[explain lived experience]

 

People in poverty are like trees, no matter what is thrown at them they always weather the storm they might be bent or damaged but they always emerge. 

Hear our cries please! Just do something!  Now is your opportunity to end poverty at the 30 years mark (30 years since UN Day for International Day to End Poverty). Be the change!

To the last one leaving the UK please put out the lights – we can no longer afford the bills. Enough is not enough. Not enough food, not enough money, not enough housing, not enough equality, not enough opportunity, not enough listening, not enough ‘doing.’ Are you sure we’re the 6^th biggest economy in the world? The poverty in the UK doesn’t prove it.  

Free WiFi is more important than ever 

As new PM – do you have any plans to enact section one of the Equality Act?; the socio economic duty? Dignity is one of the main pillars of human rights (article 36). Why are you breaking Human Rights Law by not honouring the ‘right to food’ – enshrine it in law. 

The disabled £10 Christmas bonus has been paid for 20 year in todays terms it should be £280. Please uplift it to this amount, especially die to the cost of living crisis which will impact disabled people more than ever. 

Make the DWP Benefits much fairer for all especially for those on UC, Disability, PiP, ESA. Increase Benefit amounts such as benefits under the UC umbrella, disability, PiP, in line with cost of living. Stop the bullying threats by DWP, job centre and what do we say or loose benefits. 

 and stop the job centres from bullying those on said benefits, being made to jump through hoops and having to attend unfair medical assessments that people attend where a lot of them are. Not qualified to do the job and don’t listen to what they are told and are still score people 0 points and so the person loses their benefit even though it is blatantly obvious that they are not able to work because of their disability and illness. 

Those of us living in poverty are not waving but drowning. Help!

As prime minister you control the levers of power. As thus, like a crane driver you control the levers of power to pull the poor out of poverty. 

 

No one is safe until everyone is safe. 

[15mins] Welcome & Who are APLE? [Katy]

[10mins] Digital Divide APLE Collective Briefing. [Amanda]. 

[15mins] APLE Collective Lived Experience. [Katy to Introduce then APLE Collective Members to Share; ]

[3mins]Cornwall. Transport. Smartphone Essential - [Chris]

[3mins] Stoke. Children. Education. [Tracey K]

[3mins] Guilford. Children. Education. SW. [Thomas M]

[3mins] Manchester. Refugee & Asylum Seekers. [Ibrahim]

[15mins] Solutions - Ideas that we have that we would like to work with you to create .. Refer to introductory Participatory Activity [Tracey H & Brian]

Free wiFi for All 

Zero Data Health & Education Sites

Rural WiFi - No 4G

[15mins] Q&A [Tracey H & Brian]

Solidarity is important too. With time, I was asked more and more to be involved in various meetings. At the beginning, I would just sit in the background and not said anything. Through working with team members and other activists, seeing them speak in public or work with other members in their communities, I gained a lot of confidence. I also gained experience of speaking in public and writing my thoughts in a speech. When I delivered my very first speeches, Pat or Seamus—who had started with ATD long before me—would always be in the background, ready to jump in or even step in if I got the cold feet. Knowing that I always had the backing of team members and activists was a real confidence boost. I knew that there would always be somebody at my side if I was struggling a little bit.

With ATD, I’ve learnt about my rights and that I can hold people in power accountable. Knowledge is power. Before, when I met a figure of authority, I would agree with what they said. I thought that they had the power and therefore they were right. It was like being treated as a child. I was not respected. As I got knowledge, I was able to challenge people in power on their own level. I was able to stand up and hold my own against them—not only for myself, but also for others who can’t speak for themselves because they are treated in ways that undermine them as people; ways that make them feel powerless and that there is no point in raising their voice because it won’t make a difference.

Being part of the National Coordination Team support group of ATD and attending activist sessions has empowered me to participate in decision-making processes. We make decisions together on important questions, such as which projects we want to progress forward and why they are important. Activist sessions are an opportunity for activists to learn new skills (such as public speaking) and share experiences. Without everybody’s input and valuable knowledge, I don’t think ATD would exist very long. 

 

When you live in poverty, almost everybody else you meet is in a position of power.

 

Whether it is individual people or institutions - from local councils to housing offices, from schools and the Jobcentre Plus to social services - almost all of them have the power to make decisions that will have an impact on people's lives. 

 

That power imbalance is always present.

 

With social housing, there is always a lack of choice, not least in geography and location. 

 

With schools, we often have to fight for extra support for our children or for understanding around the costs of school trips or after school activities.

 

At the Jobcentre Plus, officials have the power to decide what support you are entitled to and whether you should be sanctioned.

 

And social service departments will make judgements and decisions on your ability to care for your own child. 

 

When people in poverty come into contact with institutions like these, it often feels like we have to repeat ourselves time and again just to get the bare minimum from them. Because it is not always clear to us what we are entitled to. And because we don't always know what we are entitled to. That power imbalance is always present. And we are always at a disadvantage.

 

It is talking to other parents in the same situation but have found ways around it that can make a change. Talking to other parents that have often had similar problems can show that building relationships is key. 

 

People in poverty will often have the feeling of being bounced around from pillar to post and from one department to another. But often another parent can point to a person or a department that can unlock the problem.

 

At ATD, this talking to others is central to what we do. It is peer support. It is family support. It is at the heart of everything.

 

In my own case, talking to others has given me the platform and the understanding to better articulate my own point of view of what is happening to my family and to other families in poverty. It has also given me the ability to understand the rules and regulations around institutions and those in positions of power.

 

ATD's emphasis on participation - and how to make participation happen - has given me the power to speak out on my own situation. It has also given me the power to debate real issues and talk to decision makers about the real world experiences of their policies.

 

The first step to erasing this power imbalance is to acknowledge that power is a reality.

 

Power works better the more voices that you bring together. 

 

The more that people and organisations co-operate and work together, the more doors can be opened and discussions broached with people in power.

 

Thank you.