Teenvine Next Steps is designed for teens with SEND not attending school regularly, if at all. Project worker Poppy helps each one express themselves, self-advocate and plan for their future. Travel training helps reduce anxiety and build confidence in community around them—every small step counts ✨

Growing confidence, resilience, skills, friendships and ambitions helps young people with SEND take charge of their lives, build stronger futures and embrace new opportunities. Here's some of our Teenviners during a recent session on personal care, washing Barbie's hair in a sensory friendly way! 🪮🫧

Our Connecting for Good community organising team hosts a free event with People's Economy on 20 June exploring how power and the economy shape communities—and how people-led alternatives can build a fairer future. Join organisers, activists, community leaders from 10am to 4pm. Free ticket link 👇

Meet two new members of our team—senior operations officer Lucy Gilbert and campaigns coordinator Grace Lewis! Lucy leads on all operational activities while Grace works with Coventry Youth Activists to develop and disseminate their campaigns far and wide www.grapevinecovandwarks.org/grapevine-ne...

We've