The newly trained Southwark Dignity Team ready to begin embedding the Dignity Principles in their community
Nourish Scotland and the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) are working together to provide a training programme to enable local authorities and support organisations to deliver ‘Introduction to Dignity’ workshops in their local communities.
The programme is suitable for anyone interested in promoting dignified responses to food insecurity locally, especially: local authority teams, charitable food aid groups, NHS services, social enterprises and local food networks.
The ‘Introduction to Dignity’ workshops provide opportunities for participants to learn and utilise the Dignity Principles within their work. The workshop helps support workers and volunteers to reflect and consider the following:
ways in which they can protect or enhance human dignity
the role they can play promoting cash first and rights-based approaches
The training programme is designed to create a team of people who are confident in applying Dignity Principles in practice, and ready to train other groups in their local area.
The programme includes:
an in-depth introduction to Dignity in Practice materials: reflective exercises, discussion prompts and workshop plans
assistance with the recruitment of local facilitators and peer review process
coaching for local facilitators to deliver the ‘Introduction to Dignity’ workshops with confidence
case studies and practical ideas for embedding dignity at the core of the service
This training programme is based on extensive experience of delivering the ‘Introduction to Dignity’ workshops in local authorities and across civil society in Scotland.
This programme is useful for anyone working in food insecurity field. It is particularly useful to volunteers and staff from:
local authority teams
charitable food aid groups
NHS Services
social enterprises
local food networks
religious organisations
benefit and financial advice providers
housing associations
third sector interfaces
“We’ve had a great time working as a team to prepare for our first Dignity Training and we’re working really well together. Thanks to Irina and Diana and the Nourish Scotland team for supporting us along the way!” – Southwark trainee
Over the last decade, food insecurity in the UK has been rising to unprecedented levels. This is primarily because of cuts to the social security system, poorly paid and insecure work and, most recently, cost-of-living increases. Having to reply on charitable food aid undermines people’s dignity, and mental and physical health.
The only sustainable way of addressing food insecurity is through increasing people’s incomes. This could be through social security or better paid and fair work. We call this a cash first approach. This approach is core to our work and overall commitment to human rights. We want for everyone in society to be able to afford adequate and nutritious food with choice and dignity.
Many charitable food aid providers are already calling for a cash first approach to food insecurity. Many are also taking steps to ensure that, in the interim, their support is provided in the most dignified way possible. Our training programme has been co-produced with such organisations and with people who have experience of using food banks and pantries, including people living on low incomes, disabled people, asylum seekers and refugees.
This training and any plans for future participant-led workshops are intended to be bespoke and tailored to the specific needs of participants. To discuss costs involved, please get in touch.
If you have any questions, would like to find out more, or would like to arrange a chat to see if this training programme is right for you, please get in touch at: dignity@nourishscotland.org.uk
“The training allowed us to establish an effective local Dundee Dignity team to deliver workshops online and in person to a wide range of individuals working within the local authority and community food organisations. Our team consists of individuals from the local council, benefits advice services, local food networks and community organisations.
The training equipped us with advice, tools and useful resources to help us produce engaging and informative workshops suitable for all. We are delighted that so many different organisations have benefited from thinking about dignity and embedding it in all their practices.” –
Dundee trainee
