Category

• Emerging Local Practice

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Poverty impact

• Mitigation
• Awareness

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Poverty driver

• Provide benefit in-kind (experience)
• Increase employment income

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Keywords

• Community Action
• Community Engagement
• Empowerment
• Employment
• Lived Experience

Aim

Reduce poverty.
Develop a fairer economy.
Build community pride.

Summary

The Oldham Positive Action Network comprises volunteers, residents, and professionals who work together to transform existing systems and services in the area. OPAN collaborates across sectors, working with communities across Oldham to empower unheard voices, tackle systemic issues relating to poverty, pave pathways into employment, and nurture community pride. At its core, this project wants to see real people make real change that can improve the lives for people in Oldham.

What difference does it make?

The project is keeping to its core principles but due to it still being at the beginning, there is still more to do and learn.
The work of OPAN has seen culture shifts within places like the job centre when dealing with people who have been unemployed long term.
The Lived Experience Advisors have also benefitted from participation.
There has also been a culture shift within the local authority, which has acknowledged the positive impact of working with those in the community and is now willing to have a more proactive approach in challenging social issues within Oldham.
The collaboration of several organisations within the network allows for the sharing of sometimes limited resources within the charity sectors. By working together, there is a more substantial impact had on those experiencing poverty and the ability to influence structural changes within the Oldham community.

Key take-aways

• The importance of having people with lived experience involved with the project.
• Ensure you are valuing staff and volunteers’ contribution.
• Practice with different methods of participation.
• Embrace self-reflection.
• Be okay with not having all the answers straight away.

 

Organisations

LocalMotion

Location

Oldham (Greater Manchester).

Summer 2024.

Contact