Voices of Experience - Emerging Infrastructure

In recent weeks, the Design Lab group has been involved in a number of workshops and sessions where they have been reflecting on the definitions of Infrastructure being applied to them– and the subsequent resourcing, support and perceptions attributed to them.

In this update, we asked if one of our group would like to share their reflections, instead of an update from us on what they’ve been saying.

Michelle Gavin works for Friends, Families and Travellers– one of the organisations taking part in the Design Lab Programme. Friends, Families and Travellers, as Michelle will tell you more about, work with the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller community– who experience some of the most acute social exclusions across wider society; from health and education to racial discrimination and structural inequality.

Michelle and I had a discussion after a reflective learning session we held in January– from this Michelle has written up her reflections on her individual journey through the programme, as well as her perspective on her organisation's wider journey through the programme. We talked about this in relation to their position, and changing understanding, about their ambition and role in being an “Infrastructure” organisation for their community. 

Here is what Michelle wanted to share about Infrastructure, “systemic” change and resilience.

How our group is defining “Infrastructure”

rom listening to the group, it is evident that we all have different definitions as to what Infrastructure, or an Emerging Infrastructure, is. Some of us are at different stages of organisational change, whereas others are looking at it at a much more macro-level. This directly relates to the way we can influence and strengthen ‘infrastructure’. This process can occur either internally or externally; hoping to build up the societies and communities we work within by promoting systemic change.

Fundamentally, the Webster definition of ‘infrastructure’ is as follows:

1: The system of public works of a country, state, or region also: the resources (such as personnel, buildings, or equipment) required for an activity

2: The underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or organisation)

3: The permanent installations required for military purposes

As you can see, there are wide and varied definitions of ‘infrastructure’.

The group reflection session helped to define what I see as Emerging Infrastructure, and what it means both organisationally and personally. Organisationally, we are looking at the strengthening of Gypsy, Roma, Traveller (GRT) civil society. As the lead organisation working to better the lives of these communities and the people that exist within them, we are mindful and acutely aware that GRT civil society organisations tend to be small, under-resourced and scattered across the country. There is currently a limited ‘connectedness’ of working together in cohesion, to improve the lives of the communities to which we are committed.

What are the challenges for Infrastructure organisations?

Our organisational position is one whereby we attempt to strengthen good practice, community voices and the funding available (albeit without additional subsidy). We provide support to smaller emerging organisations through skills and knowledge sharing, and resources in order to build a broader movement. 

Initially, we had a clear plan about how we would achieve this but as the project developed, we refocused our efforts towards communications and starting ‘conversations’, by seeking out what other groups and organisations need in order to flourish and become more stable. By reflecting and taking a step back, we have been able to garner exactly other organisations’ wants and needs, which will further shape our future plans.

Of course, by looking at the macro-level we have also drawn attention to the micro-level of just how our own organisational infrastructure fits in with our ‘blue sky thinking’. The sessions changed my thoughts as to how we operate and how our own structure could evolve. Personally, I have been drawn to the community and person-centred elements of our organisational structure and how as individuals we can sometimes fall into line with old systems – often subconsciously.

What can happen within organisations too, is limit the possibility or manage the risk of being “too disruptive” in what we say or do. This can be down to a need to “fit in” to a commonly agreed or commonly understood idea of what “infrastructure” should look like. There’s always a risk that being “too disruptive” could mean we don’t get to work in the system– let alone transform it.

It becomes difficult in itself to break free from these set patterns and ways of doing things.

What’s Changed About “Change”?

“Systemic change” within organisations is an element that is often harder to shift than is initially assumed. 

On a macro level, change will often manifest itself around a major event – whether that is an environmental one or the emergence of new technologies. For example, the optics have radically changed around the usage of electric cars – experimental electric cars were used in the 1880s. Fast-forward to 1985 and something that became a ‘thing’ was the Sinclair C5 electric vehicle. None of these products were able to gain popularity within the market. 

However, the shift in public common knowledge regarding climate change and an acceptance of personal responsibility in reducing our own environmental impact, means that it is now more popular than ever before to buy or rent electric model motors. As explained, systemic change can be a long, arduous and gradual process, and when all the stars in the cosmos are aligned then change can happen. 

