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Let’s Be Heard: Inquiry listening project launches next phase of engagement with Scotland’s communities

Let’s Be Heard, the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry’s listening project, has entered its next stage, Focused Engagement. This more targeted and bespoke phase will help broaden the Inquiry’s understanding of the pandemic’s impact on communities across Scotland.

The project, which has gathered more than 5,400 experiences of the pandemic since the launch of its National Engagement phase in May 2023, will be working with organisations to hear more about specific themes from particular groups, including:

  • children and young people;
  • businesses;
  • welfare recipients;
  • some health and social care service users;
  • minority ethnic and religious groups;
  • rural and island communities, and
  • those experiencing digital exclusion, among others.

In 2024, the Let’s Be Heard team is undertaking a range of engagement activities, including focus groups and workshops, with organisations and communities across Scotland.

The project is the main way in which people can contribute to the Inquiry and aims to give a voice to as many people as possible. Experiences shared with Let’s Be Heard are helping inform the Inquiry’s investigations, its reports and, ultimately, its recommendations to Scottish Ministers.

Dr Alexandra Anderson, Head of Let’s Be Heard, said: “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has contributed their experiences of the pandemic to the project so far. Our team is continuing its public engagement work and analysing the experiences shared.

“Having completed our National Engagement Phase, we are now turning our attention to Focused Engagement, which will see us, through conversations and focus groups, take a more targeted approach into some of the areas the Inquiry is investigating.”

The Inquiry has published a preliminary report on the early findings of Let’s Be Heard.

To find out more about the ways individuals and groups can take part in Let's Be Heard in 2024, please visit lbh.covid19inquiry.scot.

You can also contact the team by:    
•    emailing LetsBeHeard@covid19inquiry.scot;     
•    leaving a voicemail at 0808 175 5555; or
•    writing to Freepost SCOTTISH COVID-19 INQUIRY.

The Inquiry will provide updates on the progress of Let’s Be Heard on X and LinkedIn.