Festival of Learning

11 June, 10:00-11:30

Working with documentary and drama

Masterclass • Online

This session is a deep dive into the importance of collaboration between programme makers and people with direct experience of the issues being addressed. Through the lens of documentary and drama, we’ll delve into the significant role lived experiences make in influencing public conversations. Paula Harriot shares how she influenced the second series of the BBC prison drama ‘Time’ by sharing her experiences and insights with the writer and director, and multi award-winning documentary maker Anna Hall talks about her collaborations with charities that put a spotlight on injustice and inequality. For the recent two-part documentary The Push which addressed domestic violence and murder Anna worked alongside the charity Karma Nirvana.

What you’ll get out of it:

• Explore impactful stories of collaboration between charities and documentary and drama makers.
• Learn key elements crucial for successful partnerships in influencing public conversations.
• Understand how programmes get made and the current media landscape for commissioning programmes addressing social issues.
• Reflect on how you can contribute to and engage with programme makers within your sphere of influence.

Speakers

• 

  Paula Harriott

  Head of Prisoner Involvement, Prison Reform Trust

  Paula Harriott is currently Head of Prisoner Involvement at the Prison Reform Trust (PRT). As a senior management team member, she leads on developing prisoner leadership in the debate about criminal justice policy and leads the Prisoner Policy Network, a network of c1000 serving and former prisoners who are involved in the policy and advocacy work of PRT and the policy and practice of the wider social justice sector; highlighting in particular the need for systemic change. Her work builds on PRT’s strategic commitment to listening to and providing a voice for prisoners and their families; and promoting their role in making change happen. She was a key part of the EPIC Collective which acted as Learning Partner to the Lottery on its programme on Lived Experience Leadership and is currently supporting the Elevate programme for lived experienced leadership in the UK and a lived experience leadership programme in the Channel Islands.

  Find Paula on Twitter/X and Instagram @paula.harriott 

• 

  Anna Hall

  Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Candour Productions

  Anna Hall is a Documentary Director and Founder & Chief Creative Officer of Candour Productions in Leeds. She set up Candour with the vision to create a home for filmmakers in the North which is truly inclusive and flexible in its approach.

  In 2023, she won a BAFTA for Best Factual Series with ‘Libby, are you home yet?’ (Sky). As well as a further 6 BAFTA nominations, she has won two WFTV awards, received 4 Grierson nominations, won an RTS Journalism Award, and has been nominated for RTS, Broadcast and British Journalism awards.

  Recently, Candour has launched new series Yorkshire Midwives on Call (BBC), Cause of Death (Channel 5), and The Push (Channel 4).

• 

  Natasha Rattu

  Executive Director, Karma Nirvana

  Natasha Rattu is the Executive Director at Karma Nirvana leading the charity towards its strategic vision of ending Honour Based Abuse in the UK. Natasha has developed the national specialist Honour Based Abuse police risk assessment tool and has trained 24 police forces across England and Wales.

  Natasha is a Leeds Law School graduate and completed her Bar Finals, specialising in family and criminal law, at Nottingham Law School. Natasha has extensive experience in the Violence against Women and Girls sector from supporting victims directly as an Independent Domestic Violence Advocate to setting up the Newcastle based domestic abuse project SAFE. Natasha has worked for both Derby and Newcastle Community Safety Partnership.
  Natasha was awarded the national Crown Prosecution Scholarship 2010, set up in the memory of teenager Anthony Walker, murdered in a hate crime attack. She has worked for both the Crown Prosecution Service and in private family practice supporting many victims of domestic abuse and honour based abuse to seek legal redress. She awarded the Super Achiever Pitman Boss of the Year award in 2017. Natasha is a recognised legal expert in family and criminal proceedings within the field of Honour Based Abuse and Forced Marriage.

  Natasha is a mother to two sons and plans to raise them both to become the greatest feminists that she knows!

11 June, 15:00-16:30

Changing the media landscape

Masterclass, Talk • Online

Join us for an illuminating masterclass where we delve into the dynamic world of youth-led media with social enterprise and media organisation, Fully Focused. Their YouTube channel Million Youth Media has over 460,000 subscribers and is 100% curated by an inclusive youth panel made up of the Fully Focused young team. And working with young people they created the BBC hit show PRU, now on Netflix too. Fully Focused will share their expertise in working with young people, growing their audience, and the challenges and triumphs in shaping a more democratic media landscape.

What you’ll get out of it:

• Learn the key to collaborating with young people to take make their ideas a reality
• Navigate the changing demands of content for social media channels
• Discover how a small yet mighty social enterprise pushes boundaries and drives change in media

Speakers

• 

  Rosa Powloski

  Fully Focused

  Fully Focused is a youth-led media organisation that uses the power of film to challenge perceptions, raise awareness, change mindsets and transform lives.

