In September 2012, 'Writing Home,' phase one of the Making It Home Project began. In Edinburgh, local women from Pilton came together with Women Supporting Women (part of the Pilton Community Health Project), and in Glasgow, a group of women who are refugees joined forces with the Maryhill Integration Network. Over several weeks, these two groups of incredible women began to explore, discuss and respond to ideas about home, using poems by acclaimed poets as inspiration. Each woman kept a log book of her thoughts, ideas and aspirations, and at each session, contributed to a growing collage of vibrant and daring ideas.
In January 2013, the project moved into phase two, 'Making It Home.' In this phase, the two groups of women have been working to turn their new-found ideas into short films, with the help of Glasgow-based independent film collective, Media Co-Op. The films examine what it means to call Scotland 'home' in a variety of ways, capturing each women's unique perspective. They explore the day-to-day realities of living as a refugee in Scotland; they confront ideas about homelessness, displacement and security. But they also celebrate family, community, acceptance and inclusion, and -- true to the spirit of the project as a whole -- they illustrate the amazing strength and courage of women from all walks of life.
