This document summarizes a project that used co-design methods to explore how to strengthen social connections and well-being in the Gorbals area of Glasgow. Through research including interviews and workshops with community groups, the project identified communication and access to community information as key issues. To address this, the project designed interactive noticeboards to be placed in well-trafficked areas, allowing residents to both view and share local notices, events and ideas. Feedback was positive, suggesting the noticeboards helped connect people and facilitate greater participation and ownership over local activities and spaces. The boards could potentially be expanded to other communities.

1. FLOURISHING NETWORKS
exploring social wellbeing with the Gorbals

2. Sean Manali Mirian Clare John

3. place networks communication

4. Bring people
together in a space
that allows them to
flourish

5. desk research
observations
meetings
interviews
workshops
Spirit of Gorbals
feedback
community space
noticeboards
maps
legacy
reflection
transferability
gentrification/isolation
community development
sustainability
integration events design transfer
project timeline

6. approach:
user-led co-design
“You need to design with the community,
for the community. We don’t need
another high-flyer parachuting in here,
telling us what to do, then disappearing.”
Gorbals community group organiser

7. 1
desk research
what makes a successful
community group
Awareness
2
3
Accessibility
Acceptibility

8. biodiversity
emision waste
material & energy
place & space
engagement & identity
generations
awareness
creativity & memory
belief & meaning
learning & enquiry
health & wellbeing
production & resources
exchange & transfer
regulation
consumption & use
technology & infrastructure
create jobs
wealth & distribution
welfare
good community relations
communication
network
law & justice
dialogue & reconciliation
ethics & security
negotiation
habitat & food
construction & settelements
water & air
ENVIRONMENTAL
SOCIAL CULTURAL
ECONOMIC
sustainability model
the key to successful communities

9. the Gorbals

10. the collective
12 community groups

11. field work
integrating with the
Gorbals community

34. insights
place communication
“The public space is such an underused
asset for community engagement...”
“We’re putting on activities and
events but it’s hard to get the
word out. People hear about the
event afterwards and say;
‘Oh, I wished I’d known about
that...”

35. how can design facilitate
better communication in
public spaces?

36. design
a communication tool that
connects people to people
and people to place

38. interactive
noticeboards
generates opportunities
and spreads the word
establishes the means
for participation and
coordination of activities
identifies the underused assets
and gives people decision making
capability

39. feedback from
GAP on areas of
high footfall in the
Gorbals area

40. innovation
conventional noticeboard real-time engagement

59. legacy
awareness
noticeboards in key
locations with high
footfall
engaging the people
in community
decisions
people contributing
their ideas to shape
their environment
connecting people to
turn their ideas into
action
using the noticeboards
to ‘get the word out’
accessibility interaction ownership facilitation

60. interactive noticeboards across the community

61. interactive noticeboards across the city

62. interactive noticeboards across the country

63. “You cannot say what is or is not a
thriving community until you have
asked the community themselves”