📢I have started with Scope at such an exciting time! Yesterday we lauched our new ten-year strategy; An Equal Future. 👉 Follow the link below to read about how we'll go about achieving our aims!
Today, we’re setting out our aims for the coming decade as we launch our new 10-year strategy. Our purpose is unchanged – to end disability inequality. Read about our new strategy and how we'll achieve our aims on our website 👇
A few weeks ago, I learnt to ski. For the first time ever, at the tender young age of 32. As someone with terrible coordination, I had mixed results (see pictures). It was hard, and I shed a few tears, but I did it (with the help and patience of loved ones, and a fair few chocolat chauds), and I am really proud of myself for that. This experience has prompted me to question why I'm not pushing myself more. I'm not suggesting that constant self-pressure is necessary for self-pride, but occasionally challenging yourself by learning something new, can be incredibly rewarding. Next stop, Double Black Diamonds 😅⛷️
🤲 Today is #GivingTuesday, where we have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the world around us. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, today allows us to shift our focus to giving back and supporting causes that bring about meaningful change. There are so many good causes to give to that it can sometimes be overwhelming; so if you need any help choosing, below are just a few worthy causes I have experience of that are delivering wonderful work: Age UK - I volunteered for several years as a befriender to Doreen through Age UK. You can give money or volunteer your time to ensure no one has no one. 🔗https://lnkd.in/dRukcupG Crisis and Shelter - A lack of affordable homes in the UK means the housing emergency is spiraling. More people are struggling in temporary accommodation or being forced onto the streets. Over 131,000 children in England will wake up on Christmas morning without a place to call home. Donate to either charity to help someone start a life beyond homelessness. 🔗https://lnkd.in/dW2sbvMi 🔗https://lnkd.in/daVgE-EU Scope - Donate to Scope's Cost of Christmas Appeal today and your gift will be doubled at no cost to you. Your donation will directly fund Scope's helpline to support disabled people across the country. Scope also offers video calls with British Sign Language interpreters. 🔗https://lnkd.in/dsXE4bYD Last but by no means least, consider donating to your local hospice, like Saint Catherine's Hospice in Scarborough; who looked after my Mum so well. Over the last two years, England's adult hospices have experienced a substantial real-term reduction in government funding, totaling £47 million meaning many hospices are struggling to keep up with inflation and rising costs.🔗https://lnkd.in/d9fCzTWy 💕A donation of your money or time, however big or small, will have a massive positive impact on someone's life. #givingtuesday #donate #volunteer
These statistics are shocking and shed light on the urgent need for change. The significant income disparity between disabled and non-disabled workers, coupled with the additional financial burdens that disabled households face, underscores the fact that more needs to be done. By striving for better support systems and promoting equal opportunities, we can work towards a future where disabled individuals not only enter the workforce but also thrive and advance in their careers. How would you feel, if from today, you were effectively working for free?
Disabled workers, on average, earn £3,460 less than non-disabled workers. This means that they’ll work the equivalent of 47 days for free this year. It’s unacceptable, but even more infuriating when you consider that the average disabled household faces £975 each month in extra costs. To make things worse, disabled people are nearly twice as likely to fall out of work than non-disabled people. Inflexible working patterns and negative attitudes from employers are holding disabled people back. It’s clear that we need better support in place. Disabled people who want to work should be able to. As well as stay in work, and progress in their careers. Employers should also be required to publish their disability pay gaps. It will help us move towards a system where disabled people are paid equally and fairly for the talent they bring to the workforce. We’ll be campaigning on this more in the future, as closing the disability employment gap is one of the 3 top priorities unveiled as part of our new 10-year strategy.
I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Grants Manager at Scope!
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💡 It is a privilege to oversee the Principal Partner Scheme at Greater Manchester Poverty Action. Collaborating with both local and national organisations that share our commitment to ending poverty is incredibly rewarding. 🤝 Our doors are always open to potential new Principal Partners who are eager to make a significant impact. If you're passionate about creating positive change in Greater Manchester and beyond, please get in touch via LinkedIn or email lucy@gmpovertyaction.org 📧 Let's work together to bring an end to poverty. #EndPoverty #CollaborateForChange #StrongerTogether #PartnershipWorking 🗣️ Please share with your networks! Hollie G. Daniel Oliver Graham Whitham Penny Rimmer Jon Sands John Hacking Laura Burgess Thomas Waring Rachel Mather Aileen Edmunds Tom Skinner Bob Boyle Justin Watson
⭐ Greater Manchester Poverty Action (GMPA) exists because of the support of likeminded individuals and organisations across Greater Manchester, and beyond, who share our desire to see an end to poverty in our city region. Organisations can join our Principal Partner Scheme through which they can support us with larger pledges of funding. 🤝 There are lots of benefits you can unlock for your organisation by becoming a Principal Partner. Principal Partners agree to support GMPA for at least three years and, along with others, form our advisory group. 👉 To learn more, tap the link in the comments.
