In May 2017, Thrive worked with Durham and Northumbria Universities on a project called the Trust Map.
Three workshops were delivered and a ‘community conversation’ around living and/or working in Stockton-on-Tees was initiated. The workshops explored the dynamics of trust within the community and it is hoped the findings and learning will inform an event later in the year with policy makers.
What became apparent during these sessions is that participants had limited levels of trust with institutions such as the DWP and statutory organisations. Mapping aspects of trust and understanding how these relate to particular organisations and people is of benefit to Thrive to enable relationships in the community to be developed which will help with the advancement of a Poverty Truth Commission.
Sessions were welcomed. They were fun and interactive with participants feeling that it helped them understand how they built and developed trust. Of particular importance was understanding how trust can help build relationships and affect change.