Voices at the “Rising Together Against Poverty Conference”
4 September 2025
By Becca Bor
A panel of people with lived experience of poverty spoke eloquently at the ‘Rising Together Against Poverty: Building Hope, Demanding Action’ conference on 2 September 2025. This conference was organised by the Anti-Poverty Strategy Group and supported by NIAPN, Barnardo’s NI, Trussell, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, East Belfast Mission, Save the Children and Women’s Support Network.
Michelle Clancy is an active member of the NIAPN Lived Experience Advisory Panel. She is a member of the Focus Project, a women’s group based in the Rath Mór in Derry.
“Hi everyone. My name is Michelle Clancy. I am a member of the Focus Project based in the Rath Mór Centre in Derry. We are a women’s group who met a few times a week. We do lots of different programmes and courses. I really enjoy going and have met some lovely people. I have been attending for two and a half years.
This is how I got involved with NIAPN. I got involved as poverty is a huge subject in our town and is just getting worse. Some of the things I have been involved in are doing consultations like the uniform consultation and the programme for government. As part of the Focus Group, we ran a uniform scheme this summer. All the group volunteered and it was a huge success.
As part of NIAPN, we also responded to the free school meals consultation. As a mother with children in school, I feel like every child should be entitled to a free hot meal and that uniforms should be made affordable for everyone.
I spoke at a meeting around barriers for women in work. It was my first time public speaking. I was really nervous but glad to get my views across. My views were around caring as I am a full time carer for my 23 year old disabled daughter and also car for my other. So I have a lot of barriers that would stop me being able to go back to work. I have also spoken at the NIAPN AGM and now I am here again today.
As part of NIAPN we went on a trip to Scotland and met with a lived experience panel who worked with their local council. They have made some changes, even small ones, that make a difference in people’s lives. It made me realise how far behind we are in the North of Ireland because our voices are never heard.
What we need and would like in this strategy is actual changes and differences being made not just a list of things they are already doing. We need actions. Thank you everyone.”
Michelle Clancy is a member of the NIAPN Lived Experience Advisory Panel. She is a mother of three girls, and a carer for her adult disabled daughter. She is also member of the Focus Project, a women’s group in Derry based at the Rath Mór Centre in Creggan.