📢 Greater Manchester Poverty Action has published new data about people's financial hardship experiences in the UK. We have found: 💔 Bigger than the cost-of-living crisis: 60% of Brits claim ‘limited access to financial support’ has been a problem for a ‘number of years', with many struggling to find and understand monetary solutions they are entitled to. 💔 Visiting food banks is the ‘new norm’: Nearly 45% of Brits who have sought help believe they were ‘wrongly redirected to food banks’ and described this as a recurring issue. 💔 A sign of the times or a sign of the last decade? New research shows the same number of people, in a desperate bid to pay unexpected bills, sought the help of a ‘loan shark’ as they did a ‘financial adviser’. 📢 🥁 We are calling for a clearer, ‘cash first’ approach in the UK – we urge local authorities to adopt the ‘Money Advice Referral Tool’ aimed at simplifying the process of seeking financial support in the UK. Click on the post below to find out more, and follow this link to read our full press release: https://lnkd.in/ewnY2hRZ 🗣️ Please share with your networks!
📢 We have today published new data exploring people's experiences of financial hardship in the UK. In our survey of 2,700 residents, a worrying 60% believed financial support had felt ‘limited for several years’, with 58% reporting some financial struggles in the last six years. ⚠️ Today’s worrying findings highlight a problem greater, and much longer term, than UK households surviving the cost-of-living crisis. Nearly a quarter of those surveyed (22%) claimed to have felt the pressure on their finances in the last two to four years. 📈 Across the UK more than half (59%) were said to have applied for benefits or universal credit within the last decade. While some may have been successful (34%) in receiving financial support many remarked the process was tainted with ‘diverts and delays’. ❗️ Further findings showed nearly one in five people had to seek support to get access to any cash benefits because the process was so ‘unclear’. And most concerningly, one in 10 gave up on finding financial support because it was perceived to be too difficult or complicated. 🔧 The results serve to show how important tools like our Money Advice Referral Tool (MART) are in helping people living in financial hardship identify the range of support available in their area, from benefits, Universal Credit to debt referrals. 🗨️ CEO Graham Whitham said: “A common theme in the data is that people don’t know where to turn in the event of unexpected bills or financial hardship. No one should feel forced to go to unsolicited lenders because of red tape littering our benefits system. "We believe that the key to tackling poverty and financial hardship is to maximise household income by ensuring people are referred and signposted to support that best meets their needs. "While the benefit system is often not generous enough, £19 billion of benefits go unclaimed nationwide each year - the MART streamlines the process and helps people to get the support they are entitled to. "Unclear processes shouldn’t be scuppering a person’s quality of life." 👉 Read our full press release: https://lnkd.in/gEnS46se
⭐ It was great to have so many of our Greater Manchester Poverty Action Principal Partners come together yesterday at our Advisory Group to discuss our work at GMPA and future priorities. ⭐ Thank you to everyone who attended and for your valuable input! 👉 We are always looking for Principal Partners who share our vision of a Greater Manchester free from poverty. If you are interested in finding out more, please get in touch with me via LinkedIn or email lucy@gmpovertyaction.org 📧 Laura Burgess Daniel Oliver Graham Whitham Hollie G. Thomas Waring Penny Rimmer John Hacking Jon Sands Manjeet M.
🎉 We were delighted to have so many of our ⭐ Principal Partners ⭐ at our Advisory Group meeting yesterday. We gave an overview of the work we have been delivering over the past six months, and we had the opportunity for an open discussion. 🎉 🙏 Thank you so much to everyone who attended; we would not be able to fight poverty without you. 👉 If you are interested in hearing more about the scheme, please contact Lucy Bird or email lucy@gmpovertyaction.org ⭐ Oxfam ⭐ The University of Manchester ⭐ One Manchester ⭐ The University of Salford ⭐ Great Places Housing Group ⭐ Wythenshawe Community Housing Group ⭐ Kellogg Company ⭐ Salford City Council ⭐ Southway Housing Trust ⭐ Manchester Credit Union ⭐ Caritas Shrewsbury and Salford ⭐ Manchester City Council ⭐ First Choice Homes Oldham ⭐ Jigsaw Homes Group Ltd ⭐ Tameside Council ⭐ Save the Children UK ⭐ Wigan Council ⭐ jonathan seabrook ⭐ Irwell Valley Homes ⭐The Manchester Metropolitan University ⭐ Valloop ⭐ Stockport Council ⭐Macc ⭐ L&Q
This week, I have been following up with the private sector organisations we have invited to become Principal Partners of Greater Manchester Poverty Action. The number of private sector organisations that have responded has been wonderful. These organisations share similar values to GMPA and are interested in creating a unique relationship that helps fight poverty and also meets their corporate social responsibility objectives. With the cost-of-living crisis compounding high levels of poverty and financial insecurity, the work of GMPA has never been more vital. We are always looking to grow our Principal Partner Scheme; if you are working in the private, public, housing or VCSFE sectors and are interested in hearing more, please contact me via LinkedIn or by emailing lucy@gmpovertyaction.org. I would be delighted to tell you more. Where would we all be without partnerships and community? Please share! #principalpartnerscheme #community #partnerships #reducepoverty #preventpoverty #costoflivingcrisis