Looking ahead to a future where everyone can live well, every day.

What will it take to make this way of working that everyday reality across Greater Manchester?

Explore what happens when systems enable community action, community power, and community wealth to grow. Where devolving power and funding means communities thrive, inequalities reduce, and everyday support becomes accessible, inclusive, and sustainable.

Communities and public services share a vision for Greater Manchester’s future — where welcoming, strength-based spaces and support foster trust, belonging, and purpose. This is all about putting people, not processes, at the heart of change.

This series shares honest, lived experiences. Some content may feel sensitive or challenging. Please listen in a way that feels right for you.

Talking Points:

00:00 - Introduction

01:31 - Reflecting on the Live Well Vision

03:04 - Community Stories and Insights

04:54 - The Vision for Live Well Centres

09:06 - Employment Support and Community Engagement

10:23 - Exploring Community Hubs

16:10 - Challenges and Barriers to Employment

19:53 - The Future of Live Well

35:36 - Conclusion and Call to Action

Organisations & groups featured:

GMCA - Annette and Tabz, Jane Forrest

DeButterfly Mama Health and Poverty Partnership and GM Shapers - Folashade

Mayor of Greater Manchester - Andy Burnham

Unlimited Potential - Chris Dabbs

Elephants Trail - Andy

Wigan Council – Alison McKensie-Folan

Stretford Public Hall via Elephant's Trail

Lighthouse project via Elephant's Trail

Plattbridge Community Zone via Elephant's Trail

Christine, Keegan and Jaimie

Local Trust – Rachel Rowney

Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Alison McGovern MP

Some watching:

Hope, Elephants Trail - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S33Y5Jj-PYY

Further Reading:

Read the transcript for this episode here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NjNbLNWAw9NWbsjvHb5tjCoJlkBTtcHC?usp=drive_linkre

Community power map - https://goodlivesgm.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/UK-evidence-for-community-power-1.pdf

GM Live Well is Greater Manchester’s commitment to ensuring great everyday support is available in every neighbourhood.

It will tackle health, social and economic inequalities by changing how public services work with people and communities to grow opportunities for everyone to Live Well. GM Live Well will ensure everyone has the support, control, connections and resources to lead a healthy and happy life.

Find out more: https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/live-well/

This podcast brings together over 100 voices from across Greater Manchester, add yours to conversations on social media using #GMLiveWell.

Funders:

GM Live Well is a partnership between GMCA, NHS GM 10 GM and partners across the city-region. Movement building and learning, and accelerator work in five boroughs has been funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

Credits:

A MIC media Production

What happens when systems start to share power? They shift from fixers to working in genuine partnership with communities, with better results.

What happens when we rethink culture and control and build power within communities?

When we create spaces for change and grow system leaders’ capacity to act on community voice, insights and ideas?

Hear how councils, funders and services are helping communities lead lasting change across Greater Manchester. Rethinking funding, building trust and changing - not just strategies but culture and mindsets.

You'll hear what system leaders, commissioners and people working across public services have learned by doing things differently. Real change that grows great everyday support that lasts.

This series shares honest, lived experiences. Some content may feel sensitive or challenging. Please listen in a way that feels right for you.

Talking Points:

00:00 - Introduction

01:31 - Welcome to Episode Seven

01:55 - Exploring Community Power

02:55 - Eve Holt on Community Power

05:34 - Shifting Power

10:18 - Community Development

16:11 - Bev Craig's Personal Story

20:58 - Investing in Community Power

28:34 - Final Reflections and Call to Action

Organisations & groups featured:

GMCA - Tabz and Annette, Eve Holt, Caroline Simpson

Wigan Council - Alison McKenzie-Folan

Nurture Development - Cormac Russell

Manchester City Council - Bev Craig

Mayor of Greater Manchester - Andy Burnham

A Brilliant Thing – Kerry Tottingham

10GM and Action Together - Liz Windsor-Welsh

Rekindle Supplementary School - Nika Nuthra-Shah

Young Manchester - Samuel Remi-Akinwale

Further Reading:

Read the transcript for this episode here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NjNbLNWAw9NWbsjvHb5tjCoJlkBTtcHC?usp=drive_linkre

GM Live Well is Greater Manchester’s commitment to ensuring great everyday support is available in every neighbourhood. It will tackle health, social and economic inequalities by changing how public services work with people and communities to grow opportunities for everyone to Live Well.

GM Live Well will ensure everyone has the support, control, connections and resources to lead a healthy and happy life.

Find out more: https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/live-well/

This podcast brings together over 100 voices from across Greater Manchester, add yours to conversations on social media using #GMLiveWell.

Funders:

GM Live Well is a partnership between GMCA, NHS GM 10 GM and partners across the city-region. Movement building and learning, and accelerator work in five boroughs has been funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

Credits:

A MIC media Production

Dive into what’s strong in Greater Manchester neighbourhoods – knowledge, skills and experience - and how growing this leads to lasting change.

What has community power got to do with people living a good life?

We’ll discuss how solutions grown with communities lead to better outcomes. Hear from people across Greater Manchester shaping their neighbourhoods and creating spaces where people feel safe, seen and supported.

From neighbourhood councils, mutual aid groups, community organising and grassroots action networks to public services sharing power through participatory approaches, asset-based practice and working in genuine collaboration.

This episode reflects on how public services lead, support and show up differently in work.

This series shares honest, lived experiences. Some content may feel sensitive or challenging. Please listen in a way that feels right for you.

Talking Points:

00:00 - Introduction

01:26 - Exploring Community Power

03:34 - Voices from the Community

06:03 - Community Superpowers

08:45 - Community Power in Action

15:21 - Fighting Poverty and Debt

19:55 - Youth Leadership and Participation

24:32 - Legislative Theatre and Policy Change

28:55 - Reflections and Future Directions

32:27 - Conclusion and Call to Action

Organisations & groups featured:

GMCA - Tabz and Annette, Caroline Simpson

Women's Voices - Nadia Siddiqui

Rekindle Supplementary School - Nika Muthra-Shah

Caring and Sharing - Nicky Iginla

Open Agency - Selva Mustafa

Elephants Trail – Paddy, Shannon

Disability Stockport – via Elephants Trail

SAWN - Agatha Phiri

Debt Justice – Richard Dunbar

Anti-Poverty Foundation panel for Rochdale - Jo Barker-Marsh

Young Manchester - Samuel Remi-Akinwale

Youth Focus Northwest Be Counted Project - Madia and Divine

Legislative theater facilitator- Sam Dixon

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology - Liz Kendall MP

Some watching:

Able, Elephants Trail - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUQgsVLRTT0

Further Reading:

Read the transcript for this episode here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NjNbLNWAw9NWbsjvHb5tjCoJlkBTtcHC?usp=drive_linkre

GM Live Well is Greater Manchester’s commitment to ensuring great everyday support is available in every neighbourhood.

It will tackle health, social and economic inequalities by changing how public services work with people and communities to grow opportunities for everyone to Live Well. GM Live Well will ensure everyone has the support, control, connections and resources to lead a healthy and happy life.

Find out more: https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/live-well/

This podcast brings together over 100 voices from across Greater Manchester, add yours to conversations on social media using #GMLiveWell.

Funders:

GM Live Well is a partnership between GMCA, NHS GM 10 GM and partners across the city-region. Movement building and learning, and accelerator work in five boroughs has been funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

Credits:

A MIC media Production