Do It Now Now: The Significance of Lived Experience

Last month, The Clothworkers’ Foundation brought together nearly 200 amazing people representing charities from its grant programmes.

It was an inspiring day, as we heard about the impact our funding can have. Martin Finegan, representing our Racial Equity Proactive Grants Programme partner Doit Now Now, gave a speech that explored the challenges that organisations that centre lived experience and work with marginalised communities are facing, while also celebrating the 'magic' that they are creating and the societal changes that they are driving. We've shared some extracts from his talk below.

"I feel honoured to be here with you today to celebrate the central work of lived experience organizations. You tackle some of the most challenging, um, circumstances of our times.

"I'm speaking on behalf of Do It Now Now, a UK based racial justice organization dedicated to empowering Black-led charities and social enterprises. We exist because we believe in the power and potential and purpose of grassroots leadership, and we know without a doubt that with the right support these organizations can create transformational change. All of us in this room in some way, shape or form, have got a commitment to a different cause, but yet through it all we've got some similarities and some stories that we can all share ... I'm certain today that there are some magicians in the room, magicians, that make the work of one pound do the work of 10 pounds. There are some masters in here of making lemonade money, and doing champagne work.

"The last five years have been evident of the great power of community-based organizations and the significance of lived experience organisations that have held up the social structure. And yet, despite our passion, our ingenuity, our impact, lived experience, organizations are under relentless pressure ...

"Demand is soaring, but resources are few. Funding is short term, highly competitive and often comes with strings at that tie up your time more than the funding releases. For organizations that are working at the sharpest edge of marginalization—things like youth exclusion, migrant justice, mental health, and also economic empowerment—these challenges are even compounded. Leaders of experienced organizations especially carry enormous weight. They jump in frontline delivery and in the backend operations, often competing with much larger entities for the same amount of money.

The sector in and of itself is the backbone and the health of a functioning society. We show up where these gaps, we speak to those—we speak for those—who are often silenced, and we build bridges across our communities and hold deep knowledge and nuances regarding the persons whom we serve."

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Check out the speech made by Anne Bickerstaffe from Care Ltd.

Check out the speech made by James and Jermaine from Set Them Up Foundation.

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