Have you experienced financial hardship, challenges getting support to find or stay in work, or problems with the social security payments (e.g. Universal Credit) you receive?
Trussell and IES are looking for people with lived experience of hardship to take part in two stages of online workshops to help shape future government policy on employment support and social security rules.
What taking part involves
• Two stages of online workshops (2 sessions in total)
• Each workshop lasts between 2 and 2.5 hours
• You must be able to take part in both stages
• You do not need any qualifications or professional experience
• You must be eligible to work in the UK
Who we’d like to hear from
We are looking for people to take part who have one or more of the following experiences:
• Are disabled or have a long-term health condition
• Are carers or single parents
• Are young people aged 18 to 25
You might have more than one of these experiences, please let us know if there is a workshop you’d most like to take part in.
If you have faced or are facing barriers to work or have recent experience of receiving social security, such as Universal Credit, and are in at least one of the three groups above, we want to hear from you.
Why your voice matters
People with lived experience are treated as equal contributors; your insight will help ensure employment support and social security rules are designed with people, not done to them.
Support and recognition
• You will receive a £50 thank you voucher for each workshop
• We can offer support with technology, access needs, or forms
• There is no cost to you for taking part
• Your participation will not affect the social security payments you receive
Details
You will attend two workshops in total. The first will be as part of a lived experience group and in the second you will be joined by food bank representatives to co-design recommendations and policy asks for government to improve employment support and social security rules.
| Group | Lived Experience Workshop | Co-design Workshop |
| Young people aged 18-25 | 19th May, 11:00–13:00 | 15th June, 12:30–15:00 |
| Carers & single parents | 20th May, 10:00–12:00 | 16th June, 10:00–12:30 |
| Disabled people, and people with long-term health conditions | 27th May, 10:00–12:00 | 22nd June, 10:00–12:30 |
The workshops will involve simple tools like polls, short written activities and small group discussions and will be carried out on behalf of Trussell by researchers from the Institute for Employment Studies.
Your experiences will directly inform recommendations to government, to ensure employment support reduces hardship, builds trust and ultimately supports people into sustainable work. We also want to make sure the rules and conditions in the social security system (e.g. requirements to look for work for a certain number of hours a week) are appropriate and not designed in a way that pushes more people into hunger and hardship.
If you have any questions or want further information, please email [email protected]
How to apply
Complete this Expression of interest form by 12pm on Sunday 10th May.