How did it all start?
The Story
In 2012 a community member (our founder) watched a TV programme about Disability Hate Crime. The programme highlighted the story of a young adult who was murdered by people she thought were her friends. The term “mate crime” was used to explain how disabled people can sometimes be be-friended and abused by so-called friends.
Having never heard of Disability Hate Crime or Mate Crime before, she began to research whether these types of incidents were happening locally. After involving the local Police, they worked together to carry out focus groups and were shocked by the stories they heard! They were astounded that this was happening, and no-one spoke about it.
And this is how I Am Me was born! The partnership with the local police was crucial in raising awareness of these incidents that were happening all too often in our local communities.
I Am Me became a community project in March 2013 working with a small group of amazing community volunteers, disabled people and young people raising money to “bring this out in the open”.
The project worked with the local theatre group, who used all of the research to bring each of the cases to life through a live performance based on a young adult called Charlie who, after moving into his own flat, began to be targeted by young people in his area. These performances were delivered in high schools around Scotland as well as Scottish Parliament and the Police Training College.
The performance demonstrated how “low level” harassment and abuse such as litter in the garden, shouting in the street etc can escalate into targeted abuse and Charlie becomes more isolated. He stops going to work and, stops tending his garden and stops his family from visiting and becomes more and more distressed. The story continues to escalate, showing many members of the public finding it difficult watch, but still doing nothing to help.
Charlie’s story is hard hitting and helps young people to question their own attitudes and behaviours. The success of the live performance led to further work with the theatre group to develop the award winning I Am Me film. The I Am Me Team worked with young people, disabled people and other third sector organisations to develop an accompany training resource for businesses.
The project received Charity status in 2015 and has gone onto design and develop many new, exciting, engaging and innovative initiatives.
The Charity was recognised for the incredible work of the volunteers and received the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2018. The founder, Carol Burt-Wilson was recognised in the Queen's New Years List 2019 and received an MBA for her voluntary work and the commitment and services to disability hate crime prevention.
The Team
Carol Burt-Wilson MBE
Carol Burt-Wilson MBE
Carol Burt-Wilson MBE
Project Manager / Charity Founder The I Am Me Charity started in 2013 to help raise awareness of Disability Hate Crime and to encourage reporting. I have 20 years Local Authority experience, within Housing and Social Work and 10 years private sector experience within admin and HR. I completed a BA in HR Management with CIPD accreditatio
Project Manager / Charity Founder The I Am Me Charity started in 2013 to help raise awareness of Disability Hate Crime and to encourage reporting. I have 20 years Local Authority experience, within Housing and Social Work and 10 years private sector experience within admin and HR. I completed a BA in HR Management with CIPD accreditation in 2009 with further achievements including advanced ECDL and HNC in management.
I recently completed a certificate in mental health in children and young people.
Mhairi O'Rourke
Carol Burt-Wilson MBE
Carol Burt-Wilson MBE
My name is Mhairi O’Rourke and I am the Project Development Co ordinator at I Am Me Scotland.
Most of my career has been spent working in adult support services (12 years with local authority, and 5 years private sector). Too often I have heard stories about how some people in our communities are treated by others.
I first became aware
My name is Mhairi O’Rourke and I am the Project Development Co ordinator at I Am Me Scotland.
Most of my career has been spent working in adult support services (12 years with local authority, and 5 years private sector). Too often I have heard stories about how some people in our communities are treated by others.
I first became aware of I Am Me Scotland in 2015 when I watched the film and it got me! I love the way that I Am Me work to empower people to make changes to attitudes and behaviours from Primary school age up! Seeing the primary school programme first-hand has been an amazing experience for me and the children never cease to amaze me!
I am passionate about the work that we do, and my kids are very proud too!
I am also currently studying my degree in Integrated Health and Social Care at UWS.
Aimee McLellan
Aimee McLellan
Aimee McLellan
My name is Aimee McLellan and I am the Project Development Officer at I Am Me Scotland. I completed a degree in BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science whilst coaching and working part time. Whilst coaching I taught children and adults with varying levels of disabilities, through this I understood how important inclusion and safeguar
My name is Aimee McLellan and I am the Project Development Officer at I Am Me Scotland. I completed a degree in BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science whilst coaching and working part time. Whilst coaching I taught children and adults with varying levels of disabilities, through this I understood how important inclusion and safeguarding is. The work at I Am Me does great work at doing this by creating a network of safe places through the Keep Safe initiative and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I have also completed a Mental Health First Aid course and currently completing a Level 2 Understanding Autism Course at college to further my knowledge.
Kieran Kelly
Aimee McLellan
Aimee McLellan
My name is Kieran Kelly, I am the Project Support Assistant for I Am Me Scotland.
I have been with the charity since 2016 and throughout my journey so far, I have done so many different things to get to where I am now. The #MakeADifference programme, My SVQ level 2 achievement, Project SEARCH, Keep Safe Initiative, Keep Safe Ambassador p
My name is Kieran Kelly, I am the Project Support Assistant for I Am Me Scotland.
