Rochdale Citizens Workshop 27 - 28 June 2019

This report is dedicated to the memory of Andy Knox

August 2019

Please click on logos for more information about the Rochdale Citizens projects

These two days were arranged to offer a moment of pause and reflection in a project that has been involved in active citizens lives for almost a decade.

Co-Operation and Co-Production, as the home of the co-operative movement are in the bones of those that drink the water of Rochdale, members of the Rochdale’s vibrant community of citizens have been working at various levels across the decade to bring the co-operative values to life.

Rochdale Citizens Workshop 27 - 28 June 2019 @ Pioneers Museum

The Rochdale Community Champions project sits at the heart of this work, this project has been both the seedling and the mainstay of the co-operative activity; offering literacy, IT Welfare Support to Citizens, delivered by Citizens.

From a recognition that services should be influenced by active citizens, projects emerged to influence integrated place based working and Leaders in Greater Manchester.

The workshop sessions over the two days in June 2019, have sought to draw out the learning from these linked and connected projects.

The projects emerged from the best practice of Rochdale Community Citizens, which have placed co-operation and reciprocity at the heart of its work.

What are we doing here?

‘we like sceptics ... otherwise it is just another echo chamber’

day 1

. . . i n t r o d u c t i o n s . . . . . . i n t r o d u c t i o n s . . .

understanding the foundations

‘there is a big gap to where power sits, and it’s growing’

‘it is about tangible changes’

s t r e e t w i s d o m

and ref lect ive walks

Street Wisdom, a world wide movement, is about connecting with the street, helping us to find solutions and open our mind to thinking to move forward on issues.

Using a range of short walks and techniques including being mindful, we notice things and are absorbed by the street and get connected to our surroundings.

Then we take a longer walk spending time in the street and seek answers from the street in a variety of ways using all the senses we have.

We notice things that ‘speak to us’, giving us answers we are looking for.

Walking around on our ownand see what we are drawn to

Talking about our favourite street

How was tHe streetwise

exercise?

wHat did you notice?

wHat would be really important to you to Happen tHe

next 12 montHs?

‘it was therapeutic to see all the changes over the years’

‘will the new shopping centre be a success?’

‘lots of people have lots of ideas ... I am not convinced to get ‘them’ to listen...’

it’s just common sense isn’t it; don’t

need qualifications.

‘that word needs to get into the bin: “empowering us”. We need to do it ourselves’

‘when does talking become action?’

‘we have to move from “I know” to someone to listen’

‘no trees in city centre now ; citizens need time and space to reflect, relax, have no rush and sit under trees ...’

‘busroutes should connect better’

‘our engagement is a bit rigid, like a canal;I like it to be a river’

‘people need to motivate themselves’

‘everything is scattered around. No signposting either’

‘in their minds everyone is a car’

...there have been successes! Moments where citizens involvement was pivotal. Training of 600+ professionals into handling of conflict is result from citizens involvement ... Westminster saying “Oh, how did you do that?”

day 2

learning from a decade of co-producing ideas in rocHdale

The last decade of collaborative, co-produced work in Rochdale has been a process of relationship building, practical locally based action and a re-framing of local decision making around citizens voice. Two days of reflection and evaluation were held in June 2019. These two days were designed to be a point of pause, to re-evaluate and reflect on the

work completed to date. Both days held a participatory co-produced feel. The first day was framed around citizens with a street wisdom citizens reflective walk and reflective discussion. The second day was attended by a mixture of citizens and system leaders, and included a series of participatory activities and conversations that asked the group to reflect around key questions.

group workThe co-produced citizens work in Rochdale can be summarised as a series of actions taken to reposition people within decision making. There is a real sense of achievement, of citizens and system leaders having joined together to share individual and collective community aspirations.

This engagement of citizens with leaders and commissioners to provide the right services where and how they are needed (not how they may be perceived to be needed) is where the core of the co-operative, co-produced work sits. Rochdale does give voice to people who were previously unheard, listening to them, adapting, developing confidence.

discussion

‘are champions there to help local authorities to cut back?’

‘if advocacy role is not there...’

‘this is about seeking to make change’

looking back at a decade of activities

... the idea of citizens hearings was formed. Discussions were held with a coalition of willing active citizens, made up of Rochdale Community Champions and members of the local community. This group prepared questions that they wanted to ask of local systems leaders around two themes that were decided upon collaboratively among citizens.

‘we had to join up services to get better outcomes’

“we don’t trust you” were the words that came up all the time’

‘we chose a person-centered approach’

‘we realised it is about building relationships’

‘one of the outcomes is the trial for universal income; the council is trying to secure funding for that ... but it’s a whole other conversation, still ongoing ...’

‘... something will happen small scale’

talking about tHe ‘Hearings’

‘it changed the dynamic when asked well thought through questions ... it gave it a bit of gravitas to have a magistrate

there.’

‘citizens don’t have that restriction as volunteers, as in loosing voice as being part of the system.’

‘train the trainer: how to argue better comes directly from the hearings - is basically about how to communicate. It is about relationships.’

‘Always ask the question: how are citizens involved?’

‘they are finding it hard to share the power; those in power don’t trust citizens. We as citizens know we have to trust to get things done.’

in-between the sessions: loosening up, moving the body, spontaneous physical exercises, laughter, re-energising

after 5 minutes of silent sitting:

write down your personal answer to the following questions

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wHat Has Happened?

wHat Have i learnt?

wHat did it mean to me?

wHy is it important?

sharing personal answers on a harmonica sheet

wHat Has Happened?wHat did it mean to me?sharing personal answers on a harmonica sheet

wHy is it important?

wHy is it important? wHat Have i learnt?

wHat Have i learnt?

your tHougHts on wHat is discussed today in one sentence

Reflection on the day(by Katy Goldstraw)

It was important to those that participated in the reflection that they were involved, because they can give ‘something’ back to the community through passion and help shape a better brighter future for all.

Participants shared that they valued being part of a project that strengthens communities and is informed by a commitment to local democracy and decent values.

The focus on cooperative approaches made system leaders in the room reflect that we as a community should re-evaluate the existing framework of decision making to put the citizen at the heart of this.

Participants shared that they felt a deep sense of responsibility to help shape citizens involvement given that so many voices are helping to shape the future.

Participants expressed a shared sense of hope, that they can make change. This hope is an important part of co-produced, co-operative working.

Cynicism is easy to come by, the challenge is to create an environment where hope is welcome, where the possibility for changing things for the better feels achievable. #ureka

T i m e l i n e T i m e l i n e T i m e l i n e T i m e l i n e T i m e l i n e T i m e l i n e T i m e l i n e T i m e l i n e T i m e l i n e T i m e l i n e T i m e l i n e T i m e l i n e T i m e l i n e

images & repor t design

mollyvanderweij.com

©2019