Inclusive Practices in Action: A Training Day with IVAR

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A guest blog by Aideen Blackborough with graphic recording image by Eddy Phillips

A Just Ideas team of Aideen, Ali, Eddy, Helen and Ollie recently travelled to London to deliver Inclusive Practices Training for the Institute for Voluntary Action Research and what a fun and productive day we had! The research team at IVAR were keen to ensure that their working practices were as inclusive as possible and asked us to put together some training with a particular focus on involving disabled people in research.

The training began with setting the rules for how we would work together as a group and a key point was that it was OK to both ask questions and to get things wrong. It was important to us as a team that the delegates felt safe and supported to ask difficult and sensitive questions in order to deepen their understanding. We also highlighted that nobody has all of the answers!

Understanding Disability: Medical vs Social Models

Aideen took the lead as we explored  the term “disability” and the medical and social models of disability. The legal definition of disability according to The Equality Act is:  “…a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.”  In the group discussions it was highlighted how this definition is based on the medical model, as it puts so much emphasis on the individual’s condition and fails to recognise society’s role in creating barriers.

We progressed to look at another aspect of The Equality Act – how to make reasonable adjustments. The delegates split into three groups and were each given a case study for which they were asked to identify the reasonable adjustments that they would make in that scenario. A key take away point from this was summarised as: Ask, Listen, Do. Whilst you can always make reasonable adjustments that you think are helpful, it’s always best to ask the individual you are working with what they need. It’s important to really listen to what would make things work for them and then, wherever possible, implement what they need. We also recognised that sometimes time and resource constraints can make it difficult to meet individual needs on the spot and that’s OK – most people will understand. If you need some time to implement appropriate reasonable adjustments, you should explain this so that the individual feels heard and valued.

Intersectionality in Action

Eddy took the lead on the next section which explored intersectionality which is defined as:

“…a metaphor for understanding the ways that multiple forms of inequality or disadvantage sometimes compound themselves and create obstacles that often are not understood among conventional ways of thinking.”

Delegates were invited to consider the case study of Jax, a young person whose multiple identities had resulted in multiple barriers to inclusion. The group discussed the various barriers faced by Jax and came up with numerous ideas which could reduce these obstacles and support Jax.

Forum Theatre: Learning through Experience

We enjoyed a well-deserved lunch before delving into our Forum Theatre session, led by Ali. After just one rehearsal, our Just Ideas Associates put their acting skills to the test, each assuming a role in a somewhat tense research session! Having observed the scene once, the role of the delegates was to identify what the characters should do differently and stop the scene to advise the “actors”. This was a fun and interactive session which encouraged the delegates to reflect on what had been learned so far. There were lots of laughs as well as productive discussions around the role of research facilitators in creating inclusive environments.

 

The Take-Away: Inclusion Benefits Everyone

The day was filled with productive and thought-provoking discussions and everyone, including our Just Ideas’ team, learnt something. Delegates were able to identify where they could make their practices more inclusive and accessible. It was agreed that more inclusive practices make life easier for everyone, not just disabled people.

As IVAR themselves reflected:

“The session was enjoyable and engaging, with relevant and informative content. I especially appreciated the interactive approach, which encouraged me to think critically about applying the training in everyday practice. The team created a safe and supportive space for learning and open discussion which made it easy for our team to ask questions and explore sensitive topics with confidence. We plan to use the learning to further our commitment to inclusive research, including reviewing the accessibility of our research communications and being more creative with our methodologies (we may even bring some forum theatre into our team meetings!)”

Jo Brown, Deputy Director of Research, IVAR

Find out more

If you’re thinking about your own inclusive practices and would like us to deliver a similar session, please get in touch

 

 

 

Bringing Lived Experience to the Forefront: Inclusive Practices Training

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A guest blog by Aideen Blackborough with image by Eddy Phillips

A collaboration with IVAR: Inclusive Practices Training development

Just Ideas has recently been approached by the Institute for Voluntary Action Research with an exciting opportunity to develop some training on inclusive practices with a particular focus on working with disabled people. The organisation take a lead on cross sector partnership working, with a focus on tackling health inequalities and are always keen to ensure that people with lived experience are involved at all stages of their work.

