FAQ for participants in Dundee

Remembering Together is a national project where community memorials will be co-created across Scotland to honour the people we have lost, mark what has changed in our lives and preserve the best of what we have learned together during the Covid pandemic.

What is the purpose of the project?

This project aims to bring together people from Dundee to define what a ‘memorial’ means to them and will encourage time and space to help them remember their loved ones. Design Studio Around Zero, will work collaboratively with communities through a healing process that will allow individuals to share their personal experiences and help other community members by collectively creating a memorial that can positively impact their lives.

What is my role as a participant?

For the first stage, Around Zero will be leading 1 to 2-hour workshop sessions with Dundee communities to discover how the Covid pandemic has impacted them. In these sessions, Around Zero will ask individuals about their experiences during the Covid pandemic and discuss how they faced it.

These personal experiences will help create a memorial for the city. The individuals who have taken part in these sessions will then be invited to be part of a co-design workshop where everyone will be encouraged to share their ideas and help design this Covid memorial for Dundee. Taking part in this project is having a safe space to share your ideas to create a community space that can positively impact Dundee.

Around Zero will establish boundaries for a safe environment during group events or individual conversations and facilitate dialogues where people are not judged, left behind, or feel excluded. There will be a registered counsellor present in each of the sessions to speak to if you are affected by any of the personal experiences shared in these group sessions.

Who do I need to contact to be part of the project?

Please email hello@around-zero.com, who will share more details about how you can take part.

Why have I been invited to take part?

Around Zero would like to include individuals of various ages from different backgrounds who have each been affected by the Covid pandemic. You may be invited to take part if you have been identified by your youth or social worker, or if you are part of an existing regular group. This project aims to open the space for inclusion, hear all voices, and involve the people of Dundee to co-create this memorial.

Do I have to take part?

This is a voluntary project, and anyone living in Dundee is welcome to participate. These sessions are free and welcome to any age to attend. However, some shared experiences may be upsetting for younger children.

Where will this take place?

If you are part of a group or organisation and would like to be part of this project, please contact Around Zero to plan a group session who can come to you. The team behind the project will arrange a venue and can cover the transport costs for participants (£5 flat rate per participant).

There are free public Drop-In sessions taking place from 11am-4pm at V&A Dundee on Sunday 10th July if you would like to come along and take part.

To find out when any other Drop-In sessions are going to take place, please follow @designdundee on social media.

Alternatively, Around Zero can arrange online sessions for individuals; please email hello@around-zero.com, for details.

Will my taking part be kept confidential?

The stories shared during the sessions will remain confidential. The insights gathered will be used as part of the research that will help to understand the Dundee community experiences.

These experiences will be shared with the team involved in this project to help deliver the next stage of designing a Covid memorial for Dundee, but full names and personal information won’t be revealed.

Who should I contact for further information?

If you have any questions or require more information, please get in contact using the following contact details:

Vinishree Solanki, hello@around-zero.com

Kirsten Wallace, kirsten.wallace@vandadundee.org

How is the project being funded?

Phase one of the Remembering Together programme for Dundee is being delivered by Around Zero and led by UNESCO City of Design Dundee with support from local partners, including Dundee City Council, Faith in the Community, Funeral Link, Leisure and Culture Dundee and V&A Dundee.

This national project is managed by greenspace scotland with funding from the Scottish Government.

Thank you for reading this information and considering taking part in this project.