At Sleeping Giants, we often engage with the public to find out their views on an issue on a client’s behalf, whether it’s our evaluation work or helping community organisations develop Place Plans.

Traditional research tools like surveys and interviews have their place. But these methods rarely reach everyone – some find it asks too much in terms of their time, overly formal, or just a bit boring.

Using more creative methods can make sharing your views more appealing and helps people express themselves in different ways. Accessibility is really important to us, and by offering a range of methods it can help neurodivergent people and those with disabilities take part in different ways.  

Here are some of the ways you can use creative methods to engage with people.

• You can use small cards with images to select to enable someone to express themself in a different way during an interview. This is particularly useful for working with people with additional support needs – if someone has difficulty communicating verbally then visual methods are crucial. Also, some autistic people can find one-on-one interviews with a stranger quite intense so focusing on cards can make it easier. It can take a bit of time to find and print images that are relevant to your project, but it is worth it to help someone take part who might otherwise not be able to.

• Ask participants to draw, do collage or a combination then talk about the work to explain their thoughts on an issue. Drawing can be quite intimidating for some people, so collage is a nice, low-pressure way for people to visually express themselves. You just need lots of materials to cut up.

• Simple props can be used to spark imagination. For example, at recent children’s workshops we used ‘magic wands’ (really just some sticks cut from a shrub in my garden) to imagine things they would like to change in their community. The kids loved whooshing their wands and had lively discussions on their village and what would make things better.

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• Another creative prompt we use is to ask people to imagine writing a postcard to someone they know about the issue you’re engaging on. We often buy postcards with images that are relevant to the project. This one is easy to organise, low cost, and helps reach people who might not be willing or able to fill in a full questionnaire.

These are just a few ideas, but there are many ways you can engage with folk creatively, without needing expensive resources or specialist artistic skills. Often all it takes is a bit of imagination and willingness to try things out.

Sleeping Giants has completed our 2025 internal evaluation: a detailed review of our work, impact and future opportunities, shaped by the voices of our clients, partners and stakeholders. The findings were incredibly encouraging, with powerful reflections on the difference our support has made and clear direction on where our work is most needed next.
 
What people told us about our work
💛 100% satisfaction
Every single respondent rated our work as excellent, very good, or good. Clients consistently described us as:

• “Inspiring”
• “Knowledgeable and professional”
• “Really listening and understanding our organisation”

One partner shared:
“The team were knowledgeable, proactive and responsive… They worked within a challenging environment and still provided excellent advice and guidance.”

The difference our work is making
The evaluation showed strong evidence that Sleeping Giants is helping organisations build confidence, clarity and long-term sustainability.

Stronger organisations

• 100% said they now had a clearer vision and values
• 100% felt better able to plan for the future
• 93% reported more effective leadership
• 79% improved governance

More sustainable and more capable
Among those who received relevant support:

• 87.5% now have more effective systems and policies
• 85.7% feel more fundable and sustainable
• 88.9% are better at gathering evidence

More confident staff and volunteers

• 95.2% said their teams were now more knowledgeable, skilled and confident
• 76.5% felt they were better able to connect and collaborate

As one respondent put it:
“It has re-ignited passion in the staff team.”
Another shared:
“It offered the opportunity to look outward rather than inward… the benefits of working collaboratively, inclusively and in partnership.”

What people want Sleeping Giants to do next
Clients and partners highlighted a number of areas where our support is especially needed:

1. Training, mentoring and peer support for new third sector managers
A striking 92.9% said there is a clear need for this.
 
2. More training in key areas
Most useful current courses included:

• Engaging excluded groups
• Safeguarding
• Confidence-building

Top requested new courses:

• Inclusive participation and co-production
• Accessible evaluation (both selected by 65.5% of respondents)

 
3. Lived experience participation
89.3% want to see us continue and expand our work in this area.
 
4. Capacity building for grassroots organisations
Lots of people want:

• Better support with bidding and commissioning
• Support with Community Wealth Building
• More accessible, relational capacity building services

 
5. Fairer, more neuroaffirming workplaces
Respondents told us this is a growing priority locally and nationally.
 
How we’re responding: linking to our new strategy
We have listened closely. These findings helped shape our 2026–2029 Strategy, and you’ll see these themes reflected directly in our strategic priorities:

• Strengthening leaders and organisations, especially small and equality-focused ones
• Building ethical, meaningful lived experience participation
• Expanding our training and mentoring offer
• Embedding neuroaffirming and inclusive practice in workplaces
• Strengthening partnerships between communities and public bodies
• Investing in our internal resilience so we can continue delivering high-quality, values-led support

👉 Read how our new strategy responds to the evaluation findings here

We’re excited to share that Sleeping Giants has now completed a new draft of our 2026–2029 Strategy.  It is a plan co-produced by our Board and staff team, shaped by evaluation findings, and grounded in what our clients, partners and communities told us they need.
Over January, we’ll be inviting a group of local and national partners to help us refine the strategy, ensuring it reflects the realities, challenges and opportunities across Scotland. The final version will launch in April 2026.