Lived experience at the forefront

With this in mind, we reached out to three of our associates who have lived experience of disability and invited them to design an informative and interactive disability training session for IVAR.  Aideen Blackborough has had Cerebral Palsy since birth and uses an electric wheelchair.  Ali Carroll has knowledge, experience and a passion for working with those who have learning disabilities.  Eddy Phillips has personal lived experience of neurodiversity and has been involved in research about participatory practices. Our Director – Helen Garforth – will also use her passion for access and inclusion to support the training. Eddy is really excited about the opportunity, saying:

‘I’m really excited to be part of this project. It’s so important that the voices of disabled people are central in research, enabling those perspectives to be considered in both the content of the research and how it is communicated.

It’s important that power dynamics (between disabled and nondisabled people, and people with other intersections of experience and identity) are acknowledged and acted upon throughout the research process. This may include – but should not be limited to – recognising disabled people’s input through a participation fee or other mutually agreed form of recognition, and having a meaningful voice in shaping research at every stage.

It’s great to be able to work with IVAR on this.”

Eddy Phillips, Just Ideas’ associate

With such a wealth of experience to share, the training is promised to be lively and engaging! The team met to discuss the structure of the training session and worked to include as many of IVAR’s priorities as possible. The session will begin by exploring what is meant by the term “disability” and giving delegates some background by exploring the Medical and Social Models of Disability.

Storytelling: Highlighting the barriers

We’ll then move on with some story telling to highlight some of the barriers that disabled people face in their every day lives. Ali has plans to create a video with some of the people that she works with, as the team is really keen to ensure that we bring in as many voices as possible. Delegates will be encouraged to consider positive language for disability and the importance of allowing disabled people to lead these conversations. The team also plan to address the issues arising from involving carers and involving them as a resource, whilst not bypassing disabled people.

The training promises to be dramatic as the team bring Forum Theatre into the mix! IVAR have provided the team with some scenarios they would like to explore to help their team develop confidence when interacting with disabled people. The plan is for a couple of the scenarios to be acted out, with the audience able to guide and advise each of the characters towards a positive outcome. A brilliant opportunity to put learning into action with a fun and engaging activity!

Find out more

To find out more – or to discuss how Just Ideas’ approach can support your organisational approach to  accessibility and inclusion – please contact us. 

 

Just Ideas’ Autumn Review 2024

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Flexible, resourceful teams…

…thinking creatively and building relationships

For us, the standout theme of the past three months is the energy, flexibility and creativity we’re seeing in our teams of Just Ideas’ associates. Working with challenging systems and sensitive subject matter, they’ve shown remarkable teamwork, initiative and resourcefulness. We’d like to say a huge thank you for their contributions.

Covid-19 Inquiry – Every Story Matters

Experiences of Test, Trace and Isolate (Module 7)

We continue to work with Ipsos, in partnership with WSA Community, on the UK Covid-19 inquiry Listening Exercise – Every Story Matters. We have just finished working on Module 7, focusing on people’s experiences of test, trace and isolate, from home testing and PCR tests to tracing efforts, guidelines around isolating, and the impact of those.

Once again, we travelled around the UK talking to a broad range of people. Our work has focused on a number of target groups including those who were digitally excluded (lacking the confidence or devices to access Covid-19 information online); people supporting family members to isolate; people with neurological conditions; people with learning disabilities; and nomadic people.

The nomadic group covers a huge spectrum, from people living on boats, to travelling show people, to people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. That posed challenges in how we contacted people and arranged meetings.  Through our network of contacts, we’ve worked with organisations that support those communities, and been able to do most interviews by mobile phone.

Our research and preparation has been careful. We’ve listened to organisations that know these communities best, to help us build relationships and trust. There’s been a need for sensitivity and understanding, particularly about how people from Gypsy, Roma, Traveller backgrounds feel society views them generally and how Covid heightened feelings of mistrust. We’ve needed to be very flexible with our offer, in response to people’s needs and preferences.

Insights in to Digital Exclusion

Talking to people who fall into the category of ‘digitally excluded’, we’re understanding more and more of the nuances involved. We’re learning that, while certain platforms are digitally inclusive of some people with learning disabilities, or some people who are neurodivergent, other platforms don’t work for them at all. We’re realising it’s not just a case of access to devices, or money for data, or skills that enable people to use digital technology – it’s more nuanced than that, and in some cases people are opting out of digital communication by choice.

