Celebrating 7 Years: milestone moments and looking forward

2024 marks 7 years of Ideas Alliance. Over that time we’ve grown from a small story sharing platform to a social consultancy on a mission to make co-production and collaboration the norm across the country. Co-founder Helen Sharp starts our celebrations by looking back at how it all started and what’s coming next.
2.8 Million Minds: Collective Power Awards

This blog features the 2.8 Million Minds project. Between November 2021 and May 2022, over 120 people contributed to A Manifesto for 2.8 Million Minds, a youth-led, artist-centred, and Disability Justice-informed approach to how young Londoners want to use art to begin to radically reimagine mental health support, justice and pride.
Black Men and Digital Mental Health Support: Collective Power Award

This blog features Kooth, a digital mental health service providing online support from self-help to peer support and structured counselling. They worked with two grassroots organisations – BLKOUT and Cultures CIC to understand black men’s relationship with their mental health and the challenges they face in accessing effective services.
North West London Suicide Prevention Programme: Collective Power Award

This blog features the North West London Suicide Prevention Project, which connects organisations across North West London Integrated Care System, including the voluntary sector, local authorities and the NHS. Using the principles of generous leadership, this programme is based on alliance building and a social response to suicide prevention.
Encouraging women to the podium: Not just about speaking but about influencing

We need to see more women speaking confidently about issues that matter. ‘Energy is more important than message’, says Alex Barker.
Covid Considerations: Sharing our realities

Covid-19 has compelled us to share our stories with each other and in doing so is helping us to be more understanding and kinder to one another. Anna Eaton wants us to keep doing this after lockdown and beyond.
Covid Considerations: Hungry Hippos

As a member of a Mutual Aid group in Wigan, Angela Fell explores how it feels like there’s a ‘feeding frenzy’ going on with tension between a centralised, institutional response and a natural, resident led street response.
Virtual meetings versus physical workshops

Video calls and virtual meetings are providing vital connections during the coronavirus crisis. Yet I believe we should not be afraid to say that virtual work meetings, are not that easy.
Guest Blog: Community Organising – Why is it the answer?

Local Councillor and former MP Laura Smith reflects on how community organising has never been more important or more powerful during this time of crisis.