Our belief is that lasting and systemic change will only be possible when people with direct experience of poverty are helping to lead that change.
We live in a society where there are burning injustices. Our current systems are just not working and often don’t support people when they are struggling. Wealth is not evenly spread across the BCP area, and significant inequalities and pockets of deprivation exist where poverty is an acute problem for many.
A Poverty Truth Commission (PTC) is an invitation to become part of the solution. It aims to challenge the status quo and is led by those who have direct experience of poverty (Community Commissioners). Our approach is grounded in developing relationships between those experiencing the struggle against poverty, and civic and business leaders (Civic & Business Commissioners), creating a collaborative space to tackle poverty together. By testing these ideas in practice, we work together to integrate the insights gained into organisations, communities, and wider society. To understand how a PTC works you can watch this four minute video from the Poverty Truth Network.
There are Poverty Truth Commissions up and down the whole of the UK; we are proud to be part of something much bigger – a movement that is seeking to challenge poverty in a different way. More information can be found on the Poverty Truth Network website.
The second Poverty Truth Commission for the Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole area was officially launched with a special event at Citygate, Bournemouth in September 2025.
PTC2 Launch Event September 2025. Photo Credit: Johan Nayar
Community Commissioners
The group of 16 individual Community Commissioners from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole who have experience of struggling against poverty have been meeting together since March 2025. They have been willing to share their wisdom, to become part of the Commission process (usually over 18 months). Time is spent getting to know one another, listening and learning from each other, building confidence and bringing their wisdom to influence decisions, policies and systems. It enables Commissioners to find their voice and be heard in a safe supported space, along with others who are struggling against poverty.
Civic & Business Commissioners
The Community Commissioners then invited a similar number of local leaders and people in positions of power (Civic & Business Commissioners) to join them at the launch and begin their journey together on the Poverty Truth Commission. Which leaders are invited depends on the key issues identified by the Community Commissioners. Together the Commissioners will explore and address the persistent problems of poverty, unlock creative solutions and bring about deep culture change.
Launch Event PTC2
The event highlighted the courageous voices of Community Commissioners who have been impacted by poverty, offering raw, personal testimonies that offer invaluable insights into the struggles many face in the region today. You can view the full event on YouTube. The creative mix of visual art, theatre, spoken word and conversations opened the audience’s eyes to the complexities of poverty and its impact on our communities.
Hosted By
The Poverty Truth Commission for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is being hosted by Courage to Thrive CIC, a Poole-based social enterprise designed to unlock thriving with individuals, teams and communities in the local area. The second Commission has been funded by an award from The National Lottery Community Fund.
