At Future Pathways, we work with a range of services to help people access support. This includes making our information accessible to people. Here, we chat to Claire from Disability Equality Scotland. She tells us more about creating Easy Read documents. And gives tips for how we can all make our information easier to understand.
Firstly, can you tell us a bit about Disability Equality Scotland?
Disability Equality Scotland is a membership organisation for disabled people and disability groups and organisations. We often call ourselves DES for short.
We want to hear about disabled people’s experiences of accessibility, inclusion and equality, good or bad! This information helps us when we meet with key decision makers who are responsible for ensuring equality and human rights are in place with policies and the law.
We are trying to make Scotland accessible and inclusive to everyone.
Image: Marit, Claire, Shona – the Easy Read team at Disability Equality Scotland
What’s your role at Disability Equality Scotland?
I am one of the Easy Read Creators, along with my colleagues Shona and Marit. Being an Easy Read Creator means taking an original document – like a survey, a letter, an information leaflet or a report – and simplifying it into an Easy Read version. This can then be offered alongside the original and reach many more people thanks to its easy-to-understand text and pictures.
Easy Read versions are brilliant for reaching:
Future Pathways has worked with you to make Easy Read versions of our booklets. Can you tell us more about how you do these?
It’s been great working with Future Pathways to produce documents like the Easy Read Information Pack and Easy Read How to get your In Care records.
A good example is this one about Easy Read Support While You Wait.
To make this, I identified the most important information and rewrote it in shorter, easier sentences. For trickier words like ‘care records’, I added a definition to explain what it means.
I made sure that the Easy Read version gave the information in the most helpful order. Finally, I added helpful images for each chunk of Easy Read information and a hidden description to each image, called alt-text. This is so that anyone using a screen reader and who may not be able to see the images can have the alt-text read out to them by their screen reader. This may help them to better understand the wording.
What tips can you give services for making their materials more accessible?
Can people take part in your work?
Yes! We have an Easy Read User Feedback Group who send us feedback on our Easy Read documents. If you would like to join the group, we would be very happy to welcome you and send you a document each month to have a look at.
To find out more, please email easyread@disabilityequality.scot
If you want to join a training course to write your own Easy Read documents, or to understand how to make your content more accessible, you can reach our outstanding trainers Sonya and Lilly at training@disabilityequality.scot
We are also very proud to be part of a large group of Easy Read organisations working together with Easy Read users to make a new set of Easy Read Standards for the UK. Our aim is to make sure that Easy Read users can get the same style of high-quality Easy Read material across the UK. It’s due to be published in Autumn 2026 and we are so pleased to be a part of it!
If you are interested in Disability Equality Scotland, you can become a member for free and join over 1 thousand disabled people sharing their views on access and inclusion in Scotland.
Find out more at: www.disabilityequality.scot
You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and BlueSky.
After 10 years at our Edinburgh office in Shandwick Place, Future Pathways is moving to Links House, 15 Links Place, Edinburgh, EH6 7EZ.
As an older townhouse building, Shandwick Place hasn’t always been the environmentally friendly and accessible space we would choose. We knew we wanted to find a space where nobody would face additional barriers to accessing support, and we’re excited to be moving somewhere where staff, people accessing services, and other visitors can feel safe, welcome, and supported.
Where to find us
Our new home at Suite G2, Links House is ground-floor, with step-free access to all the rooms, and disabled parking bays nearby. We’ve worked across the team to make sure it’s a sunny, welcoming and trauma-informed space, with comfortable, confidential spaces.
Links House is a short walk from the tram stop on Constitution Street, with nearby bus stops on Salamander Place, Somerset Place, and Duke Street, and there is plenty of on-street parking nearby.
Future Pathways supports lived experience groups, peer support and engagement activities. This policy tells you when we can reimburse you for expenses like travel and accommodation.
Please note that this information is applicable from April 2026 onwards.
Future Pathways Privacy Notice
Your information and Future Pathways
At Future Pathways, we safely store the information you give us to help us understand your needs and get the right support for you. This includes your contact details and other information that you choose to share with us, for example, information about your health.