“It’s been a real privilege to get to speak to such a broad range of people about their experiences of the pandemic as part of Every Story Matters, and being part of a really supportive and flexible team as a Just Ideas associate has made this feel especially safe and rewarding.”
Just Ideas Associate

Impact on Children and Young People (Module 8)

We’ve just started work on Module 8, focusing on the impact of the pandemic on children and young people, particularly relating to changes in education, access to health and other services, and digital communication. We’ve welcomed some new team members who bring the relevant expertise, including a new associate from a teaching background.

Publication of Healthcare Systems record (Module 3)

When we talk to people about their experiences of the pandemic, they often tell us that they appreciate the opportunity to talk, but have doubts about what will change. It’s been really good to see some quotes from our Module 3 fieldwork published in the first Every Story Matters record, so we can assure people that their experiences do matter and are being shared. Ipsos’ Managing Director of Public Affairs, Trinh Tu, recently celebrated the publication of the record on LinkedIn.

Trust for London – London Housing Panel

Having facilitated successful hybrid (in person and online) reflective workshops in support of the London Housing Panel in 2022 and 2023, we were delighted to work with the Panel again in June 2024.

We used a variety of methods and activities to stimulate debate, working together on themes and issues arising from a previous survey and themes that surfaced on the day. We introduced the Open Spaces for Dialogue and Enquiry method to generate and capture dialogue, showcasing a methodology that the panel wanted to learn more about for future work.

“We were immensely grateful for your thoughtful help and support beyond the brief. From responding to… such enormous hurt being felt right now in the Gypsy Roma Traveller communities, to being mindful of those joining online. Aware of the number of technical and relational tasks your team was juggling… and with such an air of calm and warmth!”

Secretariat, London Housing Panel

The London Housing Panel shared a draft report of the workshop with participants and told us that the outcomes are already showing up in meetings with the GLA.

We’ve drawn on our experience of facilitating excellent hybrid sessions to create this guide to running successful and inclusive hybrid meetings.

The Magpie Project

Following the Magpie Pathways Pilot project we were involved in this spring, facilitating listening workshops with vulnerable mums and their minis, we put together a report of the insights we had gathered.

We’re delighted that the team at The Magpie Project really appreciated our work. They have asked us to partner with them again to take the learning from the listening workshops, and build on it with four co-design workshops with the mums and the professionals.

Each workshop will be on a different theme that emerged in the listening workshop: Better Play in the Universal Setting; Clearer Pathways; Prepared Professionals; and Big Picture Policy. The purpose of each workshop is to design the work programme for that theme.

Each work programme, delivered by a Task and Finish group involving mums and professionals, will be responsible for developing tools, materials, resources and practice to shape future services, interventions and advocacy, improving access and opportunities for mums and minis.

“The report was brilliant. Out of seeming chaos, chat, and emotions, you managed to distil themes and directions in a way that makes sense, but without losing the feel, tone and heart of what was discussed with professionals, mums and minis. The report looks so great, we can be proud to send it to people to read. We have already had feedback from professionals that they enjoyed reading it.”
Jane Williams, CEO Founder, The Magpie Project

Local Trust and Big Local

As part of Local Trust’s ‘measuring change support’, we’re working with Villages Together on their brilliant idea for piloting a community hub on a local estate, bringing together local agencies, community groups and associations and creating a space for new activities and events to happen. The idea is for people to be able to access support and advice all in one place, without travelling out of their area.

Richard Usher, Director of Just Ideas, co-facilitated a session, bringing together all of these groups, to think about what they want to see, what they want to get out of it as organisations and the difference it would make to people on the estate. We made the most of the local contacts we had established as part of our work on the Covid Inquiry listening exercise, and had really good attendance, with 20 different organisations present.

We returned in October to run a session with people living on this estate, to talk through what they want to see and be part of in the community hub, and how the process of developing it will work.

Just Ideas Collaborative

It’s been really inspiring to see the way our teams of associates are working together, creating opportunities, building relationships and supporting each other.

With the Covid Inquiry bringing some challenging targets, and involving research work that’s not so conventional, our team has really risen to the challenge. We’ve seen people seizing opportunities, making contacts, getting through to people and setting up interviews in really short timeframes. It’s taking creativity and flexibility, and we’re really heartened by the good communication and mutual support going on in the team.