Further reading

• https://www.fullyfocusedproductions.com/

12 June, 10:00-11:30

Creating spokesperson networks

Masterclass • Online

In this masterclass, we’ll explore the steps to creating a Spokesperson Network that amplifies the insights of those with direct experience of social injustice. This session offers practical insights and strategies from Sounddelivery Media Spokesperson’s Network, The Voice of Domestic Workers Future Voices network, and Luna Foundation’s Lived Experience Panel. Join us and learn more about building supportive networks, skills and confidence.

What you’ll get out of it:

• Ideas, inspiration and guidance on creating a lived experience network
• Explore challenges and opportunities in supporting a network
• Understand the long-term impact networks can create

Speakers

• 

  Jude Habib

  Director, Sounddelivery

  Jude is a BBC trained reporter and producer with over 20 years’ experience of unearthing stories that need to be told. At the BBC Jude focused on human interest storytelling, developing and delivering high-impact social action campaigns across radio, television and digital.   She founded her organisation in 2008 to give charities and the people they support the skills and confidence to tell their stories and influence wider conversations.. Since then Jude has trained thousands of individuals in storytelling, helping to raise awareness and inspire action on issues including mental health, domestic violence, homelessness, the care system, poverty and life in prison. Sounddelivery became a charity in February 2021.  Jude is a  Fellow of the School for Social Entrepreneurs.

• 

  Marissa Begonia

  Founder, The Voice of Domestic Workers

  Domestic worker and founding member of The Voice of Domestic Workers, Marissa campaigns for justice and rights for Britain’s migrant domestic workers. She helps them to flee abusive families and find safety.

• 

  Anna Wardley

  Founder, Luna Foundation CIC

  Anna Wardley is founder and CEO of Luna Foundation, a social enterprise transforming support and outcomes for children who lose a parent to suicide. Motivated by her own experience of parental suicide in childhood, Anna founded Luna in 2022 to implement key recommendations from her Churchill Fellowship report entitled Time to Count, including the provision of evidence-based suicide bereavement training for people working with children and young people. She is also a record-setting endurance swimmer, award-winning charity fundraiser and in 2013 was named Inspirational Woman of the Year after completing a 103-km swim around the Isle of Wight in 26.5 hours.

Further reading

• The domestic slaves rescued from London’s richest streets on Channel 4
• The Big Issue ‘I was abused, bullied and left in limbo as a migrant domestic worker. I’m proud of myself for surviving’
• The Voice of Domestic Workers website

12 June, 15:00-16:30

Co-producing media with unrepresented communities

Masterclass • Online

How do we create media that is authentic and representative of communities it seeks to portray? On Our Radar is an award-winning media organisation, combining a participatory approach with the highest journalistic standards to produce stories that are distinct, raw and intimate working with people to tell their own stories, in their own words.

What you’ll get out of it:

• What true participatory media is and what is involved.
• Hear examples from people with lived experience of homelessness about how they’ve developed their own content
• How your organisation can get started.

Speakers

• 

  Chris Walter

  Director, On Our Radar

  Chris Walter is a documentary-maker and co-director of On Our Radar.

Further reading

• On Our Radar Productions | Showreel

13 June, 10:00-11:30

Putting your lived experience at the centre of your leadership

Masterclass • Online

Celebrate authenticity, resilience, and the unique perspectives that shape effective leadership. In this masterclass, we’ll explore the impact of incorporating lived experiences into leadership, acknowledging the invaluable strength and insight that it brings to your role. Discover real-life examples of leaders who have embraced their lived experiences and witnessed positive changes in their organisations and communities and hear of some of the challenges. 

What you’ll get out of it:

• Learn key elements crucial for incorporating lived experiences into effective leadership
• Understand the challenges and opportunities bringing your experiences into your organisation creates
• Explore stories of leaders who have successfully centred their experiences, fostering positive change 

Speakers

• 

  Anne-Marie Douglas

  Founder and Co-CEO, Peer Power Youth

  Anne-Marie’s belief in the transformational power of empathy and personal experience led to her to found the charity Peer Power Youth, launched in 2016 at the House of Lords. She is a champion for lived and learned experience, and the role of participation, love and empathy in the transformation of support services for those most excluded. Her dual role at Peer Power Youth includes leading on income generation and shared CEO duties, alongside Co-CEO Nic Kidston.

  Proud to lead with ADHD, Anne-Marie has worked in youth voice and engagement locally and nationally across statutory and voluntary youth sectors for twenty five years and is a Churchill Fellow, researching empathy internationally. With published work on love and empathy, youth voice, inclusion and lived experience ethics, speaking engagements include Parliament, conferences, podcasts and radio, such as the Radio 4 Four Thought episode ‘The Empathy Equation’. Outside work, Anne-Marie loves travelling in her beloved campervan, going to festivals and enjoys live music and the arts.

