Listen,Learn, Action! Tansy Spencer
Jolanta and Tansy
Derby
I still remember the first time I knocked on a door to speak to people about their loves and concerns. Once I started speaking the conversation just flowed and I had such an amazing chat about what the resident thought that he gave his contact details to keep in touch. I felt absolutely on top of the world, and the morning carried on in much the same vein,
cake and coffee morning
with people happy to talk and start something. As time went on, the people I had spoken to wanted to start getting together to see what could happen within our community. At first people where a little bit resistant to come together and let me meet their networks, and share what they would like for the area. But slowly after building trust, they did start letting me meet with them as they
Krystina
talked about their thoughts on the community, and I did my best to harvest all their comments and ideas. One of the first things that happened was that people wanted to do something about the problem of fly tipping within the area. After meeting and discussing, they decided they wanted to create a poster to
My year has been amazing. I have met so many wonderful people
try and remind people that they should not fly tip. One of the
in the community and had the privilege of working with them.
volunteers did this all on her own and is very proud of what she’s
They themselves have been marvellous in helping to improve
achieved.
our community in either a large or small way, by taking action and making a change.
The poster has been distributed all over the estate, and was included in a newsletter. People feel that the poster has made
I leave you with a couple of pictures of two volunteers
a difference because the fly tipping has stopped being quite so
who have been out listening with me to build up their Eng-
bad. Next people wanted to do something about all the dog
lish language skills and their confidence. Jolanta had
mess being left on the pavements. With some help they applied
very little confidence at first and couldn’t speak much English,
for funding and were awarded enough to get 40 long handled
but she kept coming out listening with me and started taking
poop scoops to give out to those who find it difficult to bend.
part in the conversations and interacting more with people.
They are in the process of distributing these.
As a result she has now got a full time job, and still comes to some meetings and takes an active involvement in it all.
A group of volunteers are working on listenings within the
Krystina asked to work with me after she saw how it had
community which is helping to improve their English. They wanted
benefited Jolanta. She has also gained confidence, and even
to get some people together for a cake and coffee meeting,
put on a cake and coffee meeting herself, designing the posters,
to tackle the problem of isolation amongst those who cannot
making the cakes and inviting people. All my volunteers have
speak good English. A few families came down, and discussed
been amazing and are truly the ones who deserve all the
some of the issues, and they are now trying to get some more
appreciation for their belief and all the work they do. I can’t wait
people involved.
to see what happens in the next progression year.