COP 29: Model Climate Conferences for schools 

Another team of associates is coming together to plan and facilitate nine model climate conferences for schools across England this November. Timed to coincide with COP29 in Azerbaijan the conferences will take place in Council Chambers from Cheltenham to Ipswich and Reading to Birmingham. In partnership with youth climate charity InterClimate Network, a group of eight of us are looking forward to traveling around the country and delivering those conferences together.

Keep in contact

Join our mailing list to hear our news and get links to helpful information and resources.

Opportunities to work together

We’re really grateful for the long-standing relationships we have with our clients, meaning we get to work with them on an ongoing basis, often on long-term projects.

We’re always interested in developing new partnerships, so if you have a project you’d like to discuss with us for 2025, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.

Looking forward to updating you on our progress again, and sharing our highlights from 2024, at the end of the year!

Richard, Helen, Mary and the Just Ideas Collaborative

Announcing the 11th InterClimate Network Reading Schools’ Climate Conference – November 2024

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We are delighted that funding has been confirmed – and planning is well underway – for the 2024 Reading Schools’ Climate Conference.  Our 11th local conference with InterClimate Network, this has become an annual fixture in the Reading calendar, with the Just Ideas team organising and facilitating the Conference.

Reading Climate Conferences feedback 2023 (002)

This year we are grateful to Tomato Energy  for sponsoring the Conference. We are set to welcome eight local schools to the Reading Borough Council chamber for what promises to be a lively debate in allocated country teams, followed by discussion of how to maximise local impacts.  A panel of local decision makers and business representatives will be questioned by students attending, who will be invited to showcase their climate initiatives in school.

Looking back at the 2023 Reading Schools’ Climate Conference

Presentation: The impact of the 2023 Conference

Featuring the student feedback and summary of how attendees valued – and were impacted by – last year’s conference. Download the presentation here – Reading Climate Conferences feedback 2023 (002)

Guest Blog

Just Ideas’ associate Farid Abdurrahman published a blog about the 2023 Conference summarising his experience as an observer.

From the ICN website

The write up of the 2023 Reading Conference can be found here – Climate Conference – Reading Schools and Colleges – InterClimate Network

Interested in hosting?

Beyond the Reading conference, in 2023 Just Ideas’ work with InterClimate Network (ICN) was also scaled up due to the formation of a team of climate conference associate facilitators. We have worked with ICN to expand the conferences delivered to include a range of formats, hosted by individual schools, as well as in town halls across England.

To find out more about hosting a Model Climate Conference please get in touch 

 

 

Just Ideas’ Summer Review 2024

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Bringing diversity, creativity and lived experience

This year, we’ve committed to reflecting on our progress on a regular basis and sharing that with you. Here are our reflections on the work we’re doing in the spring of 2024, highlighting what we’re learning, and recognising with gratitude the contributions of everyone involved.

Covid-19 Inquiry – Every Story Matters

Working with Ipsos, in partnership with WSA Community, we’ve started Module 6 of the UK Covid-19 inquiry listening exercise – Every Story Matters. This focuses on the experiences of people with care needs and in the care workforce, as well as unpaid carers and loved ones of people needing care and support during the pandemic.

Our team will be doing 48 interviews between now and September, working to make sure we hear and support people whose voices may not be heard through more mainstream methods. Because of our specialism in this area, we will be supporting people with learning difficulties, and those that care for them, to share their stories.

We’ll be going into care homes, talking to the workforce, residents, loved ones and unpaid carers. It’s obviously very sensitive work. We’ve refreshed our trauma-informed research practice training and made sure that appropriate emotional support is available, for our team and for participants.

We’ve faced challenges in working out what’s appropriate in terms of ethics, and managing expectations as to the stories that we can appropriately capture. We’re working hard to make sure that conversations happen in a way that doesn’t retraumatise and that provides a positive opportunity to reflect, talk and be heard.

We’re really excited to be doing this work with a great team, including two new members who bring their youth and diversity of experience.

The Magpie Project


We were put in contact with this brilliant charity by one of our team. The Magpie Project provides a safe and fun place for mums and preschool children seeking safety, who are living in temporary or insecure accommodation in and around Newham, East London. They invited us to work on their Preschool Pathways Project, listening to the difficulties families are facing in meeting the emerging needs of their preschool children, and working with local health professionals to help them access support.

In the first phase, we’re providing specialist facilitation for eight workshops to support the mums in talking about their experiences, so they can be heard by a range of healthcare professionals, from speech and language therapists and special educational needs coordinators to health visitors, social workers, midwives and staff from children’s centres.

