The next stage of HOME? is here. It’s time to come together and learn about the findings of the project so far – and you can get involved!

Next month we’ll be hosting 5 in-person Knowledge Exchange events in Lancaster, Middlesbrough, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester as part of the HOME? Project. We’ll be looking back at lived experience stories gathered during Community Reporting workshops that explore people’s experiences with migration. We’ll also we reviewing key themes that have emerged from the archive research activities (a collection of local newspaper articles from each of the 5 cities mentioned above themed on people’s experiences moving and living in the UK).

The aim of these events is to bring people together to explore the findings of the HOME? Project so far and start to envisage what impact these findings might have. We’ll open up a conversation between local communities about the heritage of migration in their area, how that relates to their current thinking and perceptions and what can be done to better understand, learn from and preserve this type of heritage in the future.

Sounds up your street? Reserve your free space by completing the Eventbrite booking forms below:

Lancaster Knowledge Exchange Event: Monday 19th June 12:00 – 15:00 (BST)

Middlesbrough Knowledge Exchange Event: Tuesday 20th June 12:00 – 15:00 (BST)

Leeds Knowledge Exchange Event: Wednesday 21st June 12:00 – 15:00 (BST)

Liverpool Knowledge Exchange Event: Thursday 22nd June 12:00 – 15:00 (BST)

Manchester Knowledge Exchange Event: Friday 23rd June 12:00 – 15:00 (BST)

We are currently finalising the plans for each of the Knowledge Exchange events and can’t wait to welcome you to the spaces. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – enquiries@peoplesvoicemedia.co.uk – we’d be more than happy to help.

International Child Health Group (ICHG) are looking for organisations working with refugee and asylum-seeking young people to collaborate with them to produce a short film to celebrate Refugee Week in June.

ICHG are producing a short film showcasing community led art projects involving refugee, migrant, asylum-seeking children and their families, sharing reflections on their dreams.

ICHG see the film as a means of denouncing anti-migrant racism, hostile rhetoric and policy and hope it will build solidarity among health professionals, VCSE groups and the public to resist and challenge harmful and unjust policy.

They’re are asking organisations to invite the children, young people and families they work with to draw, paint and create art pieces reflecting on their hopes, wishes & dreams. Each piece should also be accompanied by a written description explaining their ideas.

ICHG are asking that organisations then email a photo of each piece of artwork and its description to minpinamy2@gmail.com by Monday the 15th May.

The images will be included in a two minute film with possible animation of some of the artwork. They hope this will humanise people seeking sanctuary, give platform to the voices of children and young people and challenge the narrative around forced migration. The film will be available to share on social media platforms in time for Refugee Week (19th June). In advance of this they would send participating organisations a copy of the film for review and if you are happy with the product they can include your logo.

If you’d like to get involved – get in touch with them via the email listed above!

The Home? Project was set up last year to create a space to give Migrants, Refugees and Asylum seekers a voice to speak about their lived experiences in Northern England with the view to change the narratives that surround migrant communities. The project hopes to serve as a vehicle to drive the message home that things need to change for the better. Common themes and key findings from the stories will be created as an animated film and distributed in the wider community such as schools, colleges, universities, museums, libraries, informal education settings, councils, community groups and grassroot organisations.

These stories have been gathered through using PVM’s methodology of Community Reporting and Archive Research training.

PVM has partnered with 5 crucial partner organisations spread across the Northern region to train volunteers to become Community Reporters and begin the story gathering / sensemaking process.

We kicked off our first community reporter sessions last year in October with Refugees Women’s Connect based in Liverpool and completed the Community Reporter training at the end of February with Methodist Asylum Project in Middlesbrough.

There’s been a variety of stories and feedback shared from people that convey many different challenges and successes when entering the UK. For example, as English is not the native tongue for most people migrating to the UK, it has been difficult to find work or know where to turn to get appropriate advice and direction. However, people found that the longer they have stayed in the country, they have met other people in the same or similar position through charity organisations and have made friends and received knowledge on steps to take to get educated into English culture. They become familiar with the organisations that have been setup to help aid migrant communities. With these developments, some of our volunteers have reported that their experience has become more positive over time as they learn the language and expand their knowledge and communities.

With government coming down hard on migrants and bringing in new legalisation that will make a migrant’s life even harder, it is crucial that the lived experiences of migrants in the UK are heard and action taken to improve their lives and well-being.

Our 5th annual conference is set to take place in Liverpool this summer!

The conference will focus on the value of lived experience and how this can be used as a tool for creating equitable futures. We’ll explore how lived experience stories can help to address systemic issues such as racism, ableism and sexism that are currently damaging social progress.

The different sessions in the conference will focus on one or more of the following:

Insights: What we know from people’s lived experiences about present day inequalities and how equitable futures could be achieved

Methods: Techniques for working with lived experience as a tool for helping us to think about the future

Actions: What practical things we can do now to begin to create a more socially just future for ourselves and our communities

So, what’s going to be happening?

Take a look at our video breakdown below:

Whilst we’re currently at full capacity, don’t panic, you can add yourself to the waitlist below or follow the link to Eventbrite here. We’ll be checking in with those who have registered at regular intervals over the next couple of months – and allocating any last minute cancellations to people on the waitlist.

We can’t wait to welcome the network to the Women’s Organisation in July – see you then!

Towards the end of February, PVM headed over to Hungary to take part in the final in-person meeting of the project!

Partners from across Europe gathered to share important information and updates on the final stages of the project. They also took part in a Pan-European Multiplier Event alongside young people representing the social actions that have resulted from CONTINUE.

As part of the event, partners and young people took part in a Community Reporting taster workshop. During this activity, people shared their lived experiences of the pandemic, exploring their own observation of COVID-19s impact on young people in their communities.

You can view some of these stories over on the Community Reporter website here.

The event was a great way to bring the in-person aspects of the project to close, celebrating the contributions the young people have made along the way.

Keep your eyes peeled for the final update on the completion of the CONTINUE Project!