This project brings together people who are facing debt problems to campaign for change – because whilst our issues are individual, collectively we can (and will!) change things for the better.
That’s why our new Community Organising programme is called Together Against Debt.
Community Organising is a tried and tested approach to achieving change. It brings people in a community together who are affected by an issue to plan and lead campaigning and advocacy activities. Pioneered by organisations like Citizens UK, community organising has led to some big campaign wins, like the living wage campaign.
Despite the scale of Britain’s household debt crisis, there are currently few avenues for people facing problem debt to directly influence the policies that affect them.
Few opportunities, until now.
Starting in the Greater Manchester area, we’ll be organising in five areas across the UK.
There are now 8.5 million people heavily in debt. From council tax to credit cards, debts are causing huge amounts of stress, by bringing people together we know we can start to bring an end to the debt crisis.
The Together Against Debt model builds on a pilot project in East London undertaken by our End the Debt Trap coalition. The project successfully helped establish the ‘Unfair Debt Group’, a group of local people with lived experience of problem debt campaigning together on the debt issues that affect them.
This is a joint project with the Centre for Responsible Credit and Jubilee Debt Campaign. If you want to find out more about the project or get involved email: louie [at] jubileedebt.org.uk
