Action book

Thrive has allowed the dormant me to blossom again, even though

e not changed the problems of life hav I feel valued and confident
enough to enter full life again.

or some time now, the Government has invested millions of pounds in attempting to get the voices of those on the margins of society involved in decisions which affect their lives. People out of work, people living in poverty with high levels of debt, people suffering health inequalities, and most importantly, those who are not used to having their voice heard, are the members of society who have most to gain from being involved in these decisions. However, the Government has failed to bring these voices to the table. All we get are the usual suspects: people who mean well and often make positive changes in our community, but ultimately arent victims of predatory lending, arent out of the labour market, arent seeking asylum, and are used to speaking out for themselves. Thrive is a Community Organising and Sustainable Livelihoods project working in partnership with Church Action on Poverty in Teesside. Thrives unique selling point is its success, through various means and methods, in bringing these people, the unusual suspects, into the game. People who are no strangers to poverty and hardship, and having things done to and for them in their communities. By contrast, Thrive has created the space to challenge and support hard-to-reach groups to take control of their own communities and livelihoods. It is quickly building up a reputation for creating community leaders and spectacular wins against the odds, including tackling a 70 million lending company. This booklet contains details of these wins and the testimony from people involved.

You are doing some fantastic work at Thrive. Its great to see ordinary people making a difference and ordinary people becoming extraordinary people (you help them find their true worth)

Doorstep lenders: Rip-off TV

The issue

Action book

Louise is paying 1,000 for a washing machine

Thrive has the most detailed research in Stockton on financial exclusion a problem which blights the livelihoods of poorer households in the area and means that they pay a poverty premium; through higher charges for utilities and credit, such as doorstep lending and hire-purchase basic household products. Thrive places volunteers, including medical students from Durham University and a former Inland Revenue bailiff, in low-income households to mentor and support them and gather detailed research on how people get by. We found one company to be particularly widespread in the area. One customer, Louise, a hard-working single mum from Thornaby with three young boys, earned 30 per week from her job as a dinner lady, from which she derived great satisfaction and dignity. However, from her modest earned income, 10 comes back out of her benefits and the other 20 goes into the coin meter on her TV to pay for essential goods. As a result of compound interest on the account she is paying approximately 1,000 for a reconditioned washing machine for the family. Customers typically reported that they often received no statements of their account; that as a result they had no idea how much they owed or over what period; that if they did receive a statement it was not clear what items they were paying for and when they would own those items and

stop paying for them. Customers were also concerned about the level of interest rates (40-50% apr), and about the aggressive behaviour of some doorstep collectors.

Thrives response

We used a range of ways of raising the profile of the issue. Firstly, Thrive supplied the Sunday People with case studies and information exposing the company in the national press. A spoof video, featuring our unhappy customers, was made to lampoon the situation; we agreed to be filmed by the BBC who were interested in following our story; and we got several hundred members of our sister organisation Church Action on Poverty to call and email the firm concerned, outlining our concerns. The result of this activity was an agreement by the firm to meet with our leaders, and ultimately a very positive working partnership with Buy As You View who have wanted to change things for the better for their customers. The firm flew four senior managers up from Newport, South Wales, to meet with ChangeMakers leaders at Teesside Airport to negotiate change.

Outcomes

We were very pleased that the firm in question agreed to work with Thrive for the following outcomes : Statements would be sent to customers regularly Statements would identify clearly what items were still outstanding on loans and the remaining loan period Customers would own their goods, no matter what, after five years. (Previously customers could have been with the company several years and not owned anything) Interest rates for good customers (which all of Thrives customers were) would benefit from tapering interest rates. Staff who were aggressive would be talked to. Most importantly, the firm agreed to work with us to try and change financial regulations to ensure that customers using non-prime credit facilities would be able to build up a recognised good credit history which would enable them to access mainstream financial services as one strategy of escaping a cycle of debt. Thrive is currently brokering a meeting in London between five non-prime credit companies, including Provident Financial, the biggest player in the Home Credit Sector, and the Office of Fair Trading, to begin negotiations around this important step which could potentially have massive repercussions for the hundreds of thousands of customers in the 7.5 billion home credit sector.

Feedback

This is some of the feedback we received following the broadcast of the BBC 1 Inside Out programme on 25 October 2010 (available at http://vimeo.com/17332265):

Greg, video of your What a delight to watch the BBC work. This is the most in-depth, outstanding organising ng that Ive seen. It public media coverage of organisi ion occurring in your was moving to see the transformat . leaders and your role in guiding that be with you last summer. Great to your work, May God continue to bless you and Dennis Jacobsen l National Clergy Chair of the [1,000-strong] Gamalie Caucus, US

An experienced e-activis m professional, impresse d by the documentary and the Ri p-off TV campaign

Well done Alan [Churc h Action on Povertys cam paigns and media officer] a really, really moving pie ce great job... had me in tears well done again!

