Every June, APLE Collective proudly hosts APLE Month, a dedicated month to showcase and celebrate the voices of those with lived experience of poverty. This month-long campaign serves as a platform to highlight the incredible work of our member organisations and other groups committed to addressing poverty and inequality. It’s a time to unify, amplify, and celebrate the significant victories in the fight against poverty.
Our 2024 theme: Taking Voice Seriously
For this year’s APLE Month, we decided on the ‘Taking Voice Seriously’ theme.
What is Taking Voice Seriously?
Addressing poverty with lived experience means valuing the power of voice, listening, taking action and making change together. Taking Voice Seriously is key to addressing epistemic justice. Taking Voice Seriously builds on the work of APLE Collective, which has demonstrated the participatory imperative behind lived experience activism.
There are key considerations when seeking to take voice seriously and address poverty with lived experience.
Power.
Accessibility.
Co-Creation.
Listening is key.
Time.
Person-centred support.
You can find out more about our ‘Taking Voice Seriously’ work here:
A Month of Celebration and Unity
APLE Month is more than just a campaign—it’s a movement that brings together both organisations and individuals to raise awareness, tackle stigma, and emphasise the importance of lived experience voices in the discourse on poverty.
Here’s how we make APLE Month impactful:
Collective Gathering at Frimhurst Family House
One of the highlights of APLE Month is our annual collective gathering at Frimhurst Family House, graciously hosted by ATD Fourth World UK. This gathering is a unique opportunity for members to come together, facilitate various workshops, share experiences, and celebrate our collective efforts. It’s a time for reflection, connection, and inspiration, reinforcing the strength of our collective and our shared commitment to eradicating poverty.
Dignity For All Conference
Last year, we partnered with Church Action on Poverty and the Joint Public Issues Team to plan and host the Dignity For All conference.
“100 people from across the UK gathered in Leeds for the 2023 Dignity For All event. It was a unique new gathering, bringing together a vast range of people, groups and organisations who want to see an end to poverty in the UK, and who want to find ways to rebuild the dignity of people and communities.”
“We recognise that it’s our own experience and expertise that can influence change. We’ve got self-belief, but we need to ensure that self-belief stays, despite the difficulties we face on a daily basis. We know that things can change. We know that people will stay committed.” – Tracey Herrington, Thrive Teesside.
This year, the Dignity for All Conference will take place on Saturday 8 June 2024 in York.
Join us at the Dignity for All: Let’s End Poverty conference for a day filled with discussions, inspiring speakers, and collaborative workshops.
Celebrating Volunteers Week
From the Volunteers’ Week website:
“Volunteers’ Week celebrates the amazing contributions volunteers make to communities across the UK.
The celebration starts on the first Monday in June every year. It’s a chance to recognise, celebrate and thank the UK’s incredible volunteers for all they contribute to our local communities, the voluntary sector, and society as a whole.”
This year, we are focusing on Joy, and what brings our members joy as a volunteer.
Brian Scott, a member of APLE Collective and Poverty Truth Community, expresses:
“The support and understanding gained through my volunteering has helped me heal and go forwards in my personal life too. This has brought joy to me in so many ways, there are too many to list. I find joy in connecting people who are lonely in order for them to make new connections and friends. Everyone whom I have met in volunteering journey has brought me joy.”
Volunteers are the backbone of our collective, and their dedication and hard work are crucial in driving our shared mission forward.
Empathy Day
We also celebrate Empathy Day during APLE Month.
According to their website, “Empathy Day celebrates and grows empathy’s power to create a better world. It shines a light on books’ role in raising an empathy-educated generation. Empathy Day inspires children to learn more about empathy, have transformational experiences through stories, and put empathy into action!”
This year for Empathy Day, we have released a book recommendation list featuring books around poverty and inequality that highlight the importance of understanding different social and economic experiences. The books have been specially selected by our APLE Collective members. By exploring these powerful narratives, we hope to inspire a greater sense of empathy and encourage readers to feel more connected to those facing challenges related to poverty and inequality.
Learning Disability Week
Learning Disability Week is also highlighted during APLE Month.
From the Mencap website,
“Each year, the third week of June is Learning Disability Week. It is when we make sure the world hears what life is like if you have a learning disability. The theme for this year’s Learning Disability Week is “Do you see me?”.
“Do you see me?” is about challenging the barriers people with a learning disability face. We want to celebrate what people with a learning disability bring to society.”
APLE Collective’s official Artist in Residence Chris Burns, will be releasing a blog post and a series of drawings and paintings to commemorate this important week.
Spotlighting Other Organisations
In the spirit of unity and collaboration, we also use APLE Month to spotlight other organisations that address poverty and inequality through lived experience. By promoting their work, we recognise the collective effort required to tackle these issues and celebrate the diverse approaches that contribute to our shared goals.
Join Us in Making a Difference
APLE Month is a testament to the power of collective action and the importance of amplifying voices that are seldom heard. We would love for you to join us in celebrating the achievements, sharing the realities, and using your voice for a country free of poverty. Whether you’re a volunteer, supporter, or someone with lived experience, your voice matters, and together, we can make a significant impact.
Stay tuned to our website and X account @APLECollective for updates, stories, videos and more. Let’s make this APLE Month a time of reflection, celebration, and continued action towards Addressing Poverty with Lived Experience.