Latest Posts in Solutions

In a world built around digital access, too many are still locked out. Digital Mushrooms is a grassroots, anarchistic mutual aid project in Govanhill helping folk get to grips with tech — no suits, no funding bids, just solidarity (and maybe biscuits).

From tabloid sensationalism to TikTok citizen journalism, how do narratives about a place get shaped, and who gets to shape them? Devon McCole explores digital reporting on one of Glasgow’s most misunderstood neighbourhoods.

Govanhill has more public CCTV cameras than wards many times its size. But who’s being watched? As faulty systems persist and facial recognition expands, troubling links emerge to Israeli surveillance firms tied to the oppression of Palestinians.

Writer Laura Vroomen sets off to discover shops that have been lost and those which are likely to survive – meeting shopkeepers, neighbours, and newcomers to uncover how a changing retail landscape reflects a community in flux.

As corporate advertising continues to dominate our public spaces, one local writer explores its hidden harms – from junk food to greenwashing – and asks whether places like Govanhill could reclaim the streets for people, not profit and if grassroots resistance could offer a way forward.

The rise of far right influence has caused alarm to many in diverse communities like Govanhill and can risk undermining social cohesion, inclusion and harmony. In this opinion piece, published on World Refugee Day, Devon McCole explores what we can do to stop it and protect those most vulnerable.

From the salt shores of Lake Urmia to the streets of Govanhill, one resident shares their journey across continents. Along the way, they discovered unexpected joys in Glasgow’s most diverse neighbourhood – from familiar flavours to lasting friendships.

How can we respond to rolling coverage of injustice without turning away? In Govanhill, campaigners and independent publications explored this question, offering insight into grassroots activism, the BDS movement and the vital role of community-led media.

For Jill, a disability rights campaigner from Glasgow, the internet isn’t just a tool – it’s a lifeline. Through social media, she’s built a movement for accessible toilets across the UK, showing how digital platforms can break down barriers and amplify the voices too often left unheard.

Two Greater Govanhill articles have been shortlisted for Refugee Festival Scotland Media Awards, celebrating powerful, responsible coverage of refugee and asylum issues.

Despite council claims of success, a Pollokshields resident shares a ground-level view of overflowing bins, missed collections, and broken promises — raising questions about whether Glasgow’s bin hub pilot is ready for citywide rollout.

With Scotland’s rent cap scrapped last month, Govanhill residents run the risk of being hit with unaffordable rent hikes — some as high as 100%. As protections vanish, housing campaigners warn of a deepening crisis and urge tenants to organise for rent controls and community stability.

Community sponsorship, a grassroots initiative led by the community and supported by Reset UK, works alongside refugee families to resettle them into their new homes, from accessing safe accommodation, navigating local services, registering with a GP, to helping children settle into school.

Greater Govanhill’s Picture Desk team, Iain McLellan and Laura Vroomen, reflect on One Day in Govanhill — a collaborative photo project at the heart of a new exhibition exploring the neighbourhood’s living heritage, community spirit and the stories that unfolded on a single, extraordinary day.

Arkbound Foundation ran a series of workshops at the Community Newsroom, attended by writers from across Glasgow. Over the course of six sessions, writers respond creatively to the cost of living crisis – through poetry, short stories, and reflective prose, highlighting the power of literature to document their experiences.

Discover how a community-led initiative, Queen's Park Neighbourhoods (QPN), is developing a blueprint to improve local spaces and unlock funding for the Queen's Park area. Find out about their key projects and how you can lend your voice to make these changes happen.

Grassroots initiatives based in Govanhill have received over £10,000 in funding from the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Williamson Trust to support local, sustainable solutions, from greener coffee choices to children’s nature play and urban gardening.

In Govanhill, a grassroots campaign is taking bold steps to boycott brands complicit in Israel’s occupation of Palestine; starting with Coca-Cola. Born from local activism and backed by the global BDS movement, the Govanhill Apartheid Free Zone is rallying businesses and residents to turn everyday choices into acts of solidarity.

Hundreds of Muslim and BME women in Scotland are reporting abuse not from partners, but from in-laws and extended family, yet the law doesn’t recognise it. Amina MWRC is fighting to change that, shedding light on a hidden form of coercive control and pushing for a more inclusive, intersectional approach to domestic abuse policy.

While the animals once housed in the iconic Queen’s Park Glasshouse won’t be returning—much to the disappointment of many local residents and visitors—the question remains: what changes do residents hope to see now that the Glasshouse is set to be refurbished due to concerns about its structural integrity?

“My first memory of gambling was popping into the local bookies on Grand National day aged 18 to lay an each-way bet for me and my mum…It was a man’s world, but I still recall the buzz of placing a potential winner and the desire to come back to collect my winnings after the race. It was like the die was cast.”

The UK lags behind the rest of Europe on gambling advertising regulation while other countries are limiting their impact. Kate Samuels examines approaches taken in three different countries and explores what the UK can learn to better protect vulnerable communities and reduce gambling-related harm.

Gambling harms thrive in plain sight, especially in less affluent communities like Govanhill. With bookmakers on every corner and addictive mechanics embedded in video games, the seeds of addiction are planted early, often in the lives of vulnerable young people. Eva O’Donovan unpacks the systemic exploitation and the hidden struggles of those caught in its grip, shedding light on the urgent need for change.

Two innovative initiatives are making strides in supporting vulnerable communities. From empowering the Roma community with resources on gambling harm to offering a safe digital space for women affected by gambling, these projects foster meaningful change.