Taxi drivers: livelihoods in Stockton

The issue

Action book

We took 100 people to a meeting, which certainly stirred a reaction

Stockton Hackney Carriage drivers, who pay the highest fees in Teesside, were losing custom to other operators manipulating loopholes in the law. Repeated pleas from the SHDA (Stockton Hackney Drivers Association) to the relevant authorities had resulted in little to no improvement for their livelihood.

Outcomes

Thrives response

Thrive worked with the SHDA drivers to get some key changes on the situation which will make a significant difference to their livelihoods. Firstly, a key group of drivers were trained in leadership in partnership with the Gamaliel Foundation. Thrive organisers then spent time winning the trust of the drivers and hours of planning around the issue, including undercover videoing of the problem to gather primary evidence. By way of support and to demonstrate the strength of feeling, Thrive and SHDA took 100 people to the trades meeting in the Old Town Hall (usually only half a dozen drivers attend this meeting), which certainly stirred a reaction in the responsible agencies. The drivers held a meeting with the key Council Executive Officers at the local mosque with 50+ SHDA drivers in attendance and got significant wins, principally on the area of better enforcement.

The Licensing and Enforcement team agreed to enforce at the hours in which there is a recognised problem 12-4 am, weekend mornings. They hadnt been doing enough of this previously. The Council officers also agreed to look into the rank configuration in other areas to give the Hackney drivers safer options for collections The Council agreed to work with the drivers on the issue of out-of-town licensing and make a joint submission to Parliament around the issue.

Feedback
Thanks for the invite tod ay, I think they made some real progress and are beginning to learn how to play the political game. It was good to bring the officials onto their territory rather than elevated in the cou ncil chamber... What was great though, was that the council did no t deny the problem, your late night filming was worth it. They could do with a bit more focus in their demands I felt bu t they kept a controlled meeting and exerted pre ssure through sheer numbers on the counci l. Well done to you, and well done to the Hackn ey Carriage Association! Fr Dominic Black, Vicar for North Ormesby

Tackling the issue head on: Drivers and organisers gather video evidence, run their action meeting in the mosque and take part in leadership training

Transport and community safety: Westbury Street

The issue

I have to teach my children the Green Cross Code to set foot on the pavement

Residents in Westbury Street, Thornaby have had to endure more and more buses running up and down their road, as it is the most profitable in the area. Most other routes on parallel roads have been cut, and now 14 buses per hour, run by a large private operator, travel down Westbury Street. Incredibly, buses and other traffic mount the pavement for a stretch near the local primary school and mosque, and drive along the pavement, sometimes following parents and children. The bay windows of houses have been hit by bus wing mirrors, and residents have to look past their own bay windows to check there is no bus coming in order to set foot on the pavement.

Thrives response

Thrive organised the residents to make a change. Apart from a small disappointing meeting convened by the previous MP, the residents had taken no part in decision-making structures. Thrive challenged them to canvass the whole area, and the group held a meeting with residents at the local primary school.

Outcomes

The local Council Technical Services Department agreed to put bollards on the affected area of road and work for other safety improvements to the area.

n walk to whose childre a single mum paveHelen is rous stretch of ong the dange run the school al She helped to ery morning. ment ev uncil: g with the Co action meetin ok up ticed I didnt lo ry nervous. I no d, when Id I was ve t more relaxe Once I felt a bi was scared n that. was just cos I re d reading... It you said, if we finishe it before. Like . Id never done cos to do it t it, well have bothered abou

Residents run the meeting at the local school

Job Centre Plus

The issue
During 2008 the Government introduced a welfare reform green paper, No-One Left Behind. In it there were several assertions which didnt match the experience of the households which Thrive is working with and who find themselves out of the labour market for various reasons. This was not meant to criticise the Job Centre in any way as they work extremely hard with limited resources, nonetheless it was important to work for change.

Action book

Thrives response

Thrive volunteers conducted a survey outside the Job Centre (they were not allowed in to do this initially). They used the findings of the survey to convene a meeting with the local MP and the head of Job Centre Plus Tees Valley.

