Poverty and participation: learnings from a September 1996 workshop bringing together people living in poverty throughout the UK

The UK Coalition for the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty was formed in 1996 to put the eradication of poverty on the nation's agenda. The "Poverty and Participation Workshop" was organised to: provide an opportunity for people with diverse experiences of poverty from different geographical areas to reflect on and share their experiences; to provide a forum through which those with direct experience of poverty could influence the anti-poverty organisations by highlighting key issues and suggesting ways forward; and to strengthen the participation of people in poverty within the IYEP Coalition. This report attempts to reflect the discussions and spirit of the day in order to share them with a broader audience, as well as provide a model of participation that other organisations can look to in organising events of this nature.