“Northumberland Experiences” – a pilot to put lived experience at the heart of local decision-making.
Over the past six weeks, Northumberland CVA (NCVA) has been part of a pilot initiative Northumberland Experiences led by Insights North East (INE) on behalf of the Northumberland County Partnership. This is a pioneering, community-led project designed to uncover what life in Northumberland is truly like today.
Statistics provide part of the picture, but the voices of the community reveal the everyday challenges, strengths, and richness of life in ways numbers alone cannot capture.
The pilot in Hirst, Ashington has placed local people at the heart of the project, where the community leads the conversation from beginning to end and shows that the most powerful insight comes directly from local people themselves. The pride and resilience of Hirst’s residents have been at the forefront, showing the strength of a community that knows itself and speaks for itself.
NCVA’s long-standing relationships within Hirst have been vital in recruiting individuals whose voices are often missed. Twelve local residents have now been trained to collect stories, start conversations and share findings creatively. These community researchers are shaping the project with their own experiences, perspectives and priorities. This ensures that what emerges is not a top-down report, but a true reflection of what people in Hirst think, feel and need. Their insights will be made available to guide organisations designing services in the area, ensuring those services are rooted in the voices of the people who use them.
By being present at every session and offering ongoing guidance and a community space if needed, NCVA will help has helped to anchor the project into the Ashington community whilst Northumberland Experiences starts to work with other communities across the County. This community-first approach has already sparked further opportunities, and we have already had requests to replicate with a focus on a specific group of people.
We are really looking forward to the next few months and seeing what the participants research will tell us and how they feel they would like to creatively showcase their findings . Early next year Northumberland Experiences, together with the participants, are planning a celebration and an opportunity to share to the wider community of Hirst.
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The pilot has been delivered by Insights North East (INE) (a partnership between Newcastle and Northumbria Universities, the NHS, and Northumberland County Council) together with the Rural Design Centre and Durham University who have delivered the Community Research Training.
This has been funded by Bernicia and the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, both partners within the Northumberland County Partnership.
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Insights North East (INE) is a collaboration between Newcastle and Northumbria Universities, the NHS and local authorities, and NCVA is proud to bring a strong, community-rooted perspective to such an important partnership.