Category

• Emerging Local Practice

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Poverty impact

• Awareness

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Poverty driver

• Non-driver - improving quality of life

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Keywords

• Political Activism
• Cost of Living
• Trade Unions
• Community Activism
• Aberdeen

Aim

To create a support network and promote political activism in the areas most impacted by poverty and hardship in Aberdeen.

Summary

Aberdeen is Jist Scunnered is a group of individuals and organisations concerned about inequality and inequitable distribution of wealth. The project defines itself as a radical political platform that aims for political change through local discussion groups that raise political awareness and encourage broader political participation in deprived communities. The group is focused on questioning the causes of poverty, what actions can be deployed to support deprived communities, and, most of all, reducing what they call “the self-shame feeling” of living in poverty. The project focuses on actions that promote political activism and enhance community networking by strengthening the links among other support organisations and local leadership that could reduce community isolation. In their own words: “We want to be inspirational and agitational to make things better for us all.”

What difference does it make?

The initiative brings increased access to support services directly into the communities that it works in. They have also engaged people in local communities in political activism, and facilitated connections to combat social isolation in areas with high levels of deprivation.

Key take-aways

• Using the experience of trade union representatives can raise awareness about poverty in local communities.
• Discussion meetings within deprived communities can promote community cohesion and participation.
• Collective action can change policy design and promote local communities’ political participation.

 

Organisations

Aberdeen is Jist Scunnered

Location

Aberdeen

Contact