I have been with the charity since 2016 and throughout my journey so far, I have done so many different things to get to where I am now. The #MakeADifference programme, My SVQ level 2 achievement, Project SEARCH, Keep Safe Initiative, Keep Safe Ambassador programme and much more I have been a part of which gave me a purpose to develop my skills and to support all my colleagues, committee/board members and our clients with my work and development in the present time.
The Board
Eileen MacLean - Chair
Lorraine Glass - Secretary
Anne McMillan - Treasurer
Eileen has enjoyed a rewarding career in Housing for more than 33 years and has held a wide variety of roles in different authorities. Her most recent post was as Head of Housing Services with Renfrewshire Council for 15 years. She was also a member of Renfrewshire's Child Protection Committee for many years.
In recent years she was Chai
Eileen has enjoyed a rewarding career in Housing for more than 33 years and has held a wide variety of roles in different authorities. Her most recent post was as Head of Housing Services with Renfrewshire Council for 15 years. She was also a member of Renfrewshire's Child Protection Committee for many years.
In recent years she was Chair of the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers in Scotland and a member of the national Joint Housing Policy and Delivery Group alongside government and national housing stakeholder bodies.
Anne McMillan - Treasurer
Lorraine Glass - Secretary
Anne McMillan - Treasurer
Anne is a qualified accountant and has had a long and varied career in the public sector. She has spent much of her career in roles related to audit and governance and was for a number of years the chief internal auditor for Renfrewshire Council. In recent years she worked as Head of Resources for the Social Work Service, which she foun
Anne is a qualified accountant and has had a long and varied career in the public sector. She has spent much of her career in roles related to audit and governance and was for a number of years the chief internal auditor for Renfrewshire Council. In recent years she worked as Head of Resources for the Social Work Service, which she found very rewarding and through it developed a personal interest in the work of the service. She was Chair of the national Resources standing committee for Social Work Scotland, and work locally and nationally on the integration of Health and Social Care Services.
Lorraine Glass - Secretary
Lorraine Glass - Secretary
Lorraine Glass - Secretary
Senior Manager with an unusually broad skill set and diverse range of experience including economic development and regeneration, national and international marketing/communication, relationship management, anti-bullying and safeguarding. Her experience of disability rights issues has been personally magnified in recent times following her husband acquiring a disability in 2012.
Mark Shepherd
Mark Shepherd
Lorraine Glass - Secretary
Mark joined Strathclyde Police in 1986 and retired from Police Scotland in January 2016. He has been involved in a range of innovative and successful community and partnership projects. His last post before retiring was Support Superintendent in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Division. The post carried a wide range of responsibilities that
Mark joined Strathclyde Police in 1986 and retired from Police Scotland in January 2016. He has been involved in a range of innovative and successful community and partnership projects. His last post before retiring was Support Superintendent in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Division. The post carried a wide range of responsibilities that included Professional Standards, HR, Counter Terrorism, Criminal Justice, Events Planning and Partnerships. Mark has an MBA in Public Service Management from Stirling University.
Ruth McQuaid
Mark Shepherd
Ruth McQuaid
Ruth McQuaid, LLB (hons) Dip LP is a solicitor and senior civil servant who has worked for 30 years as a prosecutor for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. She is currently the Deputy Procurator Fiscal for Local Courts, Scotland with oversight of all sheriff and JP courts across Scotland. Ruth is also COPFS's national Equali
Ruth McQuaid, LLB (hons) Dip LP is a solicitor and senior civil servant who has worked for 30 years as a prosecutor for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. She is currently the Deputy Procurator Fiscal for Local Courts, Scotland with oversight of all sheriff and JP courts across Scotland. Ruth is also COPFS's national Equality and Victims champion and their lead for community engagement. She is a former chair of the Justice Board's Equality and Diversity sub-group which led a 4 year criminal justice disability project tackling access to justice for the disabled. She is currently a member of the Tackling Prejudice and Building Connected Communities action group .
Billy Burke
Mark Shepherd
Ruth McQuaid
Billy Burke (BSc PGDE MSc) has been a senior manager in education for 13 years, the past 7 as head teacher of Renfrew High School. As Past President of School Leaders Scotland Billy contributes to educational development at a national level and he also assists Strathclyde University on leadership development courses. Billy is committed
Billy Burke (BSc PGDE MSc) has been a senior manager in education for 13 years, the past 7 as head teacher of Renfrew High School. As Past President of School Leaders Scotland Billy contributes to educational development at a national level and he also assists Strathclyde University on leadership development courses. Billy is committed to the promotion of wellbeing, equality and inclusion in schools and beyond, and is passionate about the value of lifelong learning for all.
Lord Mulholland - Charity Patron
Lord Mulholland - Charity Patron
Lord Mulholland - Charity Patron
The Volunteer Management Committee
Andrew Macintyre
Andrew Macintyre
Andrew Macintyre
Volunteer
Myra Reid
Andrew Macintyre
Andrew Macintyre
Volunteer
Megan Milligan
Andrew Macintyre
Megan Milligan
Volunteer