About Us
Dundee Community Craft CIC (DCC-CIC) is an organisation that provides workshops, education, employment opportunities, mental health and well-being support to highly vulnerable communities in Dundee affected by poverty, complex trauma, and substance use. Our team works with people within these communities, whom we call our ‘community makers,’ to co-design and co-produce unique, hand-crafted metalwork and jewellery that are sold commercially to galleries and retail outlets.
Our services are an innovative way for those whose collective identity is often devalued in modern society to discover a shared experience in craftsmanship, which serves as a foundation for improved well-being and mental health. We holistically support our community makers to increase their self-esteem, nurture connections with others, and discover a sense of purpose through investing in equipping them with practical, skills-based training, employment opportunities, and trauma-informed therapeutic interventions which they can carry into other areas of their lives. Each piece of high-quality craftsmanship produced by DCC-CIC is a testament that it is possible to flourish and nurture beauty in times of adversity.
Our Values
-
Everything we do is rooted in strengthening our communities. We create welcoming spaces where people can connect, learn new skills and build meaningful relationships.
-
We believe creativity has the power to transform lives. Through making, learning and creating, people discover confidence, purpose and new possibilities.
-
Everyone deserves the opportunity to participate, regardless of their background or circumstances. We work to remove barriers and create environments where everyone feels valued, respected and able to contribute.
-
We are committed to creating lasting social impact. By operating as a social enterprise, every purchase, partnership and investment helps us reinvest in our community and secure opportunities for future generations.
-
We believe people are the experts in their own lives. Rather than doing things for people, we work alongside them to develop confidence, skills and opportunities that enable them to make their own choices, shape their own futures and achieve their ambitions.
-
Our work is informed by research, evidence and lived experience. We continually evaluate, learn and adapt our services to ensure they are effective, meaningful and responsive to the needs of our community. We believe that knowledge should be shared, not owned. Through our work, we develop resources, research and practical learning which are gifted back to Dundee through Dundee Community Craft CIC, creating a lasting legacy that other organisations, communities and future generations can build upon.
Dundee Community Craft CIC is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors who bring together expertise from the creative industries, finance, human resources and, importantly, lived experience.
By combining professional knowledge with first-hand understanding of the challenges faced by many of the people we support, our Board ensures that every decision is practical, ethical and rooted in our values.
This breadth of experience helps us remain financially sustainable while ensuring our services are accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of our community. Together, our Board provides the strategic leadership and accountability needed to deliver meaningful and lasting social impact across Dundee.
Meet Our Board
Stephanie Graham
Stephanie Graham is a jeweller, early-stage researcher, educator and founder of Dundee Community Craft CIC. Her practice sits at the intersection of jewellery, craft, research and social engagement, using making as a creative and design-led intervention to support confidence, skills, resilience and recovery.
Stephanie has worked with Police Scotland’s Violence Reduction Unit, delivering programmes that promote a public health approach to violence. The outcomes of this work were exhibited at V&A Dundee in 2022, demonstrating how creative practice can contribute to wider conversations around health, wellbeing and social change. Her work has also extended into the Scottish Prison Service, where she collaborated with residents at HMP Bella and HMP Castle Huntly, using jewellery and craft as design interventions to support people in recovery.
Most recently, Stephanie has collaborated with researchers at the University of Dundee to evaluate the impact of jewellery making for women in recovery at the Dundee Women’s Hub, a multi-agency support hub for women experiencing multiple disadvantages.
This research was funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh, with the resulting work exhibited at V&A Dundee in 2025. The CIC is currently being commissioned by the NHS Drug ReDesign Project to deliver creative opportunities to people at the end of their methadone treatment programme to help build skills and confidence for patients starting a new chapter of their lives.
A central principle of Stephanie’s practice is that research should create meaningful and lasting benefit beyond the research setting. She therefore donates her research outcomes and creative outputs to Dundee Community Craft CIC, enabling the organisation to build on this work and provide continued opportunities for creativity, learning, connection and skills development within the community.
Through Dundee Community Craft CIC, Stephanie is committed to making craft and jewellery accessible as tools for participation, personal development and social change. Her work brings together academic research, community knowledge and practical making to explore how creative practice can support people and communities experiencing disadvantage, while creating opportunities for their experiences, skills and achievements to be recognised and valued.
Amy Briggs
Amy is an experienced corporate risk professional with seven years of expertise across operational risk, contract risk, team management, and organisational development. In parallel with her corporate career, she has provided supportive spaces for women and works in the wellbeing space across Fife and Perth. She is undertaking formal training as a counsellor and brings a measured, governance-led approach to her work, underpinned by a commitment to wellbeing and community impact. She applies her strategic insight and risk management background to strengthen organisational resilience while championing craft as an effective medium for therapeutic engagement and emotional recovery.
Kate Pickering
As the founder of an innovative jewellery and silversmithing school and training programme in Scotland, Kate Pickering has dedicated over a decade to working with students, graduates, professional jewellers, trade professionals and designers, building a thriving community that fosters creativity and empowerment through making. She has extensive experience within formal education settings, designing and delivering workshops, lectures, seminars and assessments. Alongside this, she has established and managed several creative businesses and projects, strengthening her expertise in leadership, strategic development and community-focused practice. Empowerment, communication, collaboration and storytelling run through all aspects of Kate’s creative career. She has applied these skills across many contexts, including marketing for a social enterprise, curating exhibitions, teaching at various levels and managing a design community. She continues to contribute to Scotland’s creative landscape through her work as Creative Instigator with OnFife, through her independent teaching and creative practice, and through Bee’s Sauna, her newly established wellbeing venture.
Audrey Stewart
As our dedicated Recovery Consultant, Audrey brings more than a decade of lived recovery experience to Dundee Community Craft CIC. Her deep understanding of the challenges, needs, and strengths within the recovery community ensures that our service provision is grounded in real-world insight and responsive to the people we support. With over 10 years in recovery, Audrey plays a vital role in shaping programmes that are compassionate, practical, and truly person-centred. She ensures that our community outreach and support services are individually tailored, recognising each person’s unique circumstances and working with them to unlock their full potential. In her outreach work, Audrey builds meaningful connections, engages individuals who may benefit from our services, and offers guidance rooted in empathy and understanding. Her passion and commitment help ensure that Dundee Community Craft CIC remains an inclusive, empowering space where recovery is understood, respected, and actively supported.