A Council project that helps to improve the lives of some of Plymouth's most vulnerable residents has received funding for an extra year of life-changing work.
Changing Future Plymouth works in partnership with local organisations to improve the outcomes for people experiencing multiple disadvantage across the city.
Since its inception in 2021, the programme has worked with victims of domestic abuse, people living with mental health challenges, families and individuals who have experienced homelessness, those involved in substance use, and people who have had contact with the criminal justice system.
By co-producing activities with people who have experience using services in the city, the programme has supported culture change, trauma-informed practice, and approaches that put people at the heart of the work to support Plymouth working together as an alliance.
Now, a combined grant of around £772,000 from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the National Lottery Community Fund will allow the project to continue for a final year.
Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, Communities and Cooperative Development, said: "I'm so proud of Changing Futures Plymouth which is a project which has already done exactly what it says on the tin.
"By working with people experiencing hardship, we have been able to tailor services and support that deals with complex need in a way that a blanket approach could not achieve.
"It is so pleasing to see this project continue to provide the type of support needed for people to re-build their lives."
While being delivered primarily by the Council, Changing Futures relies on expert partners including from the Zone, Trevi, Ahimsa, BTheChange, Trauma Informed Plymouth Network, Improving Lives Plymouth, and Shekinah.
This has allowed the following interventions and services to be rolled-out:
Peer Research Network (PRN)
Peer Researchers have been embedded in a range of organisations, including BCHA, Gifted Women and the PCC Violence Against Women and Girls team has allowed them to provide visible and valuable lived experience presence in services, whilst influencing service improvements, promoting trauma informed workplace practices, and engaging with people using services in creative ways.
Your Story
This tool has been designed to enable people using services to take control of their information, share their story in a way that matters to them, and minimise the need for them to repeat their story multiple times to multiple agencies. The learnings and output from this project are supporting the new Supported Housing Hub.
Trauma Informed Plymouth Network (TIPN)
The Inclusion & Resilience branch of the Trauma Network has been welcoming organisations and individuals to share their experience of supporting marginalised groups for over a year. This is the latest chapter of the work done by
Changing Futures Plymouth, with partners, to co-develop the Antiracist Taskforce and Antiracism Allyship Network. So far, over 3000 people have received Trauma Awareness training through the network
Find out more about Changing Futures Plymouth at www.plymouth.gov.uk/changing-futures