International Collaboration’s Inspiring Innovation – Welcoming guests from Hungary!

Ten people are standing in a line, smiling at the camera. The two men in the middle are shaking hands.

Our International Collaborations Project welcomed members of the Hungarian social care organisation, Irmák, to share knowledge, experience and learning.

In May, we were delighted to welcome visitors from Irmák, a Hungarian non-profit that supports older people and people with disabilities. Irmák was founded over 25 years ago by the parents of CEO Szebenszki Baláz, and has been growing ever since. Ten people are standing in a line, the two men in the middle are shaking hands, while everyone else is looking towards them and smiling. (International Collaborations)

Following the recent election in Hungary, the first change in government in many years, Baláz told us that Irmak anticipates new funding opportunities to develop services. As they prepare for this, they reached out to us seeking ideas and examples of best practices, and we were pleased that they chose to learn from our work.

During their two-day visit, they learned about Carr Gomm’s origins and how our commitment to being progressive and outward-looking is ingrained in our DNA. Although our visitors were already familiar with the concept of person-centred care, it was exciting to witness them have a real “lightbulb moment” when they realised that this approach is truly at the core of everything we do, and the driving force behind all our work, including involvement, community development, and digital inclusion.

Colleagues from across Carr Gomm shared insights into the variety of social care service models we deliver, from Home Based Respite services in Highland to transition services in Forth Valley. We also discussed some of our shared challenges, including funding restrictions, creating safe digital spaces for the people we support and ensuring the ethical use of AI.

The visitors were warmly welcomed at our Lochend service in Edinburgh, where we support people with mental health needs to live independently in their own homes, with communal space for connection and staff on site around the clock. They commented that they had never seen anything in Hungary that matched such a high standard!

Before returning home, they visited our Midlothian office, where they spoke with staff and received a special send-off from Something To Believe In, our Midlothian Music Group made up of people we support, who have built a wonderful community together over the last few years.

Baláz said that the visit had changed their entire view of person-centred care and made him realise that they “will have to radically change their approach to personalisation.” The visit also inspired them to consider establishing a new home-based care service in Hungary!

We’re excited to find ways to collaborate and learn from each other in the future, and we look forward to accepting their kind offer to visit Irmák in Hungary soon!

Thank you to EASPD – European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities for making connections like this possible.

To arrange an international visit to Carr Gomm, please contact our International Collaborations Project Manager Rebecca at RebeccaRobinson@carrgomm.org.