About Us
We are a group of campaigners who have direct experience of living in poverty. We are working together to come up with solutions to some of the biggest issues that lock people in poverty across the UK.
We are ATD Fourth World, Dole Animators and Thrive Teesside. We’ve been working with a designer, Dan Farley, and a researcher, Ruth Patrick, in a series of workshops to explore the problems we face and to visualise our ideas for solving poverty.
“This is not just about having a voice, it’s about finding a way to use our voice that will hold politicians to account for the very real impact that their decisions have on millions of people’s lives.”
ATD Fourth World
ATD FOURTH WORLD is a human rights-based, anti-poverty organisation with more than 40 years’ experience of engaging with individuals and institutions to find solutions to eradicate extreme poverty in the UK.
Working in partnership with people affected by poverty, ATD Fourth World has, since 1968, concentrated its efforts on supporting families and influencing policy.
Dole Animators
Dole Animators evolved out of a collaboration between a group of Leeds-based benefit claimants who worked together to make an animated documentary about the reality of the impact of the government’s recent welfare reform.
The project built upon qualitative research exploring lived experiences of welfare reform, as part of doctoral research by Ruth Patrick. Working in partnership with award-winning documentary filmmaker Ellie Land, fifteen out-of-work benefit claimants were interviewed three times as they experienced the direct consequences of various welfare reforms.
Thrive Teesside
Thrive Teesside provides support for people looking to escape poverty and improve their livelihoods. The organisation prides itself on bringing communities together, showing that people are not alone in experiencing these problems.
Thrive also campaigns against unfair practices suffered by those living in poverty (locally and nationally), challenging the rent to own sector, jobcentre sanctions, zero hours contracts and run a Living Wage campaign. Thrive raises awareness of issues faced by people living in poverty, working in partnership with others to carry out action research projects.
The Poverty2Solutions journey
The Poverty2Solutions journey began in 2016 years ago. Three grassroots organisations led by lived experience of poverty (ATD Fourth World, Dole Animators and Thrive Teesside) were (and continue to be) supported by a graphic designer and academic. The merging of the varying levels of expertise led to the aspiration to ensure that the voice of lived experience was taken seriously and able to inform decisions that have an impact on low income communities lives
Poverty2Solutions are a diverse group with a range of expertise, knowledge and skills. The group have proven time and time again how effective they are at playing to their strengths and drawing in other areas of expertise when needed to add value. The dynamics of the group are complimentary with lived experience of poverty being at the heart of taking actions forward.
“We are the voice of our communities with the skills and experience to influence change. We are solution focussed and innovative. We have seen how bad policy decisions have had a negative impact on people who are already struggling. Being part of the decision making process can prevent further suffering in low income communities”
Corrina, Thrive
“Working together with ATD Fourth World and Thrive has been a really great experience in knowing that we all share a passion to look at the bigger picture and not just our own lived experiences. Coming together to pool our different skills and expertise has enabled us to have a bigger voice and lends more credibility to our aims and goals - which is to work with, not against, decision and policy makers to ensure fairer changes can be made that will benefit all in society."
Sue, Dole Animators
Voice
No longer wanting to be side-lined or denied the opportunity to engage in developing solutions to social problems, the Poverty2Solutions team were tired of feeling that their voices and experiences were ignored in policy making discussions and debates. They wanted to be part of changing things and thus advocated their need to enhance their civic responsibility by way of applying their unique and valued grassroots’ expertise to transform the decision making arena, actively addressing issues that matter to the communities they live in. Having a shared determination to be recognised for the skills and abilities lived experience possess led the group to the acknowledgement of voice as being key to affecting change.
“The power of voice is a very important tool, when you have been ignored and discriminated against, you lose your voice. This project has given us voice again. Going out and speaking to MPs is very important and when we are listened to and our shared experience taken into account it inspires us to keep going. We have power now in our voice.”
Seamus, ATD Fourth World
The socio economic duty
Continuing the Poverty2Solutions journey and agreeing voice as a key area of focus to affecting change led the group to seek additional expert support from JRF’s policy and campaign manager to help choose and develop a key policy ask. After lots of deliberation, we chose enacting section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 (the socio economic duty) in order to reduce inequality between socio-economic groups. Not satisfied with just dusting down an old policy, it became crucial to the group that the voice of lived experience needed to be placed at the heart of delivering this provision.
“I may be seen as only one person living in very difficult circumstances, but I know a thing or two about how to organise myself and develop solutions to improving not only my life, but others who are in similar positions. It is in the decision and policy makers interest to collaborate with me. I have something to offer that is unique and could assist them, thus leading to more effective policy making decisions. Is that not a win win situation which can then lead to mutual respect and a fairer society?”
Kath Carter, Thrive
Do your Duty for Equality
So how did we turn our ambitions and aspirations into action? Poverty2Solutions were clear on their ask, but needed to gather information, advice and support. A meeting with Harriet Harman, MP (the Equalities Minister in 2009) seemed the most sensible first step as in 2009 she had tried to introduce the socio-economic duty. This was abandoned by the then Home Secretary, Theresa May, MP. Harriet Harman continued in her quest to gain support for the introduction of the Duty and Poverty2Solutions wanted to hear more about this. The group recognised how valuable gaining allies and support from all political parties could be a key determining factor to progressing the ask and so invites to meet with leading political figures from all parties then followed. We held a number of influencing meetings with Labour Shadow ministers, embarked on a fact finding road trip to Scotland to check out the implementation of the Fairer Scotland Duty and linked in with Just Fair and their campaign #1forEquality.
“Our group appreciates that we don’t have all the answers and information. We are keen to work in collaboration with others and pool our skills, expertise and resources. It is only by working together, building relationships of trust and respecting each other’s’ area of expertise that we can really make a difference. We have a shared to goal to make a more equal and fairer society, so it is worthwhile to work more closely on issues that are of public concern. Reducing inequality is in everyone’s interest”
Tracey Herrington, Thrive
Pooling various levels of expertise and bringing in other experts at key stages throughout our journey has been invaluable. Poverty2Solutions acknowledge and appreciate the added value associated with combining skills and knowledge. We have gathered information around best practice campaigning methods, sought advice from legal experts and consequently evidenced an ability to form partnerships of mutual respect. The group continued to meet regularly to consolidate their policy ask and the ‘Do Your Duty for Equality’ campaign became the instinctive next step.
“All of this this has made us feel listened to, we live in hardship every day, living without a roof over our head, deciding whether to eat or put on the heating, not knowing where our next meal is coming from, struggling to understand the ever changing benefit system, and feeling guilty for claiming benefits . Things need to improve for everyone, by working together we can make changes”
Patricia, ATD Fourth World