• 

  Darren Murinas

  Chief Executive, Expert Citizens CIC

  Chief Executive of Expert Citizens CIC, also a trustee of the Lankelly Chase Foundation and Chair of the Changing Futures project board Stoke-on-Trent. Darren has been working with local and national media outlets such as BBC Radio Stoke, BBC radio Hereford and Worcester, BBC Radio four listening project, Victoria Derbyshire show, the Guardian and the Huffington. Recently Darren also spoke at a TEDx event hosted by Staffordshire University. Darren is a national facilitator working with organisations like MEAM, Homeless Link, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Virgin Money Foundation, The Centre for knowledge and equity and many more where he is recognised as an expert in Co-production. Darren has worked alongside others over the last 10 years to bring in over £20 million worth of investment for people experiencing severe multiple disadvantage in Stoke-on-Trent.

  Darren is also a national speaker, using his own experience of severe and multiple disadvantage to challenge stereotypes and the traditional narrative, dispelling the myth that people experiencing some of the toughest social issues of our time are making a ‘lifestyle choice’.

  @expertcitizens @darrenmurinas

Further reading

• Darren Murinas Tedx Creating social change through lived experience
• Expert Citizens Insight Awards Highlights 2023
• Peer Power Empathy Report
• The Empathy Equation by Anne-Marie Douglas, BBC Radio 4 Four Thought
• Leadership: Appointing a co-chief executive by Anne-Marie Douglas, Children and Young People

17 June, 13:00-14:00

Conversation on children and young people: SDMNetwork panel

Masterclass • Online

Engage in a thought-provoking conversation as we delve into solutions for the crisis facing young people and children. This insightful dialogue led by our spokesperson network, features individuals with firsthand experience in the challenges young people are confronting today. They’ll explore pressing issues, share real-life examples, and discuss strategies for positive change. Gain valuable insights into the perspectives of those directly affected and discover pathways towards meaningful solutions.

What you’ll gain from it:

• Insights into the unique challenges facing young people and children today
• Strategies for fostering meaningful change and advocacy
• Opportunities to engage with diverse perspectives and experience with a solutions focused discussion

Speakers

• 

  Emma Pears

  Founder and CEO, SELFA Children’s Charity

  Emma is the Founder and CEO of SELFA Children’s Charity based in North Yorkshire, an organisation which supports over 500 children and young people every year. Over the last two decades Emma has campaigned on a range of issues including access to services for families living in rural communities and children and young people’s mental health. This is deeply rooted in her own experience as a parent of a child with mental health support needs and emotionally based school avoidance.

• 

  Siobhan Down

  Founder and CEO, Yellow Brick Road Projects

  Founder and CEO of Yellow Brick Road Projects. She describes herself as an autistic woman, a mother, leader and a pirate. She has lived experience of what we know now as Adverse Childhood Experiences and ten years ago founded a charity that could help people like her who had experienced trauma and lost hope. She says, “I wanted to help young people unlock their potential by being the one person that believed in them. We are now a team of 16 people who inspire young people on a daily basis.”

• 

  Beth Thomas

  Mentoring Scheme Manager and Safeguarding Director, Our Place Support

  Beth is the Mentoring Scheme Manager and Safeguarding Director at Our Place Support supporting children and young people with their emotional, mental, and social wellbeing. Beth has her own lived experiences of childhood trauma, mental health issues and youth homelessness. She raises awareness of living with bipolar disorder and sits on the Association of Mental Health Providers Lived Experience Advisory Board. Beth has a MSC in Child and Adolescent Wellbeing.

• 

  Steve Arnott

  Founder and CEO, Beats Bus Records

  Hull resident Steve Arnott was a struggling warehouse worker by day and hip-hop performer by night. After a chance encounter with award-winning documentary maker Sean McAllister, Steve was asked to get involved in a film Sean was making: A Northern Soul. Music is Steve’s passion, writing and performing alongside any job he’s had but he is even more passionate about young people and ensuring that they have the opportunities that he didn’t. He now runs the Hull Beats Bus, a social enterprise mobile recording studio committed to building confidence and giving young people the space to be creative through music and art workshops. They have created a studio for their core students to use to ensure consistency and continuous guidance that they provide for free in their own time. This work is community driven with the direct aim of contributing to positive change for a new generation.

Further reading

• Politicians urged to better understand children’s issues ahead of general election by Fiona Simpson, Children & Young People Now
• Only One in Ten You People Believe Politicians Prioritise Their Needs – 2024 Survey by Save the Children UK
• Barnardo’s General Election Manifesto 2024
• One million voices: The Big Ambition calls for children’s solutions to be at the heart of election manifestos

18 June, 10:00-11:30

Our journey to being a visible public spokesperson

Masterclass • Online

Learn from public spokespeople about their path to visibility and what tools and strategies they use to amplify their voices. Through this masterclass, we’ll shine a spotlight on the diverse experiences and pathways taken by our speakers and hear their experiences with challenges, triumphs and lessons learned.

