The South Durham Poverty Truth Commission have settled into its working groups. Hectic work and personal lives mean that not everyone can always make the meetings, but as we were told at our Art of Hosting training,
‘the people who are in the room are the ones that are meant to be there……… Here we are right now, and this is who we have, so let’s get to work!’
This doesn’t mean to say we forget about those who can’t make it, only that we don’t see their absence as a barrier to stop us moving forward.
Cathryn and I have had to find our new role within PTC 1. We are no longer the facilitators supporting Civic and Community Commissioners to build relationships…..we’ve done that bit quite well if I do say so myself! We now sit within our allocated working groups, mine are Domestic Abuse and Access to Health Care services, not as note takers or chairpersons but as……well I’m not quite sure just yet…., however we are definitely the guardians of the Poverty Truth Commission, ensuring we transition through each stage smoothly, maintain the ethos of the Poverty Truth approach and keep the momentum going.
There are many hats that I wear in my role as Project Worker. At the start of the Commission journey, I am an investigator, learning about the target area, services and groups that would be willing to talk to me. Next, I move from stranger to confidante as I begin to build relationships with communities and individuals. Entering people’s safe spaces can be challenging, but with consistency, empathy, a listening ear and by showing some of my vulnerabilities, I have been able to build trust and break down barriers with some amazing individuals. I then become co facilitator and organiser, managing logistics, planning sessions and helping to create a safe space for conversations and openness. Then comes the hat I currently wear, the one that’s at a jaunty, slightly wonky angle as Cathryn and I slowly hand over the reins to the working groups and begin to take tiny steps back as they fall into their stride and find their purpose.
The Community Commissioners from South Durham have become friends, and it is a privilege to witness how they have grown in confidence and self-belief and to share their joys and successes as they enter into new relationships, complete courses, become published writers and welcome new grandchildren into the world. Not every path is smooth, and there have been tough times too, as I’ve witnessed the raw turmoil, fear and trauma of the asylum seeker process, the challenges of homelessness and the frustration and relentlessness of poverty.
As the two County Durham Poverty Truth Commissions flourish, I continue my own personal journey. I have had the somewhat surprising realisation that I, too, could be a Community Commissioner. Many of the discussions we have had over the last 18 months resonate with me……brown envelope syndrome, cost of living, living from pay check to pay check, worrying how I’d fix my car when it broke down just before Christmas……Two years ago, if I’d seen the Poverty Truth Commission poster in a shop window, I would have had a quick glance and walked on by. The signs of poverty are all around us. I just hadn’t realised how close they were to me.
We will be holding an event in late Spring to share with you the work of PTC 1 and our hopes for how that may continue and grow. Keep an eye on our website for details.
Here’s hoping these dark, damp days are nearly over and the sun will soon be shining!
