New exhibition sheds light on innovative approach to tackling poverty in Hull

People’s experience of poverty will be at the heart of an exhibition about causes of poverty and how to tackle it. Launching on 17 December, The Truth About Poverty exhibition is an interactive showcase that will feature personal stories, community insights, and interactive activities.

The exhibition follows the work of the Hull Poverty Truth Commission (HPTC), a two-year initiative which has brought together policy makers with those who have experience of poverty. The commission built meaningful connections and provided opportunities for people’s voices to be heard and impactful changes to be made.

The HPTC has been a joint project, involving Hull City Council, particularly the council’s Public Health team, the University of Hull, local charity Forum CIO which hosted the project, and others including Timebank and Groundwork. The sessions held by the commission enabled members to explore issues and ways of addressing them.

The exhibition, at 20-22 Brook Street, HU2 8LA, opens on Tuesday 17 December. 10.30-3pm. Workshops will also run as follows:
Workshop on housing: Tuesday 17 December, 12.30-2.30pm. Plus Wednesday 8 January. 10.30am-12.30.
Workshop on food, cost of living and alternative economies: Wednesday 18 December, 10.30am-12.30.
Workshop on food poverty: Wednesday 18 December 1-3pm. Plus Friday 10 January, 1.30-3.30pm.
Workshop on spinning, weaving and storytelling: Thursday 19 December, 12.30-2:30pm. Plus Thursday 9 January, 12.30-2.30.pm.

The exhibition will be open for visitors from 10.30am-3pm on these dates in January: Tuesday 7 January, Wednesday 8 January, Thursday 9 January,  Friday 10 January, Monday 13 January, and Tuesday 14 January. There will be a closing event on Wednesday 15 January from 3.30pm-5.30pm.

The HPTC identified three main focus areas: navigating systems and services (including attitudes and cultures), cost of living and working poverty, and access to healthcare (including mental health).

Monthly meetings led to shared insights and collaborative problem-solving, ultimately achieving cultural change and advancing systemic solutions.

The evaluators, Dr Gill Hughes and Dr Juan Pablo Winter from the University of Hull, said: "The project had all the necessary elements for success: time, trust, equitable relationships, and a willingness to change.

“For the people experiencing poverty, it was humanising and liberating. For the decision-makers, they saw how they could make changes within their systems and influence policies to make an immediate difference."

Cllr Linda Chambers, Portfolio Holder for Public Health, has been part of the HPTC. She said: “The exhibition is a great way to examine and reflect on the work of the Poverty Truth Commission, the changes that have come out of it, and the improvements that have happened. It will also be an opportunity to discover stories from people who have experienced living in poverty, and to better understand how the decisions of policymakers affect them.

“The HPTC has been a fantastic initiative, which has given those with power a valuable opportunity to listen to hear people’s voices, and genuinely influenced the work the council and its partners does.

Working groups looked at social and supported housing, mental health crises and the interaction between services and people. The wording of housing and benefits letters was amended to be more supportive, the council changed its policy on removing carpets and soft furnishings at the point of tenancy change, and more resource was allocated to the mental health helpline, with Humber Trust increasing its support to MIND, in order to raise capacity to answer telephone calls to the crisis service. These changes represent the start of a new way of working.

To find out more about specific, tailored sessions for colleagues or groups, please contact: J.Winter@hull.ac.uk and G.C.Hughes@hull.ac.uk. 

Read more about the Hull Poverty Truth Commission here: https://www.hull.ac.uk/work-with-us/research/case-studies/hull-poverty-truth-commission