Future Pathways follows UK law on keeping your data safe. This includes the Data Protection Act 2018 that covers general data protection regulation (GDPR). For more information about your rights under this law, go to www.ico.org.uk or call 0303 123 1113. If you have questions about how Future pathways stores or uses personal information, or would like a copy of our Privacy Policy, please email engagement@future-pathways.co.uk.
You can register with Future Pathways using any name you choose. You also only need to give us one way of contacting you, for example, a phone number. Note that more information may be needed from you to access other supports and services.
We will tell you when we are contacting other people or services on your behalf. We will not share your information without your consent, that is checking with you first that it is OK for us to do so. This is unless we believe that a person (including yourself) is at risk of harm. If this is the case, we will always try to discuss this with you first before contacting anyone else. We will record when we have contacted you and any updates or relevant information from you and the supports you access.
We also gather and look at information on how the service is delivered. This information is needed to show that we are working in the best way possible. For example, we look at the number of people who get support and what kind of support they are getting. This information is anonymised. This means that it does not include anyone’s name or personal details.
You have the right to ask to see the information we hold about you. Please let us know if you would like to do this. If we have any of your information wrong, we will correct it quickly and make any changes that you ask to be made.
We will only keep your data for as long as we need it to provide you with support and services. You can ask us to erase your personal data, but some data we must keep for up to 20 years, according to our records management policy. However, if you ask us to, we can ‘archive’ it so that it is stored away.
When it gets colder and darker outside, we can sometimes feel low. Here are some things we can do to support ourselves during winter.
Keep active
It can be hard to stay active in the winter. But exercise can help to reduce stress, give us more energy and improve our sleep. Exercise does not mean we have to go to the gym or play sports. It could mean dancing in your chair, walking to work or doing some gentle stretches.
Get out of the house
In winter, we often spend much less time out and about. But getting a bit of sunlight during the day is really good for us. You could go for a long walk with a friend, take a bike ride or even just walk to the shop.
Stay connected
We often spend more time indoors during winter. If your energy levels are low, you may not feel like going out or talking to people. But over time, being alone can turn into loneliness. Making time to see people or phone our friends can help us to feel connected.
Learn new things
Learning new things can boost our confidence. And there are lots of new things we can learn while we are indoors in winter. For example, take up a new hobby like knitting, painting or cooking.
For more information on looking after yourself in Winter, see Health in Mind’s resource.
Other services
If you are finding things hard, you can contact one of the following services:
The Samaritans
The Samaritans offer a safe place for you to talk any time you like. You can talk in your own way about whatever is going on. They have a helpline, email service, letter service and a self-help app.
Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Phone for free on 116123
Breathing Space
Breathing Space is a free and confidential phone service for anyone in Scotland over the age of 16 who is feeling low, depressed or anxious.
Open 6pm to 2am Monday to Thursday, and 6pm to 6am Friday to Sunday.
Phone for free on 0800 83 85 87
Shout
Shout is a free, confidential, text messaging support service for anyone who is finding it difficult to cope.
Text SHOUT to 85258
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has a new campaign. It is called Better Records Together. The ICO wants to make it easier for people to get their care records. The ICO makes sure that organisations look after information properly. This article tells you more about what the ICO is doing.
Care records are important because they can help people understand their past. Care records can include things like:
- Photographs of friends and family
- Memories people might have forgotten
- Reports written by social workers
- Answers to questions about what happened in someone’s life
But sometimes it can be hard for people to get their records. They might face problems like:
- Long delays
- Parts of records being blocked out (this is called ‘redacted’)
- Not getting enough help
The ICO wants to help make this better. They have made a new guide for people with care experience. The guide tells you:
- How to ask for your care records
- What your rights are
- What to expect when you try to get your records
- Where to go if you have a concern or if you need support
The guide is based on what care experienced people said was important to know about
getting their records.
Find out more
Visit the ICO website to find out more about Better Records Together. You can:
- Read and download new guide for people with care experience.
- Watch videos from people who have already got a copy of their care records.
- See the new guidance for organisations. This tells organisations how to respond to requests for care records. And how to do this in a sensitive way.
