Tell us a bit about you?

Before joining the Scottish Government, I studied Criminology at Durham University. Following this, I worked at The State Hospitals Board for Scotland, on a disability employability scheme run by the Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living, Scottish Government and the NHS.

Outside of work, I am Vice Chair of a community interest company Paws for Progress and a Board Member for Community Justice Scotland.

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What is your current job and what does it involve?

I am currently the Head of Social Care Response and Resilience. In this role I coordinate the Scottish Government’s response to national incidents and viability issues in social care and support local areas to manage these locally, as well as leading on emergency planning and preparedness.

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What do you think is the best thing about working for the Scottish Government?

The ability to influence change, delivering the agenda of the government of the day, alongside experienced, passionate and driven people inside and outside the Scottish Government.

I have met amazing individuals and organisations who care deeply about making a difference.

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What attracted you to apply for the Graduate Development Programme (GDP)?

I was lucky to have opportunities to engage with Scottish Government through my work in the NHS, and had first-hand experience of the impact that their disability employability programmes can have. I saw an opportunity to drive meaningful change in Scotland, while having a varied and interesting career.

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What was your most memorable placement on the GDP?

I had great experiences with all my teams while on the GDP. Some highlights include writing the implementation plan for establishing the Scottish National Investment Bank, and engaging with the UK Government’s immigration strategy post-Brexit and developing a Population Strategy while on secondment to the Scottish Prison Service.

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In what ways has the culture of the Graduate Development Programme supported your development?

The GDP gave me the opportunity to work in some of the most interesting and high-profile parts of the Scottish Government, with some fantastic people. It exposed me to a wide variety of roles and experiences and helped me to identify the type of environment I thrive in. It allowed me to hone my skills and develop my leadership style to operate effectively in these spaces.

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Do you feel the Scottish Government is an inclusive environment for disabled employees?

In my experience, Scottish Government is a very inclusive and supportive space. As with any organisation, there is a lot more we can do to improve in this objective, and we are focused on how we can be better.

Since I joined the Scottish Government, I have worked to improve the experience of disabled people in the organisation as a member of our Disabled Staff Network, as a union rep and through corporate projects, to improve our workplace adjustments and support disabled colleagues to develop and progress within the organisation.

The ability to affect change is a common motivation for people joining the Scottish Government, and it is as much an opportunity within the organisation, as it is externally.

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Did you use an employee passport?

I have had an employee passport since my time on the GDP. It is a vital part of supporting staff to excel in their roles and removing barriers to success. Working in Government many of these adjustments, such as flexibility in working patterns, are standard practice, making a meaningful difference to all staff’s experiences. 

It can serve a useful tool, to support discussions with line managers and teams. An employee passport also captures personal circumstances, caring responsibilities and ways of working that will support you to operate most effectively

I have personally benefited from adjustments in the recruitment process, receiving additional time for assessments and advance sight of questions. In the workplace I have software for mind mapping and reading documents to me, which help me to process information in a different way.

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What has been your career highlight so far?

The programme of improvements we brought forward in Drugs Policy are probably my highlight so far. Working in drugs policy was the culmination of a long journey for me: studying Criminology, learning alongside prisoners in a high security prison on the first UK Inside-Out programme, coordinating Police Support Volunteers, working at The State Hospital and then the Scottish Prison Service.

I have no doubt that the work we did saved and improved lives, developing evidence-based improvements, supporting legislative change and publishing a Scottish Government policy on drug law reform that outlined what a truly public health and human rights-based policy could look like.

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What do you think is the main benefit of participating in the graduate programme?

The main benefits of the programme are the variety and the cohort. You will work all over Scottish Government, on all sorts of topics, some of which you may never have thought about, but all of which will improve the lives of people in Scotland, and you do so alongside a group of people, having a similar experience, who can support you. You’ll leave the GDP with a brilliant network and some lifelong friends.

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What was your journey after completing the Graduate Development Programme?

I came off the GDP as a Team Leader running the secretariat for the Drug Deaths Taskforce. After supporting the Taskforce to produce its evidence-based strategy for tackling drug deaths in Scotland, I led the Cultural and Structural Change Team within Drugs Policy, leading on justice, drug law reform, education, transport, and stigma. I then moved into my current role as the Head of Social Care Response and Resilience.

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What are your ambitions for the future?

I hope to continue finding new and exciting ways to improve things for the people of Scotland in a variety of leadership roles.

I want to keep learning and developing to be the best I can be in those roles, supporting my teams and helping to shape the Scottish Government as an inclusive and empowering place to work. 

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Would you recommend the programme to graduates thinking of applying?

I would 100% recommend the programme to anyone, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I love my career in the Scottish Government and the GDP was a great way to kick that off.

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What career advice would you give your younger self?

You get out what you put in, so throw yourself in and get involved, but make sure you enjoy the experience. Don’t try to plan everything. See what sparks your interest and act on it.

Leaving University, I wasn’t aware of what a Civil Service career could give me. It wasn’t part of my plan, but joining the GDP and the Scottish Government is one of the best decisions I’ve made.