What you’ll get out of it:

• Tips on developing communication skills, understanding audience engagement, overcoming stage fright, and mastering public speaking techniques
• Explore the unique challenges and pivotal moments that come with being a visible spokesperson
• Reflect on your own potential journey towards becoming a visible public spokesperson

Speakers

• 

  Angela Frazer-Wicks MBE

  Chair of Trustees, Family Rights Group

  Angela Frazer-Wicks MBE is a birth mum, her eldest two children were adopted in 2004 after a very long and fraught battle with her Local Authority due to domestic violence and mental health issues. She is now married with a young daughter who has had no Local Authority involvement. In 2020 she was reunited with her eldest son. Angela is Chair of Trustees of Family Rights Group (FRG) and founding member of FRG’s parents panel. Angela is now a renowned advocate, trainer and expert on parents’ lived experience and has contributed a parent perspective to multiple high-profile debates on child protection and adoption, and to policy design and implementation. She was awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List in 2023 for services to children and families.

• 

  Payzee Mahmod

  Online Campaign Manager, IKWRO

  Payzee Mahmod is a British women’s rights activist of Kurdish heritage, who is a leading campaigner at the Iranian Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation (IKWRO). Her work focuses on raising awareness and influencing policy to protect women against harmful practices including child marriage, FGM, virginity testing and hymenoplasty. Much of her work draws from on her own experiences and the loss of her sister Banaz, in a so-called ‘honour’ killing in London in 2006. The case became one of the UK’s most notorious cases of honour killing and thanks to Payzee, became a catalyst for change in how such cases are dealt with.

  In a devastating chain of events she became a victim of the harrowing practice of child marriage at the tender age of 16. Surviving the oppressive environment, a forced pregnancy and divorce aged just 18, Payzee found her voice through adversity. Fuelled by an unyielding determination to prevent others from enduring similar torment, she became an advocate for survivors of violence and child marriage.

  Her TEDX talk ‘A Survivor’s Plea to end Child Marriage’ has been viewed more than a million times. Her petition in support of IKWRO’s Safeguard Futures Ban Child Marriage campaign attracted more than 254,000 signatures and she has spoken directly with government ministers in her bid to get the law changed. Payzee has been an influential voice in leading the campaign to ban child marriage in England Wales, and raise the minimum age of marriage from 16 to 18 through the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill that passed in 2023 achieving historic success with full Government backing voted through by MPs to change the law so that all forms of child marriage are now illegal in England and Wales.

  @payzeemalika

• 

  Lady Unchained

  Poet, broadcaster and author

  Lady Unchained is poet, broadcaster, author and founder of Unchained Poetry, a platform for artists with experience of the criminal justice system. She served a prison sentence during which she turned to poetry; Lady Unchained has hosted a BBC Radio 4 documentary, hosts a programme for National Prison Radio and runs workshops in prisons across the country; her mission is to prove there’s life after prison.

Further reading

• Mum… again by Angela Frazer-Wicks MBE, BBC Radio 4 Four Thought
• A survivor’s plea to end child marriage by Payzee Mahmod, TEDxLondonWomen

18 June, 15:00-16:30

How to pitch opinion pieces: Learn from CYP Now, The Guardian and The Big Issue

Masterclass • Online

Demystify the art of pitching opinion pieces in this masterclass where we’ll explore the nuances of crafting compelling pitches. Gain firsthand knowledge from editors who play a pivotal role in shaping public narratives and explore the behind-the-scenes look at what makes an opinion piece pitch stand out. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or new to the world of opinion pieces, this session is crafted to empower you with the insider knowledge needed to successfully pitch your stories to prominent media outlets.

 What you’ll get out of it:

• Explore best practice in sending a pitch 
• Gain invaluable perspectives from editors of national and sector press on what they look for in stories.
• Understand the impact opinion pieces have on shaping public narratives.

Speakers

• 

  Fiona Simpson

  Online Editor, Children & Young People Now

  Fiona Simpson is the online editor of Children & Young People Now – the leading magazine for decision makers and senior practitioners working with children, young people and families. Having previously worked at the Evening Standard, local newspapers and in charity PR, Fiona now specialises in news and analysis around services for children including the early years. In her spare time she volunteers as a youth mentor at Brixton’s Baytree Centre.

• 

  Barbara Speed

  Deputy Opinion Editor, The Guardian

  Barbara Speed is Deputy Head of Opinion at the Guardian. Find her work on The Guardian website, Previously, she was the Opinion editor at the i newspaper, a staff technology and digital culture writer at the New Statesman and staff writer at CityMetric, an urbanism mini-site at the New Statesman.

  Barbara has written for a wide range of publications including The Guardian, Private Eye, Prospect, Times Higher Education, The Times, and Vice.

• 

  Isabella McRae

  Senior reporter, The Big Issue

  Isabella McRae is a senior reporter at The Big Issue specialising in social justice. She reports on a wide range of issues including poverty and inequality, the benefits system, disability rights, housing, health, immigration, gender equality and much more. Isabella was a winner of the PPA Next Gen Awards in 2023, formerly known as the 30 under 30. She was shortlisted for journalist of the year in the Scope Disability Awards 2024.

