Oldham Positive Action Network

OPAN & Local Motion Coordination Group:  

Purpose: to explore and experiment with collaborative approaches to achieving long-term systemic change that tackles the root causes of social, environmental, and economic injustices in a way that best meets local priorities.  

The role of the Co-ordination group is to: 

• Make sure what we do is aligned with our vision for Oldham and our principles 
• Look after the money - make it go further 
• Decide what is worth investing in - including test and learn projects 
• Help progress what’s happening 
• Bring together the work from different working groups 
• Make sure learning is shared with others and helps make changes 
• Keep an eye out for what else is happening in Oldham so this builds on it 
• Take responsibility for reporting to the funders as needed, including the experiences of what’s happening here in Oldham 
• Prioritise and sequence what we action  

Lived Experience Advisers: Engineering Change 

At the heart of OPAN are the voices of people with lived experienced of poverty, systemic trauma or social injustice. This is a group of people passionate about using their experiences and skills to enable positive change in our communities and in seeing systems & services transformed. They also work to support other people to share their own stories– to feel heard, valued and empowered.  

Principles 

• OPAN is a shared platform, coordinating our collective response to tackling systemic issues related to poverty, acknowledging that we can achieve more through collaboration and partnership.
• To test ways of achieving long-term change that tackles social injustice and inequality, based on lived experiences of those experiencing hardship in Oldham.
• Maximise on the Local Motion investment opportunity and help to inform a 7-year long-term vision and funding proposal for social change in Oldham.
• Ensuring the voices of people with lived experience inform and influence the decision-making structures across the system.
• Commit to working collectively with local people and local partners, ensuring all work undertaken by the network is co-designed and co-produced.
• Lobbying to prompt change within Systems, Policy and Practice, in response to the experiences of those facing poverty and hardship.
• To tell the story of OPAN and its impact by harnessing the power of stories to strengthen community pride.
• To build capacity with our Network Members by developing new skills which can add social value in our communities.
• To connect the work we undertake through the Oldham Positive Action Network to wider spheres of work for greater influence and collaboration.
• To reduce financial barriers that will facilitate inclusive engagement, reflective of peoples time, skills and lived experience.