The research

In 2022/23, Roots to Change facilitated a research study that examined factors enabling violence against women and girls. Over 150 people participated through an online survey, focus groups and workshops.

The study highlighted the need for a reshape in how we tackle factors driving harmful behaviour and impacting community cohesion. It called on communities and organisations to create more opportunities for people to come together on shared goals and to strengthen relationships. It also emphasised the need to prioritise the mental health of children and to support them in reaching their full potential, not limited by harmful stereotypes.

The programme

In response, Roots to Change co-designed The Big Reshape, a community-led programme that aims to influence positive action towards building a fairer world. As part of this, we have been inviting people to imagine a world where everyone feels safe and equally valued and where diversity in all its forms is celebrated.

So far, we have engaged over 400 children and adults to paint what this looks like to them. Over the past two years, we have been showcasing this artwork in libraries and other public spaces across Ealing, Wandsworth and Westminster. To date, we have curated 14 exhibitions. Most recently, we hosted a pop-up featuring 186 pieces of children’s artwork at Paddington Library. This was in partnership with Westminster Children’s University and five partner schools. Check out the book of this artwork here!

Particularly children’s responses to the brief clearly show that many link safety with the environment and nature. Given that climate change is just one of the many issues young people are worried about, this is not surprising.

What’s next

From September 2025, we will continue our partnership with Westminster Children’s University and their partner primary schools in Westminster. Additionally, we will partner with primary schools in Battersea. These include Sacred Heart Battersea, Westbridge Academy, Shaftesbury Park and Falconbrook.

We will support the children to create a board that illustrates the kind of world they would like to live in. They will use a mixture of collage and papier-mâché, using recycled paper products, thereby linking creativity, environmental awareness and wellbeing.

Many local businesses are helping us to collect cardboard, magazines and newspapers! We will also encourage the children to collect their own too!

Like before, we will exhibit this artwork in public spaces together with the children’s reflections on: the kind of world they want to live in, what they will do to help make it a nicer place and what they want others to do.

How you can support

• Champion the project and help spread the word 🌍
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