19 June, 10:00-11:30

What we needed for campaign success

Masterclass • Online

This session is an exploration into the essential elements that contribute to successful advocacy efforts, drawing on real-life examples of charity campaign wins such as Fighting with Pride and the campaign to end childhood marriage. In this masterclass, we’ll examine the core components of these charity campaigns built from and driven by lived experience.

What you’ll get out of it:

• Valuable insights and actionable strategies. 
• Ignite your passion for impactful charity campaigning
• Gain tips and resource-efficient techniques to enhance your advocacy efforts

Speakers

• 

  Payzee Mahmod

  Online campaign manager, IKWRO

  Payzee Mahmod is a British women’s rights activist of Kurdish heritage, who is a leading campaigner at the Iranian Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation (IKWRO). Her work focuses on raising awareness and influencing policy to protect women against harmful practices including child marriage, FGM, virginity testing and hymenoplasty. Much of her work draws from on her own experiences and the loss of her sister Banaz, in a so-called ‘honour’ killing in London in 2006. The case became one of the UK’s most notorious cases of honour killing and thanks to Payzee, became a catalyst for change in how such cases are dealt with.

  In a devastating chain of events she became a victim of the harrowing practice of child marriage at the tender age of 16. Surviving the oppressive environment, a forced pregnancy and divorce aged just 18, Payzee found her voice through adversity. Fuelled by an unyielding determination to prevent others from enduring similar torment, she became an advocate for survivors of violence and child marriage.

  Her TEDX talk ‘A Survivor’s Plea to end Child Marriage’ has been viewed more than a million times. Her petition in support of IKWRO’s Safeguard Futures Ban Child Marriage campaign attracted more than 254,000 signatures and she has spoken directly with government ministers in her bid to get the law changed. Payzee has been an influential voice in leading the campaign to ban child marriage in England Wales, and raise the minimum age of marriage from 16 to 18 through the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill that passed in 2023 achieving historic success with full Government backing voted through by MPs to change the law so that all forms of child marriage are now illegal in England and Wales.

  @payzeemalika

• 

  Craig Jones, MBE

  Executive Chair, Fighting With Pride

  Craig Jones is the Executive Chair of Fighting with Pride of the military LGBT+ charity Fighting With Pride and the principle leader of the Armed Forces LGBT+ community in the difficult years after the ‘ban’ was lifted.

  In a busy 20 year operational career in the Royal Navy, Craig was a helicopter fast rope boarding officer during operations to clear the Shatt Al Arab following the first Gulf War and he led border patrols in Northern Ireland in the challenging year prior to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.  Later he was the deputy navigator of the Fleet flagship HMS INVINCIBLE during Operation BOLTON.

  On the day of the lifting of the ‘gay ban’ in 2000, Craig came out and led challenging work to restore the Armed Forces Covenant for the serving LGBT+ community. Craig was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2006 for services to Equality and Human Rights in the Armed Forces.  Craig retired from the Armed Forces in 200

Further reading

• A survivor’s plea to end child marriage by Payzee Mahmod, TEDxLondonWomen

20 June, 10:00-11:30

Building movements for social change

Masterclass • Online

This masterclass is for those who seek to galvanise their community to build movements for social change. Throughout this session, we will explore the significance of mobilising communities, the nuances of power how to use the power of collective action. Through interactive discussions, reflective exercises, and real-life examples, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of power dynamics and their implications for organisational leadership and social justice advocacy.

What you’ll get out of it:

• Feel empowered to initiate change and bring people around supporting a social theme
• Understand the fundamental principles of effective movement-building
• Draw from successful social movements who have brought about social and legislative change

Speakers

• 

  Palma Black

  Founder, Soul Purpose 360 CIC

  Palma is the founder of Soul Purpose 360 CIC, a coaching, mentoring and training social enterprise for Black women; blending community development with personal development. She is a Personal Performance Coach who is passionate about empowering individuals to live fulfilling lives. Palma has decades of experience working in and with communities through her work in community development, urban regeneration and social enterprise in London and the south east.

• 

  Zain Hafeez

  Funding Manager, Civic Power Fund

  Zain Hafeez has a decade of first-hand experience of the asylum and immigration system. This evoked a deep passion in Zain to campaign for reform throughout. Zain has given several public speeches on issues related to the asylum journey, mental health, access to higher education and more. Delivered talks at universities and co-produced an award-winning podcast series: We Are Voices.

  Zain obtained a full-paid scholarship to go to university and graduated with a First-Class Honours in Philosophy and Global Studies. Zain is currently a Community Organiser with Citizens UK, a Funding Manager at the Civic Power Fund and a Board of Trustee at IMIX. In his spare time, Zain loves to read and study Philosophy.

