Talking Up
Talking UP For A Change
Talking UP for a Change's sponsor, Edinburgh marketing communications company Design Links was one of only 21 companies throughout the UK to be awarded the prestigious CommunityMark by Business in the Community. The award is made for companies' work with communities across the UK. Design Links found itself in illustrious company, receiving its award alongside retail and banking giants that included TSB Foundation for Scotland, Sainsbury's, Tesco and the John Lewis Partnership.
Take a look at The Herald's take on the achievement:
Read the full article (External Site)
08 July 2008
Design Links also won the Merrill Lynch Education Award for its work with Craigroyston Community High, helping the school to create and communicate a culture of achievement, working with pupils and staff. This work also earned the agency a further accolade - Scottish Business in the Community's Small Company of the Year award.
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Financial Times
29 May 2008
With negative thinking anathema to Mr Stevenson, he’s launching his efforts to unleash a ‘social virus’ that will sweep its way through Scottish business, sport, education and everyday life.
Mr Stevenson, a jack-of-all-trades who found positive focus and determination late in life, has successfully helped numerous companies across the UK to make positive cultural changes in the workplace. And he sees no reason why he can’t find fertile ground in the national psyche.
Edinburgh Evening News
26 April 2006
“Mike is spectacularly good at seeking out the untapped views of people who wouldn’t normally be asked. He gets people to reflect on the value of what they do, often in ways they’d never previously considered. Without them realising it at the time, it can almost be like an awakening for those involved and it means that everyone reaches a much deeper level of understanding, which greatly adds to the outcome.”
Dorothy Hill, Directorate Business Manager
Health and Social Care Department, The City of Edinburgh Council
"Mike's involvement with Scottish and Southern was of great benefit as we
looked to move the company culture forwards as part of our organisational
and commercial growth. Mike helped our in-house team to develop our
internal communications, to create a sense of common purpose among staff at different locations."
Julian Reeves, Communications Manager
Scottish and Southern Energy
“Mike's a fantastic communicator who, unlike other motivational speakers, is a natural at getting close to people and making you feel there's no distance between you and the ideas he champions. He also has an excellent grasp of modern management approaches and knows how to get people at all levels involved and contributing to their full potential."
Robin Burley, Partner
Eskhill & Co (partnerships for performance – executive coaching, mediation and consultancy services)
As part of the development of Waste Aware East Lothian, Mike explored and found ways to make a waste reduction and recycling campaign a long-term success. Working with people throughout the community, he identified the criteria they needed to see fulfilled if they were to support the campaign now and for the future. Mike worked with the Council so that the aims of the campaign became second nature to people and part of their everyday life."
David Russell, Corporate Communications Manager
East Lothian Council
"Mike brought with him an inclusive approach, bringing in tenants to contribute directly to the values of the goodapple brand - the values came through from the tenants. Visually too, the freshness, openness and quality of the artwork that was created served to draw people in and allow even more ideas to flow."
Rab Hepburn,Head of Accommodation Policy
Community Services,
Aberdeen City Council
"You have a great skill in raising awareness and bringing great people together. its wonderful the mountains we can all move when we put our intention into it. I left feeling very inspired an eager to better my life and really aim to be the best I can be."
Kate Chapman
Edinburgh Building Services