We have been marking our 30th anniversary throughout 2025 with a series of blogs reflecting on how what we have learned during three decades of strengthening people, sparking community and shifting power—deep social change—informs our work and the lens through which we see solutions to our problems today.
Three key principles underpin our work:
- ‘Bottom up’ refers to our belief that people should be in the lead of improving their lives and communities—supporting people from a starting point of what they say they need, are good at and want to achieve
- Connecting people to networks that strengthen and become communities where everyone can contribute their skills and no-one is left out
- Drawing on people’s dreams and assets to realise their potential, seize opportunities and meet their personal challenges.
These values of deep listening, curiosity, experimentation and care have endured over 30 years and remain at the heart of how we do what we do.
Back in the early 2010s, 16-year-old Ryan came to us feeling isolated because of his disability and, knowing no-one, hung out in public spaces where his vulnerability was easily spotted. Other young people taunted him, putting their cigarettes out on him—so he stayed in most of the time.
All that changed when he and Josh, who had just finished university, built a connection. Ryan’s social group expanded. He joined a weekly gamers meetup, an invitation to the pub followed and then local pub quizzes.
The point was that bridging that divide—between a teenager with a learning disability and a new university graduate—was key to opening up both their lives.
The kind of divides we connected across back then were those that kept disabled and non-disabled young people apart, a lack of genuine two-way connections and relationships that allowed cruelty and harassment to flourish.
The power of connection and relationships to overcome divides has flowed through our work ever since and we now see it as key to civic renewal in our neighbourhoods—not only in Coventry and Warwickshire but in other parts of the country too.
These connections and relationships go far deeper than surface level and are based on experience of a shared challenge, a reason to care and willingness to act. They have the power to solve problems from the ground up.
The government’s new ‘Pride in Place’ strategy seeks to help build stronger communities living in thriving places where local people are empowered to influence local decisions.
We hope the programme’s focus on strong relationships and a collective sense of belonging strengthens our work in Willenhall and other communities across the country.
Building community cohesion and resilience, pride in your area and feeling safe in your neighbourhood should be things we all enjoy.
Click here to read our story of three decades of deep social change and stay tuned for our next blog on community power.