Community Commissioner Yssy (pictured above in the pink coat) writes about her involvement with the Poverty Truth Network’s initiative: Cultivating Trust, which seeks to build relationships between people who know the struggle against poverty firsthand and those with institutional access and power. A couple of weeks ago Yssy met with a group of commissioners from different Poverty Truth Commissions across the country to meet with local MPs.
Why did you agree to be involved?
I agreed to be involved in the Poverty Network initiative for cultivating trust because firstly I’ve struggled with feeling like I’ve had a voice as an individual and importantly, I was given an opportunity to help make another ripple in our pond and help gather the wind to blow out the poverty candle!
Tell us about your experience – was it what you expected?
The experience was nothing like what I expected. It was way grander and nourishing. I thought the interactions I had with my fellow PTN members were priceless. I loved every second of it and I can’t wait for more experiences with them. I’d like to get to know them better and the same goes for the members of Parliament that came to speak with us and hear what we had to say. We had a tour around the House of Lords which was insane. It was interesting to learn about the different faces of history and things that go on, and are still going on from hundred and hundreds of years ago. Some things I thought could have been done better; more time with the MPs and have more MPs to talk to. But as this is our first outing together, I think it went very well.
What were the best bits?
My favourite bits were getting to know the people that I had met already more and also physically meeting the people I had met on our zoom calls in the months spent planning our trip. Another favourite part would definitely be the trip round the House of Lords and getting to see two debates in the time that we got to sit down and watch. Also the cakes look pretty good!
What are you hoping will happen next?
I’m hoping that this is the first of many of these meetings and this is just a seed being planted in both politicians and members of the PTN ‘s minds. I think we can turn our learning into another layer of our confidence and armour to move forward. It was only Sara from Stripey Stork and I who came from Southeast. Everybody else came from hundreds of miles away in the UK to come to London so for the majority in London is a novelty it’s a big bright shiny unknown beating living beast. It’s a thing that you talk about as ‘that London’ to then go there to do work for one day… the other people who came deserve huge respect for not only standing up to the mark but being really energetic and meaningful in their interactions.
I think we will possibly have more confidence now we’ve met each other, and we’ve gone to London. I think we’ll have our sleeves rolled up ready for the next meeting and get down to the nitty-gritty; asking demanding questions and answering challenging questions but not a bead of sweat to be seen.
I see a great future for this team and we will absolutely throw a stone into that pond and make some ripples. Watch this space!!
