We are back with a bang! Season 2 of Taking Action kicks off with the indefatigable Melanie Stuart, FE lecturer, activist and more. The list of links and references set out below will give you a flavour of the range of this conversation. Mel is open, honest and brave and shares her own personal development in these notes and on the show, but, above all she gets stuff done which is what taking Action is all about.

It's one for anyone interested in FE, culture change and courage


Relax Kids
This is where the journey began for me, learning about ACEs and how the brain works. As part of Relax Kids training in Scotland, we met Jane Evans, whose work had a significant impact. Link to Jane Evans work which I use in lessons with students https://youtu.be/qKlzd-H2X9w?si=CBbVRsbjXhw8-dbz
Website: https://relaxkids.com/
Hand in Hand Parenting
Wanting to know more I then discovered Hand in Hand Parenting. The connection-based approach resonated deeply, and The Secret Garden in Fife became my youngest daughter’s nursery because they embedded this relational, connection-first philosophy.
Website: https://www.handinhandparenting.org/
An anecdote of mine https://www.handinhandparenting.org/2018/10/how-to-talk-to-teenager
The Secret Garden Outdoor Nursery: Training in the Hand in Hand Approach - Secret Garden Outdoor Nursery

Mel's business Facebook page, a combination of mindfulness and connection based parenting work: https://www.facebook.com/MindfulConnectionsWithMelanie
Listening Partnerships (Hand in Hand Parenting)
Listening Partnerships have been central to my own growth and embodiment of trauma‑informed practice.
Overview: https://www.handinhandparenting.org/2016/08/listen-launch-post-what-is-a-listening-partnership/
Dundee and Angus ACEs Hub (Now Aces Action Community)
The hub began in 2018 after an Upstart launch event at Dundee University, watching the Resilience documentary at the DCA, and meeting others committed to change.
Website: https://dundeeangusacehub.wixsite.com/dundeeangusaceshub
Facebook: Dundee & Angus ACEs Action Community | Facebook
ACE-Aware Nation Conference – 2018 Conference
Mindfulness Action Research (CAIRN Article)
Enhancing Student Wellbeing: The Impact of Mindfulness Exercises on Subject Based Anxiety in Further Education
https://www.cdn.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Enhancing-Student-Wellbeing.pdf
EIS FELA (Further Education Lecturers’ Association)
The union representing FE lecturers across Scotland, including the Dundee branch.
Main site: https://www.eis.org.uk/FELA/FELA-Home
FE Matters Campaign / Dundee Branch Context
For updates on FE campaigning activity, industrial action, and ongoing sector concerns, see Fighting for the Future of Further Education on Facebook.
Fighting for the future of Further Education | Facebook
Hear2Connect (Community Connection Work)
Hear2Connect supports connection-based community work.
Private Facebook: hear2connect community | Facebook
Private LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/16096108/
Scotland ACEs Action Community
A national community sharing learning and supporting trauma‑informed action across Scotland.
ACEs & Trauma Scotland Forum | Facebook
ACESAction Community Scotland Forum | Groups | LinkedIn
Carnoustie High - Crew
What Crew is EL Education - Building the Culture and Structure of Crew

And here is the link to join our screening for those who wish to sign up for the Dundee & Angus College screening of- Love and Trouble - a documentary exploring how trauma lives inside relationships –https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=mQQF_bgn1EKWzZGmwHUsn3ZbWeBjwIRDtBGMEzy1gf1URUtPVlZBODZCWkxOUjRBQl

Welcome to the final podcast of series 1 of Taking Action. I will now be 'taking stock" and "taking a break" instead. the podcast will definitely be back, maybe with a renewed focus, format and frequency. Please look out for a return in mid-February. In the meantime, please check out previous episodes on Buzzsprout, Apple and Spotify.

I had no doubt about how I wanted to finish off this first season and that was with a look back at this year, both through the podcast and the wider set of actions to mark the 20 year anniversary of Scotland's ACEs Journey. I also wanted this too be a forward looking episode and I think we have achieved both goals.

This is a relaxed and wide ranging conversation which rounds off the series as I would want it to. It is filled with hope.

If you wan t know more about what has been happening in Scotland over the last 20 years, here are some useful links

For the graphic film telling the story of Scotland’s ACES Journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hik0_sfbF6I

For the booklet telling the story of Scotland’s ACEs Journey:

https://connectedbaby.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ACEs-Journey-book-screen-190625.pdf

For an even deeper dive into Scotland’s ACEs Journey:

https://connectedbaby.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ACEs-Journey-info-June-25-2025.pdf

For the 2023 paper by Zeedyk & Partridge tracing the ACEs history: https://connectedbaby.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ACEs-Journey-Article-.pdf

For a video of the Gala Day held in June 2025:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbP5ZbyMCBE

We will also be releasing a graphic image showing the range of people involved in the podcast. It is a powerful illustration of the diversity of sectors, organisations and individuals who are working to make Scotland a more just, compassionate and equitable country .

Look out for that on Linkedin, Bluesky and X

This is an episode which I have been longing to record. John Carnochan and Karyn McCluskey are, for me, towering figures in Scotland's ACEs movement. They were founding members of the groundbreaking Violence Reduction Unit established within the Strathclyde Police Force (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violence_Reduction_Unit). They would both give credit to others for the building of that unit and they do that on the podcast, but they were instrumental in its success. Both are charismatic, clear-sighted, pragmatic and principled. They helped to change the culture of policing in, what was then, Strathclyde Region and influenced change far beyond that.

They tackled what was then an appalling climate of violence in Scotland and had the courage to turn their backs on the standard remedy of more police, harsher punishments and a massive increase in the prison population. They recognised that "prevention" and "deterrence" were not synonyms and were prepared to tackle the causes of crime.

They saw the importance of improving public services, memorably calling for more health visitors rather than more police officers. They listened to victims and to perpetrators and drew widely on data and research and they had an impact.

They are both wonderful communicators with the ability to generate stunning phrases and aphorisms at the drop of a proverbial hat. They understood, and understand, the power of stories and used that relentlessly to engage, motivate and inspire others.

Above all they brought, and bring, an intense humanity to all that they do. They are as far from the caricature of "bleeding-heart liberals" or "woke warriors" as it possible to be, but they are unafraid to argue with John Major's assertion that we need to"condemn a little more and understand a little less". They are clear that, regardless of how we deal with crime and criminals, we will change little without understanding, curiosity and a willingness to learn.

Remarkably, they not only manage to illustrate all of these points in this episode, they also help us to reflect on the ACEs movement more generally and the lessons that we need to learn.

It is an episode worth learning from

For anyone interested in finding out more about the VRU, here are a number of links

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/25/scottish-violence-reduction-unit-radical-change

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhFDsONaA5Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjvqUWl4lkA