Here we gather stories that bring personal and community experiences to the forefront. These posts reflect on lived realities, memories, and voices often underrepresented, reminding us why storytelling is central to building understanding and empathy.
Training Community Researchers
As mentioned elsewhere, the underlying drive to create Community Researchers was to create a cadre of ‘good listeners’ within the community – to gather stories of lived experiences. A lot of work done...
Storytelling
Do you remember what your favourite book was as a child? Or perhaps your current favourite film or TV programme? My favourite book, as a child, was Alice in Wonderland. A well-read, well-worn book th...
Hope in The Heart Exhibition Spring 2022
Hope in the Heart brought together artists with lived experience of poor mental health to share their thoughts in a reflective way with professionals. It was one of our first attempts at bringing diff...
Creativity in the face of Stuckness
It's common for emergent work to become stuck. We had been trying to build momentum for grassroots work in a local community to demonstrate how partnership work could really make a difference at a hyp...
Bringing Belong in Plymouth to Life
In June 2023, the Belong in Plymouth team welcomed a filmmaker to capture stories from across the city. But this wasn’t just about documentation—it was about connection. Karen Pilkington explained th...
Maximizing Filming Days Beyond Footage
On 13 June 2023, Karen reminded us of something special: our upcoming filming days weren’t just about cameras—they were about connection. “We have some interest from people in high places and low pla...
Filming to Share and Connect
In June 2023, we invited a filmmaker to capture some of the story of Belong in Plymouth—and to spark new conversations about what it really means to belong. Karen shared her excitement: “We have some...
Stories Shaping System Change
By August 2022, the pressure on Plymouth’s Emergency Department (ED) had reached critical levels. But instead of pointing fingers or seeking quick fixes, Belong in Plymouth asked a different question:...