Facilitators
What are Facilitators?
Facilitators are focused on supporting bottom-up change. They work within a local organisation leading an evidence-informed change project.
Through close collaboration, Facilitators review evidence, lead local change and evaluate.
Findings and outcomes are shared for replication across the sector.
Projects
2025-26
2024-25
2023-24
2022-23
Project Team
Karen Watchman
facilitator lead (job share)
My practice background is in social care with many years as Chief Executive of Down’s Syndrome Scotland. I then moved into academia where I am Professor of Ageing, Frailty and Dementia and work with co-researchers who have a learning disability on dementia-related projects.
I am Founder and CEO of a social enterprise, SquarePeg Training, delivering co-developed training on learning disability and dementia. IMPACT provides a rare and exciting opportunity to draw on different types of evidence and learn how best to put this into social care practice across the UK
Kathryn Mackay
facilitator lead (job Share)
I am a registered social worker who now works at the University of Stirling. My teaching, research and writing reflect my interests in mental health, ageing, adult safeguarding and supporting human rights in everyday life.
I joined IMPACT to support agencies to develop services with, rather than for, people who use services and the practitioners who work with them. I believe that without true co-production few things change for the better.
Kimberley Coutts-Murray
facilitator project coordinator
I worked in social care for a number of years before completing my MSc in Health Psychology in 2020. Since then, I’ve spent time working with different interdisciplinary teams and research projects across Psychology and Social Sciences.
Most recently I supported the Healthy Ageing Challenge, Social Behavioural and Design Research Programme. I joined IMPACT as this is an amazing opportunity to work together to create real change, and to improve the quality of life for people within adult social care.
Irena Connon
Facilitator Project Officer
I joined IMPACT’s Evidence and Evaluation team in March 2025, before moving to the Facilitator team in September 2025. I am deeply inspired by IMPACT’s commitment to drawing on evidence from lived experience to actively create meaningful, positive change that benefits all.
I am a Social Anthropologist, based at the University of Stirling, with twenty years research experience in the disaster response context, mainly with people living with disabilities, older people, young adults, migrant populations, and Indigenous people. My research, which spans right across academia, policy and practice, aims to centre peoples’ lived experiences and perspectives.