Celebrating Tameside PTC

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Celebrating the Tameside Poverty Truth Commission

Poverty Truth Commissions (PTCs) bring people with lived experience of poverty together with civic and business leaders in a community, to explore what poverty means in their area and to develop solutions and recommendations for change. GMPA ran the Tameside Poverty Truth Commission until November 2022.

Closing Event

PTC Report front page for GM Poverty ActionAt the end of November we marked the closing of the Tameside Poverty Truth Commission, with an event at Dukinfield Town Hall. The event was a celebration of the commissioners’ achievements, in exploring poverty in Tameside and taking action to prevent and reduce poverty in their community.

We heard how much the commission had meant to the lives of commissioners, creating new friendships and helping to change perspectives and approaches to poverty in Tameside.

Commissioner Tracey shared her family’s experiences of living in poverty, recognising that there is still more to be done to support those in crisis and affected by poverty. There was also time taken to remember Karen McBride who sadly passed away in August, with Fran sharing a heartfelt poem in Karen’s memory.

The emotional event reflected the nature of the PTC itself, in being a powerful space for the sharing of stories and a focus on the need for tangible change to address poverty.

Final Report & Recommendations

The Commission has now published its findings and its recommendations for change in Tameside. You can read the report here. The Commission’s recommendations include:

•  Creating a Tameside Poverty Charter for local organisations to commit to, including involving people with lived experience of poverty in decision making.

•  Developing poverty awareness training with lived experience input, for frontline and other relevant staff in Tameside support services.

•  Declaring a poverty emergency in Tameside.

Legacy & Next Steps

We are delighted that the PTC has already started to deliver on its recommendations, creating long-lasting change in Tameside. This includes:

•  Support services now regularly co-locating in Tameside One, a key Council hub.

•  Housing associations reviewing how they interact with customers and support those in rent arrears.

•  People with lived experience of poverty being involved in reviewing and designing services, including Family Hubs within Children’s Services, and the Living Well project.

Commissioners will continue to meet to review the recommendations and progress made against them. They will also be influencing change via local networks and forums.

We would like to thank everyone who has been involved with the Tameside Poverty Truth Commission or who has helped to make it a reality. Thank you.

Celebrating TPTC

The Commissions celebrating their achievements.

 

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