Section 2: Economic inequality in Gateshead

Gateshead Poverty Truth Commission exists to ensure that people who have experienced poverty first-hand are at the heart of how Gateshead thinks and acts in tackling poverty and inequality.

We are made up of 'experts by experience' of poverty. Together we are building relationships with people who hold power in Gateshead. We'll listen to and work with each other to tackle the causes and effects of poverty in Gateshead.

We believe that the only way to make change is to include the real experts in decision making. We believe "nothing about us, without us, is for us".

Marie's Story - listening to communities

I live in Highfield with my family. This part of Gateshead means the world to me. It's the best place to live with the countryside right on your doorstep. But it's been a hard over the last few years for this community. Sometimes it feels like everything has been taken away from us.

A healthy community is one where everyone looks out for each other and makes a difference. But everyone has to be involved to make a community work at its best. People have lost their hope and trust in the people who make decisions. The only way to get that back would be to be actually listened to, not just to have a talking shop.

My dream for Highfield is that it would have a community centre where everyone no matter their age could be together and have their voices heard.

Gateshead Poverty Truth Commission is a way for me to make sure people's voices are actually listened to when decisions are being made about their community. 

Paul John's Story - listening to voices of lived experience

I came to the PTC with four years' experience of mental health problems and poverty. I've been through different benefits and have experienced relapses in my mental health as a result of the pressures and stresses of the benefit system.

I joined the PTC because it uses those life lessons to educate and build awareness about how systems affect people - in my case the systems surrounding mental health and poverty.

In my opinion decisions that are made purely with statistics can be dehumanising because they undermine the true impact on individuals and families of policies around poverty. Prior to being a member of Gateshead PTC I felt I had an understanding of the effects of poverty on me and others like me but no outlet to talk about it or make change. The PTC has allowed me to express honestly those experiences to a listening audience.

I would hope that the use of life experience stories will become part of normal decision making in Gateshead and beyond. Not just as a box ticking exercise but to affect decisions that impact people's everyday lives. 

Future ways of working

The conversations that we have had with local people, which is evidenced in these case studies, highlights the need to find ways to work alongside our community and develop a participatory leadership model that allows local people to truly influence future direction and policy for their local area.

The clear message from the work of the Poverty Truth Commission, the insight around universal credits impact and the day to day work of partners shows that we can only move forward in partnership with local residents, who know, by experience what will work best for them.