  Twitter/ X: @Zain_Hafeez7

• 

  Laura Fisher

  Team Leader – Shifting Power at Grapevine Coventry and Warwickshire

  Grapevine has three strands: Shifting power, sparking community, and strengthening people. At our heart, we are about accessibility. It runs at the core of what we do and it is ingrained into our practice and in our methods. We believe that our three strand method not only allows us to support people to access space, but it also ensures that people have the skills and support to take action and get a seat at the table where decisions are made. Decisions making spaces are inherently designed to stop communities from taking back power, and our work is about changing this. As Team Leader of the Shifting Power and Sparking Community Action strand, my work focuses on supporting our team of Community Organisers to help local people shift power back to their communities. https://www.connectingforgoodcov.com/ Laura is also the Founder of Survivor Sanctuary a by and for organisation for people affected by sexual violence. https://www.survivorsanctuary.co.uk/

Further reading

• Grapevine Coventry & Warwickshire

11 June, 13:00-14:00

Writing about our experiences and finding an audience

Learning lunch • Online

Join us for a learning lunch session where we delve into the power of writing to convey lived experiences. Hear from author and activist Winnie M Li, who has written two novels drawing from her own experiences of sexual assault.  This session will explore how to get started writing to authentically share personal stories and perspectives. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned writer, interested in fiction or nonfiction, this session will provide you with the inspiration to get writing.

What you’ll get out of it:

• Practical tips and techniques for crafting compelling narratives and getting your message out there in a strategic way
• Guidance on navigating the challenges of vulnerability and emotional safety through writing
• Insights into using powerful storytelling to impact on individuals and communities

Speakers

• 

  Winnie M Li

  Author of COMPLICIT (2022), activist

  Winnie M Li is an author and activist. Her latest novel Complicit was described by The New York Times as ‘harrowing, timely, and thoroughly book-club worthy.’ Her debut novel Dark Chapter was translated into ten languages and she has recently adapted it for the screen. Driven by her own experience of rape, Winnie founded Clear Lines, the UK’s first festival addressing sexual assault and consent through the arts, and completed her PhD research at the London School of Economics on the emotional labour of public rape survivors. Winnie holds an honorary doctorate of law from the National University of Ireland in recognition of her writing and activism.

Further reading

• Reframing the way we think about sexual violence by Winnie M Li I TedxLondon

13 June, 13:00-14:00

Start vlogging

Learning lunch • Online

Have you ever considered starting a vlog? Join us for an engaging learning lunch where we’ll explore the hows and whys of vlogging, diving into the power of sharing your story through video. Whether you’re passionate about a particular topic, want to respond to a news story, or simply wish to document your life experiences, vlogging can be a dynamic and impactful way to connect with your audience.

What you’ll get out of it:

• Practical tips and techniques for starting vlogging 
• Insights into the potential impact of vlogging as a means of sharing opinions and sparking conversations
• How vlogging can capture the attention of journalists, influencers, and a wider audience, amplifying your message and reach

18 June, 13:00-14:00

Social media for advocacy

Learning lunch • Online

Join us for an engaging learning lunch where we’ll explore the power of social media for advocacy and how you can use digital platforms to amplify your voice and impact. Whether you’re already involved in advocacy work or just beginning to explore activism, this session will equip you with the tools and inspiration to use social media effectively in your efforts to create change by sharing and harnessing lived experiences.

What you’ll get out of it:

• Practical tips and strategies, from crafting compelling messages to engaging with your audience and mobilising support for your cause
• An overview of accessibility best practices for social media platforms, ensuring that your content is inclusive and reaches a wider audience
• Insights into the opportunities and challenges of using various social media platforms for advocacy

Speakers

• 

  Rachael Mole

  Managing Director, Moleworks Solutions

  Rachael Mole is an award winning accessibility in the workplace specialist. Disabled since the age of 12, she is an advocate for inclusion as a driver for cultural change. As a People and Project manager, their current work, supported by a Churchill Fellowship, explores how inclusion drives innovation, aiming to influence future workplace policies. Rachael is now the Managing Director of Moleworks Solutions.

  Instagram: @rachaellmole

19 June, 13:00-14:00

Empathy-led approaches

Learning lunch • Online

Peer Power Youth lead with empathy to support young people who have experienced trauma. We build on their strengths and work alongside them so they can change the justice, health and care systems they were once in. The session will involve Young Partners at Peer Power Youth, and you will gain understanding of empathy in practice and how this guides their work in youth voice, influencing and social justice.

What you’ll get out of it:

• Insights into fostering understanding and empathy, particularly in supporting individuals who have experienced trauma.
• Practical strategies for cultivating empathy in both personal and professional contexts.
• Explore the role of empathy in driving positive social change.

Speakers

• 

  Andrea Elkin

  Training and Development Manager, Peer Power Youth

  Andrea has over 10 years of experience working with young people, designing and facilitating programmes with and for young people in formal and non-formal education settings. Her passion for youth advocacy, engagement and social justice is what brought her to Peer Power Youth.

  Andrea’s role at Peer Power Youth brings together young people and professionals to deliver training, coaching and resources that will help embed co-production, empathy, youth voice & influence into organisations and services.

