Birmingham Poverty Truth Commission
What if people who have directly faced poverty had relationships with people of influence and those who make policy decisions that affect them? Would people listen to their experiences and if they did, would they better understand the challenges that poverty brings? Would it make a difference to the decisions that are being made?
Birmingham Poverty Truth is based on the idea that to really address poverty in Birmingham the real voices of people who have experience of living at the sharp end of poverty, in all sorts of different ways, need to not only be heard but involved in decisions about poverty. The question at the heart of Birmingham Poverty Truth is – what if people who have directly faced poverty were involved in decisions about poverty?
Launched in 2017, the Commission created safe spaces for ordinary people to tell their stories and opportunities for those making and influencing decisions to listen. It was hoped that the experience would deepen an understanding of the difficult and entrenched issues of poverty, improve perceptions and challenge stereotyping, and lead to better decision making by the city’s leaders across business, public and voluntary sectors.
What ensued an incredible journey, where a group of strangers became a family; getting to know each other, sharing experiences and lives, and learning from each other.
The report and an accompanying video were launched in summer 2019. Use the buttons below to find out more and get in touch. Download report here
Nothing about Us without Us is for Us