The second phase will build on what we know about the barriers these mums face, exploring what will help them get the specialist support they need for their children – identifying where there are missed opportunities. We’ll be supporting the codesign of pathways and tools that enable people in this situation to be looked after much better by the system.

One of our real strengths is the team that we’ve been able to bring to this work. It’s been really important to represent ethnic diversity, and to include team members with lived experience of some of the challenges these mums and children are facing. We’ve found a really good match with The Magpie Project’s values and person-centred approach, and are delighted to be working together.

Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy

Our engagement work on the Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) culminated in a webinar for Reading Climate Festival in June, updating people on our progress. Through this project, Just Ideas has organised and facilitated:

– six place-based community workshops, attended by a total of 235 people

– three workshops for farmers and landowners, attended by a total of 140 people

– an online workshop with 35 participants

– 400 responses to an interactive survey.

We’re delighted to have achieved such a successful level of engagement, making sure that community voices have really been heard. We’re proud to have created an approach that was informative, enjoyable and allowed people to learn from each other.

“Just Ideas were friendly and professional, working hard to reach timelines with a complex and changing brief! I always enjoyed meetings with them, coming away feeling supported and empowered about the project. The workshops received very positive feedback, and the notes they painstakingly collected are being used to shape the strategy.”
Rosie Street, Berkshire Nature Recovery Strategy Manager

Again, our significant strength was in putting together a team of people who specialise in facilitating workshops and creating visual resources related to nature and ecology. Through our creative approach to workshop design and communicating information, we’ve seen people and nature really come alive.

New Local

We’re excited to be working on two projects with New Local. One is working with the council and communities in Ealing to codesign ways for communities to get engaged in influencing the council. Events so far have included our team getting involved in impromptu dancing, alongside some more traditional engagement and research!

We’re also working with Leicester City Council on a project called Leicester Changing Communities. The aim is to help the council understand what makes its local communities tick and what’s foremost in people’s minds, with a view to being better able to connect with those diverse, changing communities.

St Martin-in-the-Fields

We’re delighted to continue our long-standing relationship with St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity. Recently, we’ve been working alongside their senior leadership team, providing bespoke coaching and leadership support, and supporting managers in the organisation through coaching and mentoring.

It’s a dynamic organisation that has grown a lot recently and had some big changes in the senior leadership team. We’ve facilitated an interactive workshop with managers to identify their support needs over the over the coming year, and a codesign workshop to talk about their learning and development needs over the next month.

Connecting Health Communities

Helen is working with IVAR on Connecting Health Communities in Dudley, exploring how cross-sector partners and communities can work together to shift behaviours and help residents live healthily and happily. We’re looking at childhood and family obesity as both an outcome and a contributing factor to other difficulties.

We aim to help professionals working in the area to deepen their understanding of how children and families make choices about food and exercise, and the barriers to making choices that lead to greater health and happiness. We’re delivering interactive workshops with primary schools, involving asking, listening, imagery, activity and movement.

Helen has also been delivering webinars and training for the Connecting Health Communities Champions Network. It’s been really interesting to explore leadership in situations where people are tackling complex issues, as well as learning about spotting unconscious bias, and sharing practical tools for leading change collaboratively.

Local Trust and Big Local

Reflect | Recharge

We’ve reached the final stage of Reflect | Recharge, which has been a huge piece of work for us over the past two years, involving 15 Big Local areas. It’s been really valuable to reflect on the ten-year process of Big Local, which involved challenges like the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, and to acknowledge the energy of so many community volunteers.

Richard has been working with groups in Manchester and Warrington, exploring the ongoing change that people want to see in their communities. We’ve focused on valuing people’s contributions to their communities, thinking through lasting infrastructure change, and supporting groups to become sustainable.

 

 

“Thank you so much for today, it was very helpful. Members of the group fed back that it has helped reduce stress for them, which is a huge compliment!”

Big Local Area Co-ordinator

“It’s helped us to see how much community spirit we have – and a willingness to work together. That passion came through and some great ideas! Thank you!”

Reflect | Recharge participant at Latch Ford Big Local

Big Local Area Profiles

Our work continues on researching and running workshops for Big Local areas. We are currently working on four areas, and will be researching and writing a further four area profiles from July. These area profiles will form part of the Learning from Big Local website.

