It was around this time last year that the idea of Welcoming Spaces was first discussed with community partners. Facing escalating fuel prices and the worsening national cost of living crisis, we had to work out what we could do as a city. As it turned out Bristol was at the forefront of what quickly became an approach adopted by other areas to tackle the national cost of living crisis. I could not have imagined at that time that Bristol would go on to build a network of 100 Welcoming Spaces. This achievement is even more incredible because of the very challenging times we are in. 

We have taken a One City approach to the national cost of living crisis, bringing together the community and voluntary sector, public sector, and private sector partners to support citizens and communities most impacted. Together we have mobilised our city-wide network of spaces for Bristol residents, located in a range of venues including community centres, places of worship, and leisure centres.

Welcoming Spaces have helped people through the difficult winter months by providing a warm welcome and bringing people together through community meals, film nights, and a wide range of other activities for all ages. By joining up with Citizens Advice and Changes Bristol there has been practical support on hand as well.

First and foremost, my thanks must go to all the community venues that have put themselves forward as a Welcoming Space. I know the past three years have been tough, on top of what people have had to deal with after a decade of austerity: there has been no respite between the pandemic and the national cost of living crisis. What people across Bristol have done through Welcoming Spaces has not gone unrecognised.

While what our communities have achieved is commendable, many of us can’t quite believe that this is something we are having to do in this day and age. People are still forced to choose between putting food on the table and heating their homes, which is an incredibly challenging place to be in. Foodbanks are now a common sight in many communities and the growing numbers of families relying on their support demonstrates how far national policy is failing low-income households.

The Welcoming Spaces have certainly played a part in supporting people through these difficult times, but we need to be seeing more support from national government. They urgently need to be doing more to support people, particularly those who are struggling most in our communities.

Our community development team has been regularly engaging with Welcoming Spaces to understand the impact Welcoming Spaces are having in local communities. It is great to hear more about the difference the organisations involved are making:

“People are coming to meet each other. It’s been lovely to see new friendships and connections.” 

“All age groups have benefited from using our space, from toddler groups to retired/senior social groups and a teen youth group. The space is always warm and inviting.”

“We are seeing more people who are keen to talk and benefit from social interaction.”

“The centre remains very busy with visitors from all walks of life and coming for different reasons.”

The Welcoming Spaces have also been receiving some really heart-warming feedback from residents about their experience:

“Was great today. I was feeling really low so I just thought I’d pop in and see everyone, now I feel much better.”

“You just feel comfortable to stick around.”

“I’ve just been taking it all in. It’s lovely, I feel really at home.”

There are some criteria all Welcoming Spaces must meet, for example they must all be accessible to Disabled people and have access to somewhere to charge things like laptops, phones, and scooters. What happens at each Welcoming Space varies but could include access to Wi-Fi and electrical charging points, activities and community meals. Citizens Advice Bristol is also running drop-in advice sessions at many of the spaces, providing practical guidance around benefits, money, debt and energy.

To find out where your nearest Welcoming Space is, or if you need cost of living advice and signposting, visit Bristol City Council’s website. You can also call 0800 694 0184 between 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Think about the organisations and institutions you interact with in just one day while living or working in Bristol. What influence do they have over your life and choices?

Bristol, like any city, is a complex system of people and institutions, working together or in isolation – sometimes in opposition. Institutions and organisations focus on their own operations and services, their workforce and their goals, no matter if they employ 10,000 people or two, and consequently the awareness of other organisations can be minimal. This can result in repetition of effort and wasted time undertaking projects already explored by others, or unnecessary costs to organisations already challenged with rapidly changing policies and circumstances.  

The One City Plan, first launched in 2019, mapped the strategic intent of many of Bristol’s institutions and organisations in Bristol to showcase the opportunities for synergy, bring others into the fold, and minimise duplication. Structured around six themes that represent the sectors in our city, the One City approach connects the different elements of the city system. It also presents priorities that partners can work together on to create a positive impact for citizens, as well as better outcomes for their own operations. This approach seeks to build on positive action and show that, despite the complexity of the system, we are all part of One City and can combine efforts in perhaps unexpected ways to build a better Bristol benefit. 

