ANDY SMITH

Andy’s work centres on transformational change in communities, organisations, participative democracy, inclusion and diversity.

He co-founded Diversity Matters in 2001, working for a more inclusive society particularly in communities and in social care and health systems: This has resulted in three international awards for educational/community based design at both university and grassroots levels, with international awards for inclusivity, changing workplace practice and lifelong learning. A GENE (Global Education Network Europe) award for innovation in education was given to the Go Deep Project in 2018. The GoDeep Game is a community building process that builds capacity and networks in communities and neighbourhoods and explores issues of diversity and creates positive action. See University of Lisbon Research

Andy has initiated and co-created partnerships with the broad aim of a more inclusive and creative world, working with government and NGO groups, CSO’s and grassroots communities: Including partnerships with the Scottish Government, Scottish Social Service Council, Minority Ethnic Carers organisations, local administrations and a range of international partners including Erasmus+, The EU’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship programme (Horizon 2020), and the European Programme for Integration and Migration.

Andy is also UKCP registered psychotherapist, supervisor and training supervisor, and teaches internationally as well helping run schools in UK and Spanish training programmes, where he mentors and coaches facilitators who work in conflict areas as well as in citizen assemblies, town hall meetings and democratic change.