- Learn more about what the ICO is doing to help people to get their records.
Future Pathways is pleased to support Better Records Together, the latest campaign from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Better Records Together calls for urgent improvements to support people accessing their care records. This campaign follows two years of engagement and research into how services can better support people to access their records and understand their history.
To help tackle issues and encourage systemic change, the ICO has created a suite of practical resources including new standards for organisations, clear guidance for people accessing their records, and videos and case studies amplifying the voices of people with care experience.
These new resources are vital in ensuring that care experienced people can access their records in a supported and sensitive way. We encourage everyone to join the collective effort in empowering people to exercise their rights and access their records.
Standards for Better Records
See the new set of good practice standards created by the ICO for organisations who hold care records. These aim to provide clarity, drive change and raise the standard so that people can access their records in a timely and supported way.
Short guide for people with care experience
This bitesize guide covers all the key information around accessing care records, rights under data protection and how to raise a complaint. The guide reflects what care experienced people said was most important about accessing their records.
Videos and case studies
Gain a deeper understanding of how it feels for people to access their records. These videos and case studies highlight the experience of people who have encountered barriers in accessing their care records.
Future Pathways is pleased to be supporting World Quality Week, running Monday 10 to Friday 14 November 2025.
Created by Chartered Quality Institute, World Quality Week highlights the important role that quality management plays in driving success, innovation and value. This year’s theme is ‘Quality: think differently’ and a chance to share insights, celebrate achievements and inspire new ways of thinking.
Thinking in new and innovative ways is central to Future Pathways’ own approach to quality and improvement. The whole team at Future Pathways is involved in driving change and making improvements. We recognise the ways we each contribute to our collective responsibility to deliver a high-quality service.
We look at data from across the whole service and use a framework to focus on the areas that matter most. By reflecting on our progress, we can see where we need to improve and the action we need to take. We believe in a trauma informed approach to quality. We measure what matters most so we can make a positive, consistent and effective difference in the lives of people we support.
We plan ahead, looking at the resource and guidance that can help us take steps in improving the quality of our work and the service we deliver. And by sharing what we learn and what we are doing differently, we ensure colleagues at all levels are informed and included.
The changes we make are rooted in our learning about what can improve people’s experience of Future Pathways. We are committed to seeking the views of people with lived experience to create meaningful change and shape Future Pathways.
We encourage all services to reflect on quality and improvement. We want to prompt reflection, curiosity and commitment in creating an inclusive approach to measuring quality and making improvements. Check out our resources below to find out more about how a trauma-informed approach to quality can deliver real change in the lives of people you support.
Quality Framework Annual Report Summary
Created in collaboration with colleagues from all areas of Future Pathways, this summary report highlights how a continuous cycle of improvement helps to create consistent, effective support.
Trauma Informed Quality and Improvement
In this resource, you can read more about how we embed the principles of trauma informed practice into our approach to quality and improvement at Future Pathways. Discover how to refine your approach, measure quality, identify actions and evaluate complex approaches.
A Journey of Connection
Our latest impact report tells the story of the difference we make and where we can improve. We highlight core areas of support, including the barriers people face and how services, including our own, can enhance access to support.
Sometimes it can be helpful to spend time away from screens (our phones and computers). In this article, we talk about why this can be useful and give some tips to help you.
This article is to help you:
- Understand more about how phones and computers (devices) can affect us
- Notice if you are using your devices too much
- Take a break from screens
How screens can affect us
Using screens too much can affect our emotions, physical health, social lives and jobs. It can cause problems like:
- Stress and anxiety
- Trouble sleeping
- Damage to our eyes
- Feeling lonely
- Finding it hard to concentrate
- Not being able to complete tasks
Checking in with ourselves
Sometimes, it can be hard to tell if using phones and computers are a problem. But we can start by thinking about if we:
- are spending more time on our screens than usual
- lose track of time when we are on the phone or a computer
- feel we cannot stop using them, even when we notice the time passing
- feel restless or moody when we do not have them
- use the internet to avoid thinking about problems or difficult emotions
- have sore eyes and headaches from using our screens so much
- struggle to get to sleep at night
If we feel like this, we might want to think about having a break from our devices. We call this a ‘digital detox’.
