The Resilience Revolution is a social movement aimed at modelling and promoting resilience research and practice that challenges social inequalities. It is rooted in the Boingboing social justice definition of resilience; as beating the odds whilst also changing the odds.
This means we take what is called a ‘systems view’, looking beyond what can be done to help individuals (which is still an important thing to do), and identifying ways in which the environment people live in, can better support them, and / or reduce difficulties in the first place. We believe this is important because systems that work better for those needing extra support, often work better for everyone. It is also important because there is lots of evidence that shows how mental health is negatively impacted by experiences of inequality and discrimination and if we can reduce inequality and discrimination, life isn’t as tough in the first place.
Based on the resilience focused research and practice conducted through Boingboing and the Centre of Resilience for Social Justice (CRSJ), The Resilience Revolution was successfully piloted in Blackpool. Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund HeadStart Programme, the Resilience Revolution delivered an extensive programme of lasting change alongside young people, parents, and carers across the town. Together with the Council and Community of Blackpool we worked as part of an alliance to develop and embed a ‘whole-town approach’ to resilience, based on Resilient Therapy principles (which we have now come to call the “Boingboing approach to resilience”) and a shared language of resilience. Co-production with young people, parents and practitioners informs everything that happens there. Together, we are developing resilient practice and systems changes that are showing real impact on children and young people’s lives. Although the Blackpool pilot is now complete, the Resilience Revolution lives on through our network an ongoing collaborative activities.
Find out more about what’s going on in Blackpool:
The Wonders of Co-Production During a Global Pandemic! By Lindsay, Grace and Kie
In this blog, Lindsay, Grace and Kie, three young people liing in Blackpool and all aged 21, would like to tell you about the wonders of being involved in co-production during a global pandemic, and the impact it has had on their lives.
Health Inequalities: Addressing the State of the Nation – Submission of evidence
In this submission to The House of Lords a group of academics, students, practitioners, parents/carers and young people working as and with disadvantaged communities share their thoughts on whether progress has been made by Government in its ambition to improve children and young people’s mental health provision.
Resilience Framework Co-produced with Children in Blackpool
The Resilience Framework for Primary School children was co-produced by the Resilience Committee at Marton Primary School, Blackpool. The Marton Primary School children learned some valuable resilience and technological skills during the process, which involved rewording some of the items in a more meaningful way for the children, and we think it looks fab! Also available in Danish, German and Polish.
Blackpool Co-produced Family Resilience Framework
A group of parents and carers from Blackpool, known as the ‘Parents of the Revolution’, have co-produced a family version of the Resilience Framework as part of Blackpool’s town-wide Resilience Revolution. You can also download a one-page version that just contains the Framework or a 2-page version with a short description and some suggestions.
Resilience Revolution – Blackpool HeadStart
The Resilience Revolution has delivered an extensive programme of lasting change with disadvantaged young people in the town of Blackpool, through a successful £10.4 million Big Lottery HeadStart funding bid. Their work is based on research into resilience by Boingboing and the Centre of Resilience for Social Justice.
Nothing about us without us: civic activism as a mental health intervention
Through this research a team of co-researchers from different generations, professions and backgrounds will co-create knowledge regarding the role of innovative ‘glocal’ civic activism as a mechanism to strengthen young people’s mental health.
Blackpool ReMiT: Resilient Minds Toolkit – A resilience and mental health guide for parents and carers in the Blackpool area
Blackpool Resilient Minds Toolkits are co-produced guides written by young people and parents/carers in Blackpool to support their resilience and mental health. You can download both ReMiT guides here as well as take part in the ReMiT feedback survey.
Blackpool ReMiT: Resilient Minds Toolkit – A resilience and mental health guide for young people in the Blackpool area
The Resilient Minds Toolkits are co-produced guides written by young people and parents/carers to support young people’s resilience and mental health. You can download both ReMiT guides here as well as take part in the ReMiT feedback survey.
Activism 4 Resilience: one – Bid Fever: nil. Co-producing a complex research bid in the midst of a pandemic – what’s not to love?
This blog was written by young people who co-wrote a bid for funding from an academic research council. We reflect on our experience of being involved. Even though the bid wasn’t successful it gave us valuable learning experiences.
Youth activism in Newham; working as a Co-Research Team on the Nothing About Us Without Us research project
In part 2 of this blog Ishrat, Amanda Sarah and Laurie share some of their learning from taking part in co-produced research working alongside co-research teams in Blackpool, Cornwall and Newham as part of the wider ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ research project.
Youth activism in Newham; reflections on a co-produced research project undertaken during a global health pandemic
In this blog Ishrat and Amanda share their reflections on taking part in co-produced research working alongside co-research teams in Blackpool, Cornwall, Newham and Brighton as part of the wider ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ research project.
Blackpool Youth Climate Assembly Document
This document has been co-produced by the Blackpool Youth Climate Group and research partners from Boingboing and the CRSJ to explain how the group has been created and what they hope to achieve as Blackpool’s dedicated Youth Climate Group.
E-mail activism as a mechanism for achieving positive change
The potential for a well-crafted e-mail to disrupt unhelpful systems can sometimes be underestimated. In this blog young co-leaders of Resilience Revolution share tips on how to craft activist emails for achieving positive change.
Children and Young People’s Mental Health Inquiry – Submission of evidence
In this submission to The House of Lords a group of academics, students, practitioners, parents/carers and young people working as and with disadvantaged communities share their thoughts on whether progress has been made by Government in its ambition to improve children and young people’s mental health provision.
Resilience Revolution Annual Report 2019-2020
This annual report shares the fantastic work that is happening in Blackpool to make things better for all young people across the town. It documents all the things the Resilience Revolution community have been up to in the last year and the changes that are being made.
Living online: The long term impact on wellbeing – Submission of evidence
In this submission to The House of Lords a bunch of us with different experiences shared our thoughts around how individuals and groups can better access online environments. We suggested the government may potentially help people access the digital world by improving digital inclusivity, accessibility, and data accountability.
Reflections on a co-research project into civic activism – nothing about us without us!
In this blog the co-leaders of the Resilience Revolution’s pilot in Blackpool share news about how things are going with the exciting new ‘Nothing about us without us’ project that a group of us including Boingboing, Brighton Uni and the Centre of Resilience for Social Justice (CRSJ) were lucky enough to win funding for in September 2020.
The Economic Impact of Covid-19 on Young People – Submission of evidence
In this submission we outline and discuss the economic impact of Covid-19 on young people in Blackpool and provide recommendations for immediate and long-term interventions.
The Revolution Researchers Guide to Co-Producing Research
In this guide the Revolution Researchers spoke to young people that are part of HeadStart co-production groups to find out about their views and experiences of taking part in co-productive research and what co-production means to them.
The Revolution Researchers Guide to Co-Producing Research
In this guide the Revolution Researchers use their experience working as part of the Resilience Revolution to share valuable guidance and insight aimed at supporting those who wish to involve young people co-productively in research.
Blackpool’s Young Leaders and the Resilience Revolution Conference – Tuesday 25 August 2020 – Online Resilience Forum
This session with Blackpool’s Young Leaders is about youth engagement and their pathway to the 2022 International Resilience Revolution Conference.