Twice a year, we host a City Gathering which provides partners with the opportunity to meet, have conversations, and present Offers and Asks to the city. On Friday, partners from key institutions such as the hospital trusts and universities met with community groups and voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations, learning about Bristol through multiple lenses.

These events are a great opportunity to recognise the reach and impact in the room – in the city – and the ability to have positive impacts on life here. Through these meetings, we started to map activity by partners and see the spaces that will benefit from collaboration and sharing of experience.

Throughout the pandemic, the Gatherings moved online for safety, and, while they were well-attended and effective, nothing beats the impact of hosting around 300 people in City Hall, where every attendee is passionate about their work in the city and keen to work in partnership. During this time we had success tackling period poverty across the city and on digital exclusion that restricts residents’ access to opportunities. Alongside this, the Homes and Communities Board have had great progress with Goal 23 and housing associations and Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance accreditation.

The City Gathering held on 10 March was no exception, with excellent chairing from Eugine Yafele of UHBW NHS Trust and 30 speakers from across all sectors in the city system. The overall theme was ‘Bristol: What Is Happening Right Now?’

Attendees were given the opportunity to put faces and names to organisations, while hearing about the current key challenges and opportunities in Bristol. There were presentations on the Integrated Care Board, financing the decarbonisation of our city, and moves towards the Committee System. The day provided a great chance to meet and discuss new opportunities with partners they across all the One City themes. We’ve put everyone’s Offers and Asks online – if you want to know more or contribute, email us: city.office@bristol.gov.uk

Bristol continues to go from strength to strength, together as One City. 

“Bristol’s four UNESCO world class designations help show what an exceptional place it is.  Bristol is brimming with diverse innovation, talent and creativity. Its One City Plan, aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, is helping make it an even better place to live.” – James Omer Bridge, Secretary-General, UK National Commission for UNESCO

Last week we welcomed senior representatives from UNESCO to Bristol, including the UK Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Laura Davies, and Secretary General and Chief Executive of the UK Commission for UNESCO, James Bridge. They were accompanied by senior representatives connected with UNESCO policy from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

As a specialist global agency, UNESCO’s role is to support peace and security by building international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication and information. It has a global portfolio of designations that promote sustainable development, protect culture and foster peace. UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) so they clearly align with our One City Plan and sustainability aims.

Uniquely, Bristol has four UNESCO links; designated a UNESCO Creative City of Film and a UNESCO Learning City, as well as Memory of the World status for Brunel’s Screw Propeller Report (housed at the SS Great Britain) and a UNESCO Chair in Inclusive, Good Quality Education, Professor Leon Tikly at the University of Bristol. This important relationship forms part of Bristol’s wider International Strategy. Our goal is to work with the world for local and global benefit, achieving our vision of a stronger, more inclusive city, and providing leadership on the global development goals. Aligning with UNESCO adds impetus to key pieces of work and connects us with international city networks.

During the visit, we demonstrated how, being a UNESCO City of Film unites partners working across film and moving image education, culture, production, research and technology. A roundtable meeting brought UNESCO representatives together with key stakeholder organisations, including Aardman Animations, BFI Academy SW, Blak Wave Productions, Encounters Festival, Latent Pictures, MyWorld/University of Bristol, UWE Bristol, and colleagues from the West of England Combined Authority.

UNESCO delegates met with Mayor Rees, Deputy Mayor, Cllr Asher Craig and Black South West Network representatives to discuss the city’s important memorialisation and legacy work. They heard about the work taking place under the One City Plan to deliver against the UN SDGs, and visited The Bottle Yard Studios and the SS Great Britain to see Brunel’s revolutionary Screw Propeller Report.

The City of Film designation forms part of the council’s Culture and Creative Industries strategic work. Now in its sixth year, it has become a vehicle for citywide and international partnerships that bring social value, as well as economic impact.

The impact of having the City of Film title is demonstrated in our most recent Membership Monitoring Report which details inspiring projects that have advanced the city’s film and moving image industry throughout the first four years of our City of Film status. It focuses on local and international developments and highlights advances made by the many committed city partners who strive to improve industry representation and access, enrich audience experience and nurture the creative talent base.