Just Ideas Collaborative

Welcome new associates

Mike Ball has been working with our core team to support us with our systems. At Local Trust, he successfully set up systems on a much bigger scale, so we’re benefitting from all his knowledge. He’s been particularly helpful in unpicking the complicated processes needed to make the Covid-19 Inquiry listening exercise work well.

We’re happy to be working with new associates, some recently graduated, and broadening the experience of our team.

We’re looking forward to bringing the whole Collaborative team together again in September. Find out more about the Just Ideas Collaborative.

Work with us

If you’d like to find out more about working together, or talk about partnering with us, or just sign up to keep in touch and hear our news, please do contact us. We’d love to hear from you.

We look forward to updating you on our progress again, later in the year.

Richard, Helen, Mary and the Just Ideas Collaborative

 

Just Ideas’ Spring Review 2024

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Real Community Engagement and Meaningful Participation

At Just Ideas, we believe in reflecting on our work and sharing our learning to support future action. Our most recent annual review highlighted how we value and promote the practice of looking at what’s worked well, and why, pooling our collective wisdom and developing principles to help us plan into the future.

This year, we’ve committed to reviewing and sharing our progress with you through the year. Here are our reflections on the first few months of 2024, highlighting what we’ve learnt and recognising with gratitude the contributions of everyone involved.

Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy

Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) are a new statutory requirement, funded by DEFRA. There are 48 strategy areas covering the whole of England, and Just Ideas has been invited by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to be a delivery partner for Berkshire.

Our role

We have been working with as many different residents and stakeholders from local communities as possible. Our purpose is to find out their views and priorities for nature and make sure their voices are represented in a meaningful way, alongside the contributions of experts. This involves us learning and understanding enough to communicate effectively between these different groups.

We facilitated three workshops with 135 farmers and landowners, to talk about the opportunities their local LNRS brings, which have been brilliantly received. We then hosted six community workshops – for local businesses, residents and community groups.

“Another stimulating workshop last night, well done. Some of the discussions were challenging, but the Just Ideas team did a good job keeping it on track.”
LNRS community workshop participant

The information gathered is being combined with scientific expertise on local species, habitats and ecosystems. Priority habitats and species will be fed into a systematic conservation planning tool, to generate guidance on the best way to achieve recovery targets.

Our team

We’re working with a small team: two with specific expertise around nature, environment and climate, and all with really good local networks in and around Berkshire.

“Just Ideas have been a fantastic support for us. Drafting and leading excellent workshops, putting inclusivity at the forefront and always going the extra mile under tight deadlines. Plus, they are really fun to work alongside during the project.”
Rosie Street, Berkshire LNRS Manager, Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Our associate, Natalie, has produced a set of beautiful illustrations of some of Berkshire’s habitats and species, capturing the workshops. Our aim was to bring a wealth of complex information to people in a meaningful way, encourage them to engage with it and get a wide diversity of people participating.

Covid-19 Inquiry Listening Exercise

This year, we contributed to the module of the listening exercise on people’s experiences around vaccines, working in partnership with WSA Community. We also designed and delivered an extra piece of work focusing on the perspectives of people experiencing health inequalities.

We did some intensive work in Cornwall, listening to people with complex health and mental health needs and people who are rurally isolated. We spoke with some inspirational young mums who had babies during the pandemic, about their experiences of pregnancy and childbirth. Often, they were extremely vulnerable, living remotely, not in secure housing or in extremely overcrowded housing.

Through the valued networks that we’ve established over the years, and our Just Ideas Collaborative, we’ve been able to reach out to people whose voices wouldn’t usually be heard – communities in areas experiencing structural exclusion or multiple deprivation. We’re really proud to have been able to offer a breadth and depth of reach in our community engagement that goes beyond traditional expectations.

Looking ahead

We’ll be piloting a module on people’s experiences of accessing and using PPE. Again, we’re reaching out to community settings and putting a lot of thought into how we’ll get a real breadth of diversity of experience.

Local Trust and Big Local

Community Leadership Academy

We’re in the final stage of our work on Local Trust’s Community Leadership Academy in partnership with IVAR. Our role involves understanding the longer-term impact in communities of this innovative programme, and bringing together people involved with supporting community leadership at different levels, to explore the future for community leadership support.

