Third Scottish Assembly for Tackling Poverty

THE third Scottish Assembly for Tackling Poverty will take place on 15 and 16 March 2012, at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, it has been announced. 

The Poverty Alliance explains on its website: "Over the two day conference, we will be focusing on inequality and alternative ways of working during a time of economic austerity."

Confirmed speakers so far include: Owen Jones, author of Chavs; Anna Coote, New Economics Foundation; Philip Blond, ResPublica, and many more.

PA continues: "We will hear from inspiring community projects from across Scotland on how they are affected by these issues and what they are doing to combat them. This year we will be focusing on the themes of child poverty, fuel poverty, sustainable communities, welfare reform and alternative economic models."

The event will bring together community groups, national organizations and political representatives at a Scottish and UK level.

Ghazala Hakeem, commissioner of the Poverty Truth Commission, will be among the speakers at the event.

Please click here to see the full two day agenda for the Assembly. Please click here to see the evidence session descriptions. To register for the Assembly, please click here.

Poverty meets economics

ON Sunday 8th May 2011, members of the Poverty Truth Commission are meeting members of the Church of Scotland Economics Commission.

The gathering is being hosted by the Edinburgh Road Group of churches (comprised of Cranhill, High Carntyne and St Enoch's Hogganfield).

The scandal of poverty may not have figured high on party election agendas, but it must be high on the Church's agenda for what it wants to say about how the economy is working. At a recent hustings meeting, candidates from all four parties supported the Poverty Truth Commission principle of "nothing about us without us is for us". This event is a chance for the church to put that into practice, hearing directly from people telling their own stories of 'how it is'.

The meeting is also designed to give local people opportunities to feed their own experience and views into the work of the Economics Commission, and those from other parishes are very welcome. It takes place at 7pm in St Enoch's Church Hall (Smithycroft Road at the junction with Cumbernauld Road).

Poverty Truth Commission closing gathering

ON Saturday 16th April over 350 people attended the Poverty Truth Commission's Closing Gathering at the City Chambers in Glasgow.

For the last two years, Scotland’s first Poverty Truth Commission has brought together two groups of people: people who exercise power and influence in Scottish society and people who live every day with the struggle against poverty.

At the Closing Gathering both groups of people reported on their findings as one group and shared the message of their motto, 'nothing about us, without us, is for us', through conversation, film, rap, music and spoken word. It proved to be an inspiring and challenging event.

At the event the Commission launched it's findings as a report which can be viewed at the Commission's website, www.povertytruthcommission.org. Videos from the event are being made available.

If you would like more information about the Commission or if you would like us to send you hard copies of the report please contact the office on 0141 248 2905 or by emailing info@povertytruthcommission.org

An invitation to change

This was the invitation we sent out for our 'grand gathering':

"You are invited to the Closing Gathering of Scotland's first Poverty Truth Commission which will take place in Glasgow City Chambers (George Square, Glasgow) on Saturday 16th April between 2pm and 4pm (doors open at 1.15pm).

"For the last two years, Scotland's first Poverty Truth Commission has brought together two groups of people: people who exercise power and influence in Scottish society and people who love every day with the struggle against poverty.

"On 16th April 2011, members of the Poverty Truth Commission will share what we have learnt together and what we believe needs to happen now.

"It will be an inspiring and challenging afternoon. We will communicate through drama, film, music and the spoken word. We will share what we have learnt from one another. We will present our challenges to all parts of Scottish society.

"To register, please contract the Commission on info@povertytruthcomission.org or 0141 248 2905. Pre-registration is important as places are limited. You can find out more about the Commission and its members at http://www.povertytruthcommission.org/."