20 June, 13:00-14:00

Starting your own podcast tips and tricks

Learning lunch • Online

Are you ready to dive into the world of podcasting? Join us for a learning lunch session where we’ll provide you with practical advice and ideas to kickstart your own podcast journey. Whether you’re passionate about sharing personal stories, exploring niche interests, or sparking meaningful conversations, podcasting offers a platform for you to amplify your voice and make a difference. Hear from two podcasters; charity leader Maggie Gordon-Walker who started a podcast on a shoestring budget, and journalist and host of 2022 Best Current Affairs pod Media Storm Mathilda Mallinson. This session will highlight how you can harness audio to amplify lived experiences.

What you’ll get out of it:

• Practical advice to get you started on your podcasting journey 
• Ideas to help you shape your podcast idea
• Learn what it takes to maintain and promote your podcast

Speakers

• 

  Maggie Gordon-Walker

  Founder, Mothers Uncovered

  Maggie is an arts professional and the founder of Mothers Uncovered, set up for her charity Livestock in 2008. The Brighton-based creative support courses are led by past participants, celebrating the woman behind the mother, while allowing feelings to be explored honestly, without judgement.

  She is an advocate for matrescence (the transition to motherhood), believing women’s wishes around pregnancy, birth and postpartum are often ignored or marginalised. She co-edited an anthology of past participants’ stories of their matrescence: ‘The Secret Life of Mothers’ (2018) and presents a podcast of the same name.

  Twitter: @mgordonwalker @mothersuncoverd
  Instagram: @mothers_uncovered @matrescenceuk
  Facebook: MothersUncoveredUK

Further reading

• Media Storm podcast

11 June, 14:00-15:00

Wellbeing: Lifting the Sky

Wellbeing • Online

Mindful Meditation and Movement to support and nurture our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. A session where participants can take a moment to draw their awareness and presence inwards in order to re-calibrate; re-energise and revive – building resilience; capacity and confidence in moving into each new day.

Speakers

• 

  Alan Stuart

  Co-founder, Calzy Foundation

  Alan is the co-founder of The Calzy Foundation established in 2021 by family and friends of Cal Stuart who died by suicide in January 2021. The Calzy Foundation campaigns for a distinct, three-digit mental health emergency helpline – a 999 for mental health! @calzy.foundation

  Alan is also founder and lead trainer for SanBaoWay  (@sanbaoway) – offering a unique well-being support programme of mindfulness meditation and mindful movement. He is a fully accredited Mindfulness trainer and Mental Health First Responder.

Further reading

• SanBaoWay website

14 June, 10:00-11:00

Wellbeing: Lifting the Sky

Wellbeing • Online

Mindful Meditation and Movement to support and nurture our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. A session where participants can take a moment to draw their awareness and presence inwards in order to re-calibrate; re-energise and revive – building resilience; capacity and confidence in moving into each new day.

Speakers

• 

  Alan Stuart

  Co-founder, Calzy Foundation

  Alan is the co-founder of The Calzy Foundation established in 2021 by family and friends of Cal Stuart who died by suicide in January 2021. The Calzy Foundation campaigns for a distinct, three-digit mental health emergency helpline – a 999 for mental health! @calzy.foundation

  Alan is also founder and lead trainer for SanBaoWay  (@sanbaoway) – offering a unique well-being support programme of mindfulness meditation and mindful movement. He is a fully accredited Mindfulness trainer and Mental Health First Responder.

Further reading

• SanBaoWay website

19 June, 16:30-17:30

Wellbeing: Lifting the Sky

Wellbeing • Online

Mindful Meditation and Movement to support and nurture our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. A session where participants can take a moment to draw their awareness and presence inwards in order to re-calibrate; re-energise and revive – building resilience; capacity and confidence in moving into each new day.

Speakers

• 

  Alan Stuart

  Co-founder, Calzy Foundation

  Alan is the co-founder of The Calzy Foundation established in 2021 by family and friends of Cal Stuart who died by suicide in January 2021. The Calzy Foundation campaigns for a distinct, three-digit mental health emergency helpline – a 999 for mental health! @calzy.foundation

  Alan is also founder and lead trainer for SanBaoWay  (@sanbaoway) – offering a unique well-being support programme of mindfulness meditation and mindful movement. He is a fully accredited Mindfulness trainer and Mental Health First Responder.

Further reading

• SanBaoWay website

12 June, 13:00-13:50

Vicarious trauma: How can we look after our mental health at work?

Peer session • Online

Join us for a peer-led session on looking after mental health at work in the face of trauma.

This informal one-hour participatory session, facilitated by Debs Teale from the Sounddelivery Media Spokesperson Network, provides a supportive space to explore the impact of vicarious trauma on our mental well-being and discuss strategies for self-care. Whether you’re directly supporting individuals who have experienced trauma or advocating for their rights and voices to be heard, this session is for you.

What you’ll get out of it:

• Share insights, coping mechanisms, and resources for navigating the emotional challenges inherent in our work.
• Learn to foster resilience and prioritise our mental health in professional settings. 
• Gain knowledge of lived-experience experts on how to aid those in need of mental health support.