It’s been really inspiring to hear about the powerful experiences people have had. We’ve heard people talking about changes they were able to make in their communities and in their lives. We’ve heard how they value their experience in a range of community roles: advocating, becoming involved in local democracy, and reaching new people through their Big Local or community groups.

Big Local Area Profiles

This year, we’ve worked with Local Trust to research and write profiles of five more Big Local areas for the ‘Learning from Big Local’ website. This website will summarise what Big Local groups achieved, how they worked together, innovative ways they prioritised funding, and what they learned from the experience.

So far, highlights have included hearing about the positive impact of improving the physical environment. For example, creating peaceful mosaics, using path areas more thoughtfully, encouraging people to get outside, and improving access, mental health and community connection.

One local area managed to develop the community centre on a local estate, reaching young people through DJing sessions and events that engaged hundreds of people from the local community. As a result, they’ve been able to raise funds for local groups and see positive changes happen.

Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR)

We ran some bespoke sessions in March for IVAR’s Propel Initiative, which funds charities and community groups in London. The aim is to help them think more strategically about changing systems that aren’t working. Richard continues to deliver these training sessions, focused on evaluation and learning, covering theory of change and participatory approaches.

Just Ideas Collaborative

We had a great gathering of our Just Ideas Collaborative in March, bringing our team together and introducing our newest associates. In a two-hour, online workshop, we updated everyone on our current priorities and gave feedback on some of the projects they’ve been involved in.

We looked at our five main areas work: facilitation, community engagement, organisational development, learning evaluation and research. We shared ideas for how we could develop our offering in these areas – what we thought were the building blocks of each, and the core competencies we needed to deliver them. Our associate, Simon, is taking this work forward, thinking about how we can develop packages to offer to our clients.

Our Just Ideas Collaborative is made up of people with links to a wide variety of different communities. The diversity of our team, in terms of ethnicity, age, gender, geography and neurodiversity, gives us a real advantage when it comes to community engagement, because we’re able to reach and engage with so many different communities of people.

Reflecting on our strengths

Throughout our work so far this year, and in the years leading up to it, we notice three really important elements that run through what we do and support our success:

  1. Our commitment to real community engagement and meaningful participation
  2. The diversity of our team, thanks to our Just Ideas Collaborative
  3. Our ability to reach and engage with so many local, community-based groups.

Work with us

If you’d like to find out more about working together, talk about partnering with us, or just sign up to keep in touch and hear our news, please do contact us here. We’d love to hear from you.

We look forward to updating you on our progress again, later this year!

 

Richard, Helen, Mary and the Just Ideas Collaborative

 

Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy workshops – registration is open!

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We are delighted to be working with Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) to deliver these workshops next month across Berkshire, engaging communities in developing the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Berkshire. If you’re in Berkshire, please join us at your nearest event – or for the online workshop – and do spread the word.

Thank you.

Book your place here: Public Engagement Events | Eventbrite

 

Sharing highlights from Just Ideas’ 2023 review of the year

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Empowering Patient Voice: Showcasing our work with NHS England 

A big part of what Just Ideas do is to grow the voices, confidence and influence of individuals working and volunteering within community engagement roles. This includes delivering training for patient voice representatives – volunteers who share their lived experience – within NHS England.

Working with our long term partner organisation – WSA Associates – we are commissioned by NHS England to deliver training which supports these Patient and Public Voice (PPV) partners to grow their influence and impact in role.

NHS commissioners have a legal duty to ‘make arrangements’ to involve the public in commissioning. Consequently PPV partners work within all parts of the NHS to aid the development and delivery of services across healthcare.

The training that Just Ideas and WSA deliver has evolved over time, including moving online in 2020, and has continued to be well received by those who attend. The value to them is in the connections built with other PPV partners, as well as with the NHS staff who attend.

“The PPV training has empowered me – made me realise I am not the only one. I put my armour on – I am unstoppable!”

PPV partner attendee

For more information on our work with NHS England, please visit the 2023 Annual Review

To discuss your organisation’s facilitation and training needs and how we can help please contact us.

Guest blog: Inspiring Change – Reflections on the Reading Schools Climate Conference 2023

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In 2023 our work with InterClimate Network (ICN) has scaled up due to the formation of a team of climate conference associate facilitators. We have worked with ICN to expand the conferences delivered to include a range of formats, hosted by individual schools, as well as in town halls across England.

