The Learning Exchange progrmame is a joint initiative between the Community Health Exchange (CHEX), Community Food and Health Scotland, Voluntary Health Scotland and the Scottish Government Third Sector Unit.
Originally piloted in 2012, the project sought to create opportunities for structured dialogue between community-led and voluntary health organisations and Scottish Government’s officials. It was designed to enhance officials’ ability to engage with a cohort of external stakeholders to enable them to make a significant contribution to a wide range of policy agendas. The focus of the pilot was on co-producing services within preventative health care, tackling health inequalities, and creating a positive environment for the exchange of ideas and practice. For more information on the pilot project, please see the Report on the 2012 Learning Exchanges Programme
Following the successful pilot, the programme received further funding in 2013 to undertake a series of Learning Exchanges to build on the mutual benefits that structured dialogue brings to community-led, voluntary sector health organisations and civil servants.
The programme’s objective is to build a bridge between policy making and implementation, in order to improve policy outcomes. It will do this by developing participants’ skills for engagement, supporting participants to gain a better understanding of respective roles and challenges, and facilitating the co-creation of practical ideas for improving policy making and implementation.
The Programme will run from September 2013 to March 2015 inclusive. A total of four Learning Exchanges will be offered during this time, each taking place over a six month period. Each Exchange will involve a target number of twenty participants, drawn from four third sector organisations and up to 70 officers from across Scottish Government Directorates. A Learning Exchange was undertaken in North-East Scotland in October 2013 and planning is now underway for the second round in the Central Belt.
Knowing Me, Knowing You: A Learning Exchange Event between National and Local Organisations – as part of the programme we are holding an exciting learning and networking event on Tuesday 19 August 2014. For more information, visit our events page.
If you’d like to be involved in the programme, please contact Susan Lowes.