Digital detox
A ‘digital detox’ is sometimes called ‘unplugging’. It is when we choose to reduce the time we spend on our phones or computers. Or it might mean not using them at all. It could be taking time out from one device, like a smartphone, or from all of them. You might choose not to use a device or just not use it for a certain thing, like social media. Having a digital detox can be a chance to reduce stress or focus on social interaction.
Taking control of your screen time
If you’re looking to get control of your screen time, check out these tips.
Set a limit
Set a time limit on your device or app. You can do this with Apple’s Screen Time or Google’s Digital Wellbeing.
Remove devices from some places
Make sure there are rooms or times where you do not use devices. For example, you might not use your phone in your bedroom so you can sleep better.
Do not charge your phone beside your bed
At night, plug your phone into a socket that is not beside your bed. If you need an alarm for the morning, see if you can use an alarm clock instead of your phone.
Take a break
Remember to take a break from screens when you are working or studying. Try to have a break from screens every 30 minutes.
Try new hobbies
Sometimes, we reach for our phones when we are bored. Instead, try a new hobby like reading a book, writing in a journal or drawing.
More information
This article was written in collaboration with First Psychology who are one of our Delivery Partners. They have created a workbook and guide about taking a digital detox.
Here, we talk about men’s mental health. And we look at some of the reasons why men might find it hard to get help. We also look at things that can help men’s mental health.
In this article, we:
- talk about the issues that many men may face
- talk about why it is important to look after your mental health
- offer ways to feel more relaxed and more confident in asking for support
Men can sometimes be told not to be vulnerable, get support or show emotions. This can make it harder for men to feel comfortable about getting support for themselves.
Why is it sometimes hard for boys and men to talk about mental health?
In society, there are many stereotypes. A stereotype is when there is a simplified idea of how a person should be. For example, men are often told to:
- be protectors
- rely on themselves (and not rely on anyone else)
- be rational and not show certain feelings like sadness
This can make it harder for men to tell people when they are having a hard time, especially with
their mental health. But seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It takes strength to tell
someone that you are struggling.
The importance of looking after your mental health
Mental health is as important as physical health. Mental health affects how we:
- make decisions
- build and keep relationships
- see ourselves in the world
When we do not take care of our mental health, it can affect our work, friendships and how we
feel about ourselves.
Instead of dealing with negative feelings and stress, sometimes we bottle up our emotions. But bottling things up can lead to our emotions building up. And we might try to cope in unhealthy ways. For example, some people might use alcohol or tobacco more. Or they might gamble or spend lots of time online.
Looking after yourself and getting support
Sometimes, opening up can feel like one of the hardest things to do. But seeking support means you are taking charge of your wellbeing. It shows you need things to change and that you want things to change. Here are a few examples of things that can support mental health.
Write down your thoughts
Writing or drawing your thoughts can help us to feel more focused. It can help us to understand more about the way we feel. And it can help us to see patterns or habits that we have. Writing or drawing our thoughts can be helpful, even if it is just for five minutes each day.
Keep doing things you enjoy
It is important to keep doing things we enjoy, like hobbies. This can help us to relax and give us a sense of purpose. We could also join a local group and meet people with shared interests.
Get a good night’s sleep
Adults need about eight hours’ sleep a night. But lots of us do not get enough sleep or good quality sleep. To get a good night’s sleep, remember to get outdoors during daylight and avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening. And try to go to bed and wake up at the same times every day.
Reach out
Many men feel lonely. But, we can check in with other people and ask how they are. Andy’s Man Club offers free peer-to-peer support groups for men across the United Kingdom. Groups are both face-to-face and online. They aim to end stigma about men’s mental health through confidential, judgement-free spaces where men can open up.
Find out more at www.andysmanclub.co.uk
More information
This article was written with First Psychology. They are one of our Delivery Partners. First Psychology have created a booklet about men’s mental health. You can view and download a copy below.