In recent years, work under the City of Film designation has successfully supported a range of initiatives, including:

• COVID recovery sector interventions,
• the development of Channel 4’s South West Writers scheme,
• the first ever Bristol and Bath Screen Summit
• the opening of TBY2, The Bottle Yard Studios’ expansion facility powered by more than 2,300 solar panels.

Internationally, Bristol’s creative projects are gaining important recognition through the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (comprising almost 300 global cities). Last year, CARGO Movement’s People’s Platform was selected by UNESCO as an example of good practice and presented as part of the 2022 Annual UNESCO Creative Cities Network Conference in Santos, Brazil. The presentation to an audience of global city leaders sparked conversation about how Bristol uses film and moving image to better understand the past, present and future of our city.

Last week’s UNESCO visit was a chance to showcase this work and build on the links we have established through the UNESCO designations and our One City Plan. We look forward to continuing this important relationship and harnessing the benefits that it brings to the city. 

Employment rates for people with learning disabilities, learning difficulties or who are autistic have remained consistently low for many years. In fact, nationally only 5.1% of people with learning disabilities, known to their local authority, are in paid employment. This is often due to barriers accessing the opportunities, support and training they need to get into paid work, and onto a career path that suits them. Finding your perfect job is not just about money, it is about independence, feeling valued and being part of something.

This year’s National Careers Week (6-11 March) has the theme ‘Together’, where we can all inspire, motivate and empower people, to create positive change for everyone. We can do this by encouraging people to get the support they need to move into the world of work for the first time or to find a career more suited to their skills and needs. Bristol aims to be a city of ambition and opportunity for all, despite any extra challenges people may face in day-to-day life.

Through We Work for Everyone, a regional employment programme managed by the Employment, Skills and Learning Team that covers Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset, we are helping to break down barriers and get more people with learning disabilities, learning difficulties or who are autistic into paid work. All job seekers that contact us will receive one to one support, help with writing their CVs, advice for interviews and access to computers and IT support. This support continues even if you find a role, as we know the importance of having a continued support network behind you to give you confidence and help you to thrive.

Since starting in 2021, WE Work for Everyone has engaged with over 1000 participants, businesses and voluntary and community sector organisations. We offer employability advice and guidance, and supported internships, and in the last 12 months we have supported over 150 people into paid work.

Scott is a great example of someone who recently secured a paid job. His ‘WE Work’ Navigator helped him start a job with GXO. The role matches his talents and interests with the needs of his employer. 

Previously, Scott travelled all over the world working as a monster truck driver and mechanic. He contracted meningitis and as a result, lost a great deal of confidence in his skills and abilities. Literacy had always been an issue, but it became an even greater challenge for Scott after his illness. As traditional recruitment asks for written applications, it made it impossible for him to independently apply for work.

With help from his Navigator, he realised he wanted to get into teaching, helping children and adults to recycle and repurpose old toys as remote-control recreational vehicles. They researched several local and national organisations and Scott now has access to a mentor for ten weeks to further explore his passion and develop a business plan. While building his dream career, Scott also needed a paid job to support his day to day living and reduce his isolation at home. He successfully applied for an operative role specialising in vehicle maintenance at GXO. Access to Work also supplied Scott with a digital assistive reading device so he could read safety signs and notices when at work.

He is now carrying out a key role for the business and has even improved productivity by making improvements which have resulted in fewer machinery breakdowns. These changes will now be rolled out across the business. 

Many employers in Bristol are already Disability Confident but we are keen to hear from even more local businesses and organisations that want to be part of this movement towards creating more diverse and inclusive workforces. Having increased diversity has rewarded employers by offering a hardworking and reliable workforce, with higher staff morale, reduced staff turnover and sickness, improved reputation and in turn, greater customer loyalty. WE Work are happy to support any employers looking to diversify their workforce and learn more supporting people with learning disabilities, learning difficulties and autistic people.

What better time to find out more than National Careers Week? To speak to someone about We Work for Everyone and how you can get involved, please call 0117 9223330 or email weworkforeveryone@bristol.gov.uk