Why we developed a new strategy
The last three years have been a period of significant growth for Sleeping Giants. We have expanded our work across new local authority areas, delivered a national 3-year Scottish Government commission, and deepened our learning around lived experience, participation and power-sharing. As this phase of work comes to an end, we’ve taken time to reflect on what we have learned and what our clients now need most.
Evaluation feedback highlighted consistent themes: pressure on small organisations, isolated leaders, rising demand, and persistent barriers for marginalised communities. We also heard strong calls for more ethical participation, fairer workplace practices, and relational approaches that support real, long-term change. Our new strategy responds directly to these needs.

What our 2026–2029 Strategy focuses on
The strategy sets out a clear vision: powerful, connected and inclusive communities where everyone has what they need to thrive and influence the decisions affecting their lives. To help make this a reality, it includes:

1. Strengthening organisations and leaders
Supporting grassroots, equality-focused and place-based groups; expanding our training, mentoring and capacity building; and helping leaders grow in confidence and capability.

2. Supporting lived experience leadership and ethical participation
Championing approaches that move beyond consultation to co-design, shared power and meaningful involvement, especially for those furthest from decision-making.

3. Promoting fairer, neuroaffirming and trauma-informed workplaces
Delivering the next phase of our neuroaffirming workplaces work and supporting employers to build cultures where everyone can thrive.

4. Strengthening community-public sector collaboration
Helping communities and public bodies work together as equal partners to design places, services and systems that meet local needs.

5. Growing our organisational resilience
Improving financial sustainability, strengthening governance, supporting our team’s wellbeing and learning, and building the internal systems we need to grow well and remain values-led.

What happens next
January will be a key testing phase. We’ll be sharing the draft strategy with a small group of partners from across Scotland — from local grassroots organisations to national bodies — to gather reflections, refine our priorities and ensure the strategy is realistic, ambitious and rooted in the experiences of the people we support.
The final strategy will be published in April 2026, guiding our work over the next three years.

New Report Highlights What Neurodivergent People and Employers Need — and What Happens Next
Sleeping Giants has published the findings from Creating Fairer Workplaces for Neurodivergent People, an in-depth piece of research funded by South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE). Phase 1 of the project brought together the voices of 94 local managers and 60 neurodivergent employees to understand what helps – and what gets in the way – of people thriving at work.

Key Findings from Phase 1
The research showed a clear pattern: neurodivergent people across Dumfries and Galloway are still facing barriers that are entirely preventable.

Neurodivergent people told us:

• They often worry about being judged or seen as less capable if they disclose their needs.
• Sensory challenges, unpredictable workloads and constant change can leave them overwhelmed and exhausted.
• Many simply want kindness, respect, and safe spaces to talk openly, with or without a diagnosis.

Employers told us:

• Most want to do better and are committed to more inclusive practice.
• Lack of confidence and know-how often gets in the way, especially when balancing adjustments with the pressures of busy workplaces.
• They welcomed practical tools such as staff passports, clearer HR guidance, and accessible, locally-relevant training rooted in understanding rather than ‘tick-box’ exercises.

Across both groups, one theme stood out: awareness and understanding are the foundations of fairer workplaces, but this has to be backed up by everyday practice, compassionate leadership, and simple, consistent adjustments that support all staff.

Why This Matters for Dumfries and Galloway
Our region has the lowest disability employment rate in Scotland — 39.3% compared with the national average of 50.7%. There is clear appetite for change, and employers told us that inclusive workplaces are critical for recruiting and retaining staff in a tight labour market. There is also a significant gap in local provision of neurodiversity training.
Sleeping Giants has been widely encouraged by partners to lead this work, helping to build a stronger, fairer and more neuroaffirming employment landscape across the South of Scotland.
 
What Happens Next: A New Phase of Action
Thanks to new investment from the Dumfries and Galloway Social Enterprise Grant, Sleeping Giants will now move from research into action. Between November 2025 and February 2026, we will:

1. Build a regional partnership for change
We will strengthen relationships with public bodies, employers, funders and lived experience partners, and convene the first Neuroaffirming Workplaces Partnership Group. This will create a shared foundation for long-term regional impact.

2. Develop priority training and tools
Using the evidence from Phase 1, we will identify the most impactful tools and approaches for employers, such as inclusive recruitment guidance, strengths-based management, and support around staff passports.
We will also design and pilot 2–3 training products, ready for employers to buy straight away. These will be co-designed with neurodivergent people and tested with local partners.

3. Design a fully costed 2-year pilot project
This will set out a clear, scalable model for making neuroaffirming practice the norm across Dumfries and Galloway. It will also position Sleeping Giants for future investment from regional and national funders, including opportunities linked to the Fair Work agenda.

What This Means for Employers and Neurodivergent People
Over the coming months we’ll developing the foundations for a new project which (if funded) will allow us to develop tools, training and partnerships that in turn will:

• increase employer confidence
• make adjustments easier to agree and maintain
• support managers to lead with compassion
• improve recruitment and retention
• create workplaces where neurodivergent people feel valued, safe and able to thrive

​The early signs are promising.  Partners who joined our planning event have already endorsed Sleeping Giants as the regional organisation best placed to lead this work.
We will continue sharing updates as the next phase of the project unfolds.