The 10th Reading schools’ climate conference was held in December, organised and facilitated by the Just Ideas’ team. Here Just Ideas’ associate and guest blogger Farid Abdurrahman (pictured) shares his reflections on the day:

On the 8th of December, the Reading Council Chamber became a hub of enthusiasm, ideas, and positive energy as schools gathered for the much-anticipated Reading Schools Climate Conference. Stepping into the council chambers, my initial impression was marked by a palpable sense of positive competition among students, a testament to their dedication and passion for addressing global climate challenges.

The participating schools were divided into various countries, each representing a unique perspective on climate issues. From South Africa to the UK, USA, India, China, Marshall Islands, and Uganda, it was evident that extensive research had laid the foundation for their presentations.

One striking aspect of the conference was the students’ keen awareness of global injustices in trade. As they delved into the complexities of international commerce, it became clear that the next generation is not only concerned about the environment but also actively engaged in critical thinking about the systemic issues contributing to climate change.

During the discussions, a notable example arose when the UK representatives acknowledged their country’s excessive oil imports. What set this apart was their simultaneous recognition of the need for collaborative action. They emphasised that the USA, too, should scrutinise the impact of the oil they import. This level of critical thinking and nuanced understanding of the interconnectedness of global issues was truly heartening.

Equally impressive were the concrete, credible, and collaborative solutions proposed by the students. Their commitment to addressing climate change went beyond rhetoric, as they presented actionable steps that reflected a deep understanding of the challenges at hand. This commitment was further underscored during collaborative sessions, where students from different countries were tasked with developing joint initiatives to tackle environmental issues in their respective communities.

The collaborative element of the conference added a layer of richness to the discussions. Witnessing students break into groups and earnestly brainstorming ways to address environmental challenges in their communities was a testament to their sense of shared responsibility and a promising indicator of future collaboration on a global scale.

In conclusion, the Reading Schools Climate Conference was more than just an event—it was a gathering of passionate minds determined to make a difference. The pleasant vibe in the chambers mirrored the positive energy and collaborative spirit that permeated the entire conference. As we reflect on the outcomes of this gathering, there is a sense of hope for the future, knowing that these young minds are not just aware of the challenges we face but are actively working towards creating a sustainable and harmonious world.

Comprehensive Eco-Initiatives: Transformative Strategies Across Reading Schools

The schools, in addition to their insightful presentations, also formulated impactful solutions aimed at making a positive difference to address environmental challenges within their respective communities.  Some of the initiatives that the students came up with were :

  • Embrace composting of vegetable food waste for use in school gardens to reduce environmental impact.

  • Enhance waste reduction efforts by strategically installing or repositioning recycling bins throughout school and incentivising increased participation.

  • Amplify awareness of climate action urgency and opportunities through the Student Leadership Team while fostering increased environmental action within the school community.

  • Revitalise an Eco Committee and a geography club with the support of the Student Leadership Team and teachers, focusing on enhancing green spaces and waste management. Plans include showcasing and disseminating successful ideas throughout the school’s Academy Trust.

To find out more about hosting a Model Climate Conference please get in touch 

 

 

Guest blog: Supporting Solihull Schools to recreate COP 27

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Timed to coincide with the annual COP talks – this year in Egypt – the InterClimate Network Schools’ Climate Conferences have become a fixture in the Just Ideas’ calendar.

This year we have been working together to create a group of facilitators – comprised of our Just Ideas associates – to roll out the delivery of Climate Conferences on school sites, using the resources developed by InterClimate Network. This will help to scale the number of conferences delivered to school students around England in the future.

Here, associate and guest blogger Aideen Blackborough has written about her experience of  supporting the recent Conference in Solihull:

“Just Ideas Associates have been busy supporting several Climate Change Conferences across the country.  Students form country teams,  each representing a participating country, and then take on the role of government negotiators, thus replicating the COP27 conference.

Each of the conferences to date have seen lively and thoughtful debate between pupils as they explore the issues of Climate Change. It’s been fascinating to watch as the pupils present their ideas and propose solutions for solving the crisis.

We’ve been absolutely delighted to work with the InterClimate Network team on such an important and pressing project.

Councillor Ian Meeson, The Mayor of Solihull, who opened the Solihull Conference, said, “It’s great to see this hall so full as this is an extremely important conference about an extremely important issue. We are all concerned about what is happening to the world and it is about more than just clean air.”

Read more about Aideen’s experience of  supporting the Solihull Conference on her blog here.