When you’re destitute, you don’t have enough money to pay for accommodation, or for the essentials anyone needs to live, like food, heating, lighting, or basic toiletries. 

We clearly need to talk about it, but how do we discuss the injustice of destitution for people trapped in the asylum system in a way that both reflects how it feels for people living that experience day in, day out, but in a way that doesn’t leave them regarded as victims without agency. 

Is there a way to bring this issue into focus that incorporates the hope that things can change? How can we help people to see that the ability to make these changes is actually in the hands of our community leaders? 

These were the questions we were asking ourselves as IMIX embarked on Unlocking Potential – The Destitution Narrative Project. Building on what we’d learnt from our narrative work on The Struggle For Safety, we worked with our partner Eden Stanley over an 18-month period putting the voices of lived experience at the centre of a series of workshops and focus groups along with other charities, organisations and journalists.