Working Towards A “Sustainable Future”

Organisationally, we have entered a period of immense change. Over the past 5 years we have become more outward-facing, and as a result we have had to flex and adapt.

An example of this is the way we changed our operations in the context of the pandemic. We had little choice other than to modify the way we responded and delivered our services, from supporting community members to gain digital literacy, to having ‘health and wellness’ check-ins. The lack of options made us ‘flex’ our way of working, for the better.

With new operational procedures in place, we are now presented with the issue of how we continue to grow and sustain the ability to flex as and when. A culture of change is something that many of us are immediately opposed to. It can be disheartening for people within the organisation to suddenly be told that the ‘old ways’ of doing things are wrong, and the work they have been ultimately carrying out is no longer fit for the new purpose. 

The resistance regarding cultural shifts comes as no surprise as we have all been primed to fit within existing mechanisms. I remember when I first joined the organisation and I did not feel like part of the ‘gang’. The language and use of acronyms left me feeling cut adrift and I experienced imposter syndrome. But after a short while, I learnt the language and even started using it in places where I knew there would be others who felt like I had done in the past. 

Holding Multiple Perspectives

Reflecting on the programme, my thinking has really started to focus on how we can organisationally shift direction and make an enabling space so that Friends, Families and Travellers can be led in the future by representatives or individuals from the GRT communities, specifically. 

It has made me consider how we balance the skills of individuals within the organisation who have lived experience of being from a GRT background, and others who have not. Both have valid skills and perspectives but it is all too easy to slip into old habits during recruitment processes.

In response, we made changes to our internal policies to ensure that community members have the opportunity to take on roles and positions within the organisation which may not have traditionally been open to them; the reasons for this are many but we know that our communities suffer the worse educational, health, discrimination and accommodation outcomes across all indicators. I am a great believer that to keep an organisation moving in the right direction we ought to encourage the ‘agitators’ – people who perhaps don’t speak the shared language of policy – and perhaps this is why policy change is often little more than guidance or lip service within a ‘closed’ system.

An “Opportunity” for Sustainability

Friends, Families and Travellers operates on two levels – nationally and locally. It is a hybrid organisation that is reliant on information that we gain through our direct work with the communities, which enables the national policy, communications and campaigns dimensions to authentically propose measures to decision-makers at the heart of institutional government.

I understand the direction our Infrastructure Organisation should move towards, and this entails collapsing the boundaries which have risen in the past– ones of a siloed approach and a distinct hierarchy within organisational levels. 

This work is ongoing and I believe all staff should be part of any new vision – bringing people along on the journey and ensuring that all voices are validated with real ownership on how we continue to grow, emerge and flourish together.

I have often thought, what would happen if it all fell away? I am left with one answer. The Gypsy, Roma and Travellers communities would still exist. It’s a simple answer, and it reinforces my belief that everything Friends, Families and Travellers does as an organisation should continue to have those communities at the heart of it.

Final Thoughts

Having listened to Michelle in conversation, reading through her reflections and listening to the wider group– it’s been fascinating to think about the differences in definition and different perspectives of Infrastructure, that could influence how they are resourced and supported.

Synonyms for “Infrastructure” include defensively minded or strength focused terms such as “armature”, “root” or “underpinning”. Some of the organisations have reflected on the shielding, resilience and support they give to their beneficiaries, but have reflected on the differences between them as to how and where they focus on their own “infrastructure”.

In reality, doing one before the other might not be possible– as Michelle described, as much as what an organisation does intentionally to promote change is just as influenced by the conditions around them that creates opportunities to “change systems”.

In terms of resource and support, and how we talk about, define and interact with Emerging Infrastructure organisations– it is an emerging necessity that we have to appreciate (and resource) the conditions in which we’re exploring or supporting change within an organisation, as well as resourcing the capacity and opportunity to do so.

It also appears that, for Emerging Infrastructure organisations such as Michelle and Friends, Families and Travellers– there is a similar discussion going on in how they can be an “Infrastructure” for GRT civil society.

Michelle reflected in the session that “to create tomorrow we have to be quite bold”-- listening to the group's reflections on Infrastructure and sustainable change– this is applicable to the organisations, but perhaps equally as importantly to the facilitators and funders of programmes for Infrastructure organisations of this kind.

You can find out more about Friends, Families and Travellers here

You can also read more about what we’ve been up to recently in the Design Lab here