Swansea Poverty Truth Commission Bringing together those living at the sharp end of poverty with key decision makers to work together towards tackling and overcoming poverty in the area. Swansea Poverty Truth Commission (SPTC) places those affected by poverty at the heart of decision-making about poverty. PTC’s give a face to the facts, by creating safe spaces for people with lived experience of poverty to tell their stories, build relationships with each other, and with influential decision makers in the local area. Swansea Poverty Truth Commission celebrates its conclusion On Tuesday 30th April 2024 people gathered at the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea to celebrate the conclusion of Swansea Poverty Truth Commission (SPTC). This innovative approach - which saw people with lived experience of poverty brought together with leaders from the civic and business community to spend some 18 months getting to grips with local challenges associated with poverty - has been delivered for the first time in Wales. The model was developed in Scotland, and has previously been successfully implemented in many locations in England.Swansea Council for Voluntary Service (SCVS) hosted the Commission with support from many key partners locally, notably Swansea Council, Coastal Housing and Swansea Bay University Health Board. Thanks were also given at the event to the Austin Bailey Foundation and the Welsh Church Act Fund. The event was a colourful, varied and interactive reflection of the commission process, and showcase of ongoing and future work. It highlighted the relationship-building which took place between commissioners over many months, and the importance of listening to understand the problem fully before discussing solutions. Civic and Business Commissioners shared some of the positive impacts they had experienced, both personally and professionally. The recommendations of the Commission were revealed, and enthused participants were invited to pledge support for taking this work forward. The event concluded with the unveiling of a stunning piece of pyrography artwork produced by one of the Community Commissioners, depicting imagery and phrases resonant with the commission itself. The art will be placed on display in the workplaces of the Civic and Business Commissioners, to draw attention to the legacy of the first Poverty Truth Commission in Wales. The team explained that as each Poverty Truth Commission is unique, shaped and directed by the shared experiences of its participants, there is great value in repeating the process and exploring different issues, if funding can be secured. SCVS will be exploring this possibility over the coming months. The team at SCVS will now be writing a comprehensive final report, producing case studies and other resources, reflecting on the learning from the first commission and supporting those organisations seeking to respond to the recommendations. Also at the event: A training resource created by the UK-wide Poverty Truth Network was shared, with warm acknowledgement of the contribution of Swansea’s commissioners to its development. The tool, which is being piloted by institutions training social workers and other professionals, tells animated stories of the “Double Impact” of poverty and mental health. Contact the Swansea Poverty Truth Commission team at SCVS for a copy. The Wales Centre for Public Policy were pleased to announce a new collaboration with Swansea Council, SCVS and some members of the Commission, examining how public bodies can tackle the stigma associated with poverty. Cllr Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council, confirmed a commitment to implement the Commission’s “Charter for Rehumanising Systems & Services”, and asked, “What about a second commission?” You can also watch the individual stories of the eleven commissioners by visiting the ‘Community Commissioners’ stories section here. Our Community Commissioners stories At the launch event, eleven Community Commissioners living in the city shared their experiences of poverty with an invited audience. These are their stories... Swansea – The Journey To The Launch Read more about how Swansea became the first City in Wales to host a Poverty Truth Commission, and about the launch event. Exploring experiences creatively The Community Commissioners took part in a series of to explore how to communicate the feelings, thoughts and experiences associated with poverty in a range of different ways. See the creative results here. Who makes up SPTC? Swansea Poverty Truth Commission has a total of 28 Civic, Business and Community Commissioners. Find out more... What is a PTC? Poverty Truth Commissions (PTCs) bring together those living at the sharp end of poverty with key decision makers. Find out more... The history of PTCs in the UK The first Poverty Truth Commission (PTC) took place in Glasgow in 2009 and since then, there have been over a dozen successful commissions across Scotland and England. Find out more... Contact the Swansea Poverty Truth Commission Team at: [email protected] We take privacy seriously - click here to read the Swansea Poverty Truth Commission Privacy Notice Manage Cookie Preferences