News

Just over a week until the Welfare Action Gathering! Here’s the programme.

WAG July 2016 flyer BW_2016

On 9th July, at the Mechanics Institute in Manchester, groups and individuals from across the UK are getting together to discuss welfare, its challenges, and how we can most effectively fight to make it more just and equitable. There is still room for anyone who would like to join us.

There will be refreshments and food provided and we can also help out with transport for anyone who needs it. Contact info@boycottworkfare.org to register your interest or for more information.

The Mechanic’s Institute is a 0.4 mile walk from Manchester Piccadilly train station. The venue is fully wheelchair accessible. A creche will be available throughout the day.

And here’s the programme of workshops and discussions:

Workshop Programme | Welfare Action Gathering, Saturday 9th July 2016

The aim is for the workshops to be more or less participant led, but with facilitators to support and help focus discussions. Our aim is for the workshops not just to be reactive, but also to look ahead to changes that will be happening in the not so distant future. 

10:30 onwards

Refreshments Available

11:00 – 11:30

Greetings and meetings. Hopefully a non-cringy getting to know / catching-up with each other, welcome session. 

11:30 – 12:45

Universal Credit: How will the landscape of welfare change under Universal Credit? What will it mean for claimants and welfare activists? What are the opportunities for fighting back? Where should this fight-back focus its energies?

Communication and Welfare Activism: How do we make ourselves accessible to claimants? What support do they most need? What are the gaps? Which strategies have been successful and effective? What makes them useful? How can we support related campaigns and organisations? 

12:45 – 13:30

Lunch

13:30 – 14:30

Strategies for activists: How can claimants and non-claimants work together to challenge sanctions and workfare? 

Fighting the the misuse of psychology in workfare and welfare: A workshop with Mental Health Resistance Network. 

14:30 – 15:30

The future of workfare and welfare (Social Security) in England: Youth Obligation and mandatory workfare; Universal Credit’s embedded workfare conditions; Devolution and new powers for local/regional workfare & ’employment support’; 10 pilot work and health programme schemes

Create your own discussion group. Is there something that was missing today that you wanted to explore? Is there something that you want to talk more about? Let us know –  info@boycottworkfare.org

15:30 – 15:45

Tea Break

15:45 – 16:30

Consolidation: Bringing it all back together to share, reflect, and hopefully make some sense of it all. 

16:30 onwards

To the pub …