Collecting Stories in a creative way

In-person meetings were held at Staffordshire University in Shelton and at the Expert Citizens office, in Stoke on Trent. Members of the steering group have helped to plan and run workshops for the project, using their skills and knowledge to help people from the local community to tell their own stories, share experiences, and give their views on poverty and hardship in Stoke-on-Trent.

Collecting Stories in creative ways

When we started meeting, the steering group talked about how important it is for us to share people’s stories when we talk about poverty and hardship. Statistics and numbers on poverty and hardship are important but they do not explore the true experiences and trade-offs that people have day-to-day. Stories bring numbers to life and make it easier to imagine what it is like to live with poverty. It was extremely important to focus on collecting stories in lots of different and create ways. We had to think about the rules about keeping people safe in the COVID pandemic and what could make it difficult for people to take part. We had some ways for people to take part online, at home, by post and at small events in different places in the community. People have made a wide range of things to help tell their stories and share their ideas with other people. These include postcards, poems, audio podcast, photographs, clay tiles, and well-being tips.

Postcards

The project postcard was the first creative tool we made for the project. The idea was that this could be a way for people to tell their stories in their own words or with pictures, from a distance and could be anonymous if they did not want to give their name. The postcard design was checked and changed by the steering group to make sure it was clear and easy to use.

The postcards were handed out in February 2022 by members of the steering group. Postcards were given out in their communities, and some were given to other community organisations and charities to pass on to people. 70 postcards were sent back to the project, from all over Stoke-on-Trent and areas nearby. The postcards had freepost envelopes so people could return them free of charge.

Poetry

On Wednesday 9th March one of our steering group members, Jenn Spice, an experienced poet, led a poetry session. We started planning this event in December, with Jenn having many ideas including making a ‘patchwork’ poem. Members of the community and people from the steering group worked together at the event to create one big ‘patchwork’ poem that tells a shared story of hardship. At the session Jenn gave with some tips and tricks for writing poetry which helped people to tell their own stories about hardship as poems. For some people, this was their first time they had tried writing poems, or about their lives. People have also been sent in their own poems. These have come from community members and the steering group. “'poverty? what is that anyway?' many things; 'relate relative' almost hard to say; social mobility; funding (or none) for Communities; people care and share; action creates unity;”

Excerpt from Patchwork Poem Part 1. By Jenn, Ros, Rebecca, Tracy, Eden, Shelley, Dana,and Ryan

Raising Voices Podcast

The Raising Voices podcast is hosted by steering group members Alfie Luck and Neil Whitton. They have had lots of conversations with people in 2022.

The first episode of the podcast is about addiction and recovery. The plan is that more episodes will be made from what people have already talked about and recorded.

The podcast has been made with help from The Community Cast. They support communities to create podcasts to tell their own stories.

The full version of the first episode was put out online on Friday 25th March. It is free to listen to, on Spotify, Apple Music, and other audio platforms.

“Raising Voices- The Podcast”

https://open.spotify.com/show/5n0H5HCRRtOMx2eE19tvut?si= db4d20d1837640c8

Clay Tiles

On Saturday 12th March, we held a clay storytelling session at St Mark's church in Shelton led by local artist, and Director of All the Small Things CIC, Cath Ralph. The session gave people chance to tell their stories and views on poverty using clay. Beautiful tiles were made using stoneware clay, textures from reusable materials, glazes, and slips (liquid clay).

Photography and Photo walk

On Thursday 17th February people took part in the Raising Voices online photography tips and tricks session. This session was led by Simon Bamford, a local photographer who is a member of the steering group, with support from Adam Gratton from The Community Cast. The plans were put together with help from Tony Jones, local photographer from All the Small Things.

The session gave people practical ideas to help use cameras and mobile phones to take pictures that can tell a story. People who took part in the session and members of the project steering group were able to put the tips and tricks into practice at a Photo walk from Staffordshire University, through Shelton. This gave people time and helped them to notice things, the hardship that can be seen in the area and the messages of support and unity in the community.

Wellness Session

On Tuesday 8th March members of the Raising Voices steering group, Justina Heffton and Kornelija Rebzdyte led a session about wellness and staying well whilst living with hardship.

By talking and listening, people shared their lived experiences and their learned experiences to learn from each other. There was a good mix of people at the session, different members of the community, with students and staff from the Action on Poverty and Hardship Degree at Staffordshire University. We heard people’s views on what the barriers are to staying well when we experience hardship in Stoke-on-Trent. People shared what they have done to look after themselves and to stay well. We talked about the services that people wanted to shine a spotlight on, that have helped to make a positive difference to their lives.

Raising Voices Video interviews

Throughout the project people from our local community and Raising Voices Steering Group members have answered the question ‘What does hardship mean to you”. We did this in the form of video interviews. People’s responses and stories have been put together in a video

“Raising Voices - The Interviews”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR6zbfH0BZA