Exploring Stigma, Power & Poverty
Supported by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Background
“This work is fundamentally about power because stigma wouldn’t exist if it didn’t benefit someone.” Hal Khanom (member of Stigma Free Futures design team)
In 2022, a design team of 10 people were brought together on an emergent project to explore the drivers of stigma in relation to experiences of poverty in the UK, to learn from current and historic initiatives to address it and to begin to prioritise themes that lead to a call for action.
“This flagship discovery project on stigma is an effort to tackle epistemic injustice..."
"Like poverty, stigma is deeply intersectional, so we recruited a team on the basis of diversity of experiences of poverty from different equality lenses.” Sarah Campbell (Joseph Rowntree Foundation member of Stigma Free Futures design team)
“Imagine if we could dismantle the pain stigma causes so many of our fellow humans. Imagine if those who live in poverty could live their struggle free from hate or blame." Steve Arnott (member of Stigma Free Futures design team)
I joined Sarah Campbell, Sarah Whitehead, and Kirsten Nott as a a member of the facilitation team in 2022.
Coaching Programme
In 2023, I developed a pilot coaching programme for this design team. As a coach, I partnered with each client to create a space for them to think and reflect. By offering a separate, confidential opportunity for personal and professional development as part of the team’s package, we created the conditions for each person to feel that their experiences and knowledge was valued, respected and heard.
I also worked alongside the facilitation team to recruit the design team initially and help create the conditions needed for them to work together inclusively.
In 2024-25, my role was to facilitate and coach the team’s gatherings and collaboratively hold space for the work to progress.