Cyrenians Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution (SCCR) is happy to announce ‘Can’t, Not Won’t’: SCCR Online Festival 2025 — a virtual conference running throughout March.
The festival is designed for professionals working with families in conflict, as well as parents and carers eager to deepen their understanding of young people’s challenges. Attendance is free, and registration is now open.
The Conference will feature events on subjects that regularly cause conflict within the home: screentime, neurodiversity, how schools handle pupils’ mental health, young carers, violence and language difficulties.
The conference’s theme, ‘Can’t, Not Won’t’, challenges the common assumption that when young people behave in ways deemed ‘difficult’ or ‘defiant,’ it’s simply a matter of choice. The conference aims to shift this narrative by exploring the deeper reasons behind these behaviours — whether rooted in developmental changes, the pressures of social media, or the lingering effects of trauma. The goal is to help attendees reset their expectations and better support young people in overcoming the barriers they face.
The Conference features eight events over four weeks including:
Thursday, 13 March, 10am — ‘Recovering from Violence’
James Docherty, Project Manager at Scottish Violence Reduction Unit will give professional insight and experience in what it takes to overcome adversity.
Thursday, 13 March, 4pm — ‘Status Quo or Status No: Rethinking Mental Health in Education’
Billy Burke, former headteacher and current Head of Service at Scottish Action for Mental Health, will examine how the education system must evolve to better support students’ mental wellbeing.
Tuesday, 18 March, 11am – ‘Young Carers: Give Me a Break’
This event will give an oversite of who young carers are and the challenges they may face. Participants will also hear about some of the National work, legislation and support available for young carers and their families.
Thursday, 20 March, 10am – ‘Supporting Children with Language Difficulties’
Fiona Petrie, Speech and Language Therapist at NHS Lothian leads this session. What is Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and how is it recognised? What are the potential impacts on wellbeing and relationships?
Thursday, 20 March, 2pm — ‘It Takes All Kinds of Minds: Neurodiversity Workshop’
Nelly Whaley, Training Manager at Salvesen Mindroom Centre, will lead a practical workshop encouraging participants to adopt a strengths-based approach to supporting neurodivergent individuals.
Tuesday, 25 March, 2pm – ‘Flipping the Script’
SCCR’s Aimee McDonald and Katie Walker lead a session on micro-choices, shifting perspectives, specific conflict resolution strategies, and interpersonal methods for shifting perspectives to promote engagement.
Wednesday, 26 March, 10am — ‘Balancing Screen Time’
Sheena Peckham, Content Lead at Internet Matters, will explore young people’s relationships with digital spaces, offering practical tools for managing screen time and supporting their wellbeing in an online world.
For more information and to reserve places, visit: https://tinyurl.com/4rspp38b