It makes you feel more

Outcomes

Both parties agreed on a customer involvement charter and the group has come up with several ways to improve service in the local Job Centres. Customers now have a genuine say in how the service is conducted across Stockton.

to improve the system

worthwhile that our ideas

Our training programme covers some earthy concepts and develops a political critique

Training
How we train people
Training is an essential part of community organising and the work we do at Thrive. Our Training Leaders for Action programme covers some earthy concepts and develops a political critique, which helps trainees understand how to challenge people in power and make positive change for people suffering injustice in our communities. Thrive, which is part of the wider Church Action on Poverty ChangeMakers community organising programme, works in partnership with the Gamaliel Foundation to deliver this training. Gamaliel works across approximately 30 states in the US and also in South Africa. Our trainers also trained Barack Obama as a community organiser.

will be implemented

Feedback
Hi, and have been I was knocked out by the training ut it ever since. telling the world and his wife abo ... I would say Really stimulating and challenging been on... its been the best training I have ever ng different (and sensed we were all on to somethi more powerful) at this event. Best wishes Phil

Action meetings
Thrive also holds annual assembly meetings where local people celebrate their successes and hold people in power to account in an appropriate and democratic way. The power and voice in the meetings are always deliberately given to people who are not used to being heard: people seeking sanctuary, victims of high-interest lending and people from marginalised communities.

Feedback from local residents and campaigners

A model of how to run a meeting brilliant! I am appalled at what unscrupulous money-lenders can get away with at a time when we hear about the continuing obscene pay levels of top bankers and executives. I was very impressed at the professionalism of this organisation Thrive. All the speakers who experience such difficulties in their lives were incredibly eloquent and it is obvious that Thrive are empowering them. I feel you will grow in strength and in numbers. Such good work being done and very hard work. Excellent. Ive been to a lot of meetings and youve had the highest attendance Ive been to for a couple of years... Its the first time Ive seen it where people whose lives are affected... its very, very effective people getting their message across for impact and content it was excellent. ... There wasnt any political influence, which was brilliant... I related to that girl who cares for her mam.

The power and voice in our action meetings are always deliberately given to people who are not used to being heard

Appendix: feedback
Thrive have a track record of working closely with and for people in local deprived communities, and enabling and supporting them to make real changes to their lives. Everything that Thrive has done has been based on starting off where people are, and not in lecturing from above. They also have the ability to work well with partners in the community, and support people to be able to make their case to decision-makers so that a difference can be made for others. Thrive has used genuinely new methods of working, building up peoples skills to use them, and resulting in information presented in a way that those with power and influence have not seen before, giving it a much greater impact. They have already begun to make a difference to not only peoples lives, but how those with power, be it from the Job Centre, Police, or private firms, have had so see problems afresh from the eyes of their clients. Councillor Suzanne Fletcher, MBE
ly challenging and I found the Thrive training extreme impressed by the very provocative. I have been deeply ed issues such as debt way that the project has address tes. Most importantly exploitation on local housing esta far the project has galvanised I have been struck by how build campaigns and local people into taking action to loitative practices alliances. Thrive has challenged exp ple. Community and instilled confidence in local peo l way of addressing organising strikes me as a powerfu g people to reflect imbalances in our society by enablin ple the confidence and on issues of power and giving peo skills to take action.

Action book

e at a Thrive meeting, Phil Watson, college tutor, attende Chair of local Church participant on training programme. project. Urban Fund Faith in the Community

FROM 9 TO 4 TO 8

Thrive knocked on my door and asked if I would participate in a Sustainable Living Interview. Seeing I had free time I welcomed them in as it was somebody to talk to. I had moved into their target area eight years before after losing my house and was only on hello terms with my neighbours, possibly my fault as I found it difficult to mix with them and refused to make the effort as I felt we had nothing in common. I was the carer for my husband and son and still am, also looked after grandchildren on a weekend and school holidays. I explained to Thrive that on a happiness level I felt that the trials and tribulations that life threw at me, money or lack of it, had not altered the level of happiness I had enjoyed when times were good and profitable. The main aspect of my life was the family and it was still a loving and compact unit. Caring for my husband and son gave me a purpose in life, as I had in my previous job held a senior position in a care home and could utilise my skills to the benefit of my family in a real sense. During a talk to academics at a university [later] I expressed the opinion that at that time of asking about my happiness, I had given the wrong evaluation of a 9 as it should have read 4, and in present time should be an 8. The reading of 4 is based on a selfless life of giving to the family, insulated in my little house thinking, It is not the problem but how you handle it. My wants and needs were never brought into the equation, only those of the family. I had lost all connection with the outside world, watching it go by through the barriers of a window and a TV screen. Thrive has opened my life up, giving me friends who do not judge me from my failures but as a person in my own right, allowing me to express opinions and to own those opinions. They are allowing me to be the person I was before illness and poverty took over my life. I still care for my husband, son and grandchildren but in a better way, as I am handling the problems of life in a real way, not in the insulated world of a caged bird looking at life through bars. Thrive has allowed the dormant me to blossom again, even though the problems of life have not changed I feel valued and confident enough to enter full life again. Soon I hope to go from an 8 to 10 as I engage fully with the world outside. KC, March 2009

Thrive, Thornaby Methodist Church, Stanstead Way, Thornaby TS17 9EA 01642 769 570 www.thrive-stockton.org.uk mail@thrive-stockton.org.uk Registered charity number 1125676