up.

It’s easier to talk about difficult topics when you’ve got photographs in front of you to help you express what you mean.

I loved seeing all the different projects that are going on in the community and seeing how you can get involved with that and how it can help everybody you know. It’s shown me a whole different side of life. I’ve just loved it.

Becky has facilitated a number of excellent PhotoVoice workshops with extremely challenging groups of participants – including homeless young people and young people with disabilities. In every instance of working for PhotoVoice Becky has delivered perfectly pitched workshops that have engaged the participants beyond expectations and led to incredibly impressive and powerful photographs from the group. Beyond her excellent facilitation skills Becky has contributed to the design and delivery of outputs, including educational resources and exhibitions, and never fails to impress with her insight, energy and reliability.