PRAN NEWSLETTER ISSUE 8: July 2024
Summer Edition (Media Engagement)
Dear PRAN Members,
Before heading to updates about our new survey, podcast segment, blog, event and a funding opportunity, we would like to start this newsletter issue with a reflection on our Media Engagement workshop that we held last month.
Throughout the workshop, we considered how media engagement could be used as a tool to share meaningful knowledge and understanding about poverty and the cost-of-living crisis.
We discussed how to challenge individualistic narratives that echo politically-charged agendas by centring upon the experiences of those living with, negotiating, and challenging poverty.
We shared ideas about how to empower people through media, including how to support those working with media outlets in order to ensure that stories remain authentic and solution-focused.
We engaged with different ways of working with the media, and different formats of knowledge generation and dissemination. Gemma Munday, Senior Stories Producer of Save the Children UK showed us the value of collaborative film-making with children as a means of drawing attention to the impact of poverty on children’s self-confidence, aspiration and mental health as well as the wider impacts upon society.
We saw examples of collective direct action used by Living Rent, Scotland. Aditi Jehangir, National Chair and Rufus Bouverie, Communications Officer, reflected upon how campaigning could be used to bring union members together in ways that create pressure, as well as developing the communication strategies of individual members.
Zino Onokaye-Akaka, Programme Manager at HEARD, advocated for reflecting upon the types of stories that we share and how we might generate alternative narratives. Zino shared a number of vital strategies that could transform the focus, style, and approach to how we generate and share stories about poverty.
Finally, Mary O’Hara, an award winning journalist, producer and founder of Project Twist-IT, provided a valuable insight into development of Project Twist-It, the anti-poverty storytelling initiative that aims to transform the way we talk about poverty and challenge stigma.
In our latest blog, we are excited to share with you some top tips from our experts, which will help you to develop your media engagement strategies.
SURVEY
Future Direction of PRAN
We would be grateful if you could fill in this short survey about the direction PRAN should take in the future: https://s.surveyplanet.com/v2koq1g8
If you would like to have a more active role in the network (e.g. editing newsletters/blogs, hosting podcasts or organising events and other activities), please get in touch with us: info@pran.org.uk.
PODCAST
In our seventh Cost of Living Chronicles Podcast Episode, we speak to Mick Blakeley, Head of Operational Development at Citizens Advice Liverpool. Citizens Advice Liverpool is Liverpool’s leading provider of advice and advocacy services. It is a local, independent charity that provides free, confidential and impartial services. Click here to listen to this episode.
EVENT ALERT
Let us Face the Future Together: Social security fit for the 21st century
On Saturday 31st August, 10am - 5:45pm at the Guildhall in Bath you are invited to attend a one-day, in-person event that explores what a social security system fit for the 21st century looks like. This event aims to be the first step to a more united approach to influencing the political agenda around social security - both with the public and any newly elected UK government. For more information click here.
FUNDING
Community Champions Grant (Liverpool)
Community Champions Grant 2024-2027
Liverpool City Council is looking to award grants of up to £30,000 to ten third sector organisations in Liverpool. The aim of the programme is to offer community leadership to influence and increase engagement in health and wellbeing services and activities.
Amount of funding available
There is a total estimated budget of £300,000 per year, from September 2024 to August 2027. Ten organisations will be awarded up to £30,000 each year depending on successful performance and monitoring.
How to apply, click link below:
https://liverpool.gov.uk/communitychampionsgrant
Further information
If you have any questions about the programme, email Liz.Fisher@liverpool.gov.uk, Senior Public Health Practitioner - Health Improvement.
If you have any questions about the application process, email Cheryl Moorhead at communitychampions@liverpool.gov.uk
Funding opportunity (National)
The Which? Fund
Deadline: 16th September
The Which? Fund offers restricted grant funding to allow UK charities, universities and not-for-profit Community Interest Companies to undertake new research exploring the consumer harms faced by diverse and disadvantaged communities, or identifying and testing innovative solutions to these issues. This means we fund specific projects seeking to understand what’s going on for different groups of consumers, or trying to find ways to tackle problems.
https://www.which.co.uk/policy-and-insight/article/which-fund-guidance-notes-ao6Sf3m0qYan
Thank you for reading this issue and we wish you a lovely day!
In Solidarity,
PRAN Team
