Connected Lives: Enabling relationships and connection for flourishing communities in Newham
A call for collective imagination practitioners and Newham-based community leaders and council workers to join a peer-led learning journey (‘Huddle’) to apply collective imagination in the Newham context.
Apply for this Huddle via the form links at the end of this blog. The deadline for applications is midday on Thursday 20th June.
We are exploring connection and loneliness in Newham, East London.
We all need to feel connected and be connected to people around us. Loneliness is a serious health issue: it contributes to poor health and wellbeing, and may have a long-lasting impact. In 2021, one in five adults in Newham reported feeling lonely always or often — over 70,200 residents.
Participants in this experience will be a mix of community leaders, council workers and creative imagination practitioners. Bringing our multiple cultures together, we will co-create a space of learning and exploration, through mutual respect and curiosity, creating an exchange of practice/context.
Together we will explore how working with creative and collective imagination can breathe new life, insights and connections into our efforts.
This Huddle is for you if:
- You are a community leader in Newham and want to explore some new ideas and relationships that could support the work you’re doing
- You work for Newham council and want a space to explore outside of the usual council ways of working, to make new connections and expand your practice
- You are a collective imagination practitioner who is skilled at facilitating creative spaces and wants to explore and expand your practice in a context where it can make a real impact
Whichever is you, you’ll want to learn alongside people with different perspectives and backgrounds
Do this Huddle to:
- Tackle loneliness in Newham — help shape local response and practice; working in partnership with the council and people who are involved in this work.
- Get some space and support to think creatively and get inspired about something you’re already working on in Newham. We know this isn’t always easy when you’re very busy!
- Experiment with practices that can be applied in local government contexts and community spaces. Be part of landing collective imagination practices where they can have real impact.
- Challenge yourself and get out of your comfort zone. This is where learning happens, for you and on behalf of our communities.
Practicalities
The Huddle will run for four months, with fortnightly meetings taking place from July to October 2024.
Meetings will be online to make it easier for people who are time pressured to join. However the group may choose to include one or two in person meet ups.
We will co-create a vibrant and inclusive space for members to engage in thoughtful conversations, share diverse perspectives and learn from one another.
The Huddle will be a mix of exploring, sharing, applying practices and reflecting on them. By fostering an open and collaborative environment, we hope to collectively inspire new ideas and things to try to support social connection in Newham.
This is a peer-led journey, so all Huddle members will be responsible for co-creating the experience and actively contributing to the journey, including designing and hosting their own sessions.
To create an effective learning group we are asking everyone to commit to at least 80% of meetings.
Huddle meetings will be at 9.30am — 11am on:
- Wednesday 3rd July
- Tuesday 9th July
- Monday 23rd July
- Wednesday 31st July
- Tuesday 3rd September
- Thursday 12th September
- Monday 23rd September
- Thursday 3rd October
- Wednesday 16th October
- Wednesday 30th October
Talk with us!
There is a drop-in session for people who are interested in this Huddle to ask questions on Monday 17th June at 10am — 11am. Here is the link to join.
About your Host
Jake Garber lives in Hackney, but his first job was in Newham, working for the Children’s Society on Star Lane, travelling all over the borough to do art projects with Roma, Gypsy and Traveller young people.
Jake believes that while we’re all deeply interconnected, modern capitalist society imposes structures and cultures that often make us feel very separate. Exploring creative ways to get connections flowing has always been an interest of his.
In 2017 Jake co-founded Canopy to explore ways in which imagination might help to address complex social issues. He says: “It’s been one big learning journey of working with community leaders, young people, councils and public sector leaders.”
The Huddle is sponsored by Anne Bowers, Strategic Lead, Community Public Health at Newham Council.
Q&A
What kind of time commitment will this involve?
The average time commitment is 2 hours per week. To fully participate in the Huddle, we ask that you commit to the 1.5-hour fortnightly sessions from July to October. You will also have a 30 min phone call with a buddy within the group every 2 weeks, which you can arrange to suit you both. You may also have some preparation for some of the meetings.
Do I need to be based in Newham?
If you’re a council worker or community leader you’ll need to live and/or work in Newham.
If you’re an imagination practitioner it is important that you understand the context of Newham if you don’t have a direct connection.
How will you approach equity, inclusion and accessibility?
Our aim is that Huddle participants are representative of Newham’s strength in diversity.
We want to welcome and support anyone who wants to be part of the Huddle and will make necessary adjustments to enable this as much as we can.
Huddles are an inclusive and non-hierarchical environment. Everyone in the huddle is a peer — regardless of role, position in the council or role in your org. By being in the huddle you are a huddle peer
On application we invite you to tell us about your access needs and preferences and we will also invite the group to share what they’d like to with one another, so that the group can co-create an inclusive space.
This work is grounded in the principles of the Newham Tackling Racism, Inequality and Disproportionality.
Is this for me or my organisation?
You apply as an individual rather than as an organisation. To create the right peer-learning environment it needs to be the same person coming to each meeting.
How will this work be recognised?
Participants will receive a certificate from Newham Council in recognition of their work.
We will also create spaces to share the work with local people and organisations so you can receive recognition from the people who matter in Newham.
How to apply
Apply by midday on Thursday 20th June. You will hear back from us by Tuesday 25th June. Complete an application by clicking on the relevant link for you. If you are a member of Newham Council and interested in participating, please email anne.bowers@newham.gov.uk.
Application for Newham community members and community leaders
Application for collective imagination practitioners
Have more questions?
Check out this document for more information. Get in touch with hello@huddlecraft.com and feel free to join our drop-in session on 17th June at 10am — 11am (BST). Here is the link to join.