Speakers

• 

  Debs Teale

  Trustee, National Centre for Creative Health

  Debs is an advocate of creativity in health following her own remarkable journey. Having being in the mental health system for most of her life and heavily dependent on medication it took an art class to save then totally transform her life. Debs has a passion to promote everyone having a voice and a choice in their own care, something she felt lacked in her own journey. Debs believes everyone has something to bring to the table, even if it is just themselves.

14 June, 13:00-13:50

How can we tackle our imposter syndrome?

Peer session • Online

Join Sabrina Jones from the Sounddelivery Media Spokesperson Network for an empowering session on tackling imposter syndrome. In this interactive session, we’ll navigate the challenges of imposter syndrome and explore strategies to overcome self-doubt. This session will delve into the unique perspective of lived experience experts and the importance of embracing expertise by experience.

What you’ll get out of it:

• An open space to talk about challenging negative self-talk and limiting beliefs.
• Supportive discussions and shared experiences with peers who understand the impact of imposter syndrome.
• Share tools and techniques for building resilience, confidence, and self-compassion.

Speakers

• 

  Sabrina Jones

  Founder, Say It With Your Chest

  Sabrina has extensive experience working with children and young people in the education and charity sector. She founded and managed a not-for-profit organisation named “Say It With Your Chest” for five years. The organisation provided support to young people who were at risk of being excluded from school. Training was also delivered to schools and local authorities. Some of Sabrina’s previous roles include a programme manager for a careers charity for disadvantaged young people, a session support worker for a children’s charity which helps age-disputed asylum seekers, a behaviour mentor and deputy safeguarding lead at a secondary school and an assistant director for a tuition centre. Now, Sabrina works for one of England’s biggest multi-academy trusts as part of the governance team.

18 June, 14:00-14:50

How can we be vulnerable leaders?

Peer session • Online

Join Kevin Osei from the Sounddelivery Media Spokesperson Network for an inspiring peer-led session drawing from personal experiences and insights. We’ll be guided through a discussion on the importance of vulnerability in leadership and how embracing our authenticity can foster connection and growth. Just as entrepreneurs crave communities and networks where they can connect with like-minded individuals, leaders across various fields seek spaces where they can share their struggles, receive support, and grow together.

What you’ll get out of it:

• Understand the significance of vulnerability in leadership and its transformative power in building trust and relationships.
• Talk about cultivating authenticity and fostering an environment of openness and collaboration.
• Gain a community which centres nurturing vulnerability and supporting leaders on their journey.

Speakers

• 

  Kevin Osei

  Founder, Bridging Barriers

  Kevin is a multi-award-winning social entrepreneur and founder of Bridging Barriers, a social mobility charity focused on helping young people aged 16-25 from black and minority ethnic backgrounds access employment opportunities through mentoring. In the last three years, Bridging Barriers has supported over 1500 young people through their tailored 1-1 mentoring scheme and has worked with reputable employers such as Lloyds Banking Group, NatWest, BNY Melon and Fidelity International. Kevin appeared on Good Morning Britain in August 2023 off the back of the work he does with Bridging Barriers, and has won multiple awards including a Social Mobility Award and Black Excellence Award, and was featured in the Turning Point magazine as an “Unsung Hero”, which was showcased at the Oscar’s Award Ceremony in 2022. More recently, Kevin was recognised as one of the Top 100 Changemakers in 2024 by the Big Issue and recognised as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Social Entrepreneurship.

14 June, 10:00-13:30

London Charity Meetup

• Impact Hub in London Euston

Join us at the Impact Hub in London Euston for a special charity networking event led by Dawn Newton from Charity Meetup. Connect with local charities, funders, and media professionals while hearing from speakers and leaders with lived experience. This event is your chance to network face-to-face, learn about impactful work in the sector, and share innovative approaches and best practices with like-minded individuals.  Get fresh insights from fellow attendees and feel inspired and motivated to collaborate and make a difference.

What you’ll get out of it:

• Engage in meaningful connections with local charities, funders, and media experts
• Gain insights from experienced speakers and leaders in the field
• Explore new strategies and approaches for impactful work in the sector

Speakers

• 

  Dawn Newton

  Founder of Charity Meetup and Communications Consultant

  Dawn Newton is a creative communications consultant. Passionate about enabling charities to create high impact communications with minimal resources. Dawn specialises in helping charities to create digital content that audiences love. Key areas include visual storytelling, user generated content, engaging questions, highlighting impact and positive messaging.

  Dawn created the Charity Meetup event in 2015. After attending many events Dawn noticed that there was so much knowledge in the room but we would only ever hear from a handful of speakers. She struggled to network in the short breaks events offered and set out to create a different kind of charity event, centred around supporting people to connect with one another in a meaningful way.

  The Charity Meetups include facilitated networking and skills sharing. Designed to help change makers and charities of all sizes to connect around a chosen theme.

Further reading

• Charity Meetup
• Impact Hub London Euston

20 June, 15:00-16:00

Keynote

Keynote • Online