A seminar & discussion hosted by the Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research & Policy (SCPHRP) Working Groups, University of Edinburgh
’Man is by nature a social animal… Society is something that precedes the individual. Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of society, is either a beast or a god.’ – Aristotle
Social connections are concerned with the interactions between people and/or groups of people, occurring within a range of settings, including communities, families and peer groups or friendship networks. There is growing evidence that these are important drivers of health and wellbeing throughout the lifecourse and through a variety of mechanisms.
This is reflected in national policy, which increasingly refers to connectedness as a health asset within communities. We have invited four speakers, from a range of backgrounds, to present evidence of how social connections can influence health across the lifecourse.
The seminar will be followed by a panel discussion.
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Schedule
17:05 – 17:25
’Later Life’ presentation on ’A Scotland for all ages’
Glenda Watt, Strategy Manager, Edinburgh’s Joint Plan for Older People, The City of Edinburgh Council
http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/acfaa
17:25 - 17:45
’Adult Life / Working Age’ presentation on ’Enhancing health through social enterprise and social banking’
Prof. Cam Donaldson, Yunus Chair in Social Business & Health, Glasgow Caledonian University
http://www.gcu.ac.uk/yunuscentre/theteam/professorcamdonaldson/
17:45 – 18:05
’’Adolescence and Young Adulthood’ presentation on ’The relationship between social connectedness and health-related behaviours in adolescence’
Dr Marion Henderson, Senior Investigator Scientist, MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow
http://www.sphsu.mrc.ac.uk/user/details/37-Marion-Henderson
18:05 – 18:25
’Early Years’ presentation on ’Do high maternal social assets – social support from close ties – attenuate some of the negative effects on children of living in persistent low income?’
Dr Morag Treanor, Lecturer in Quantitative Social Policy, School of Social & Political Science, University of Edinburgh
http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/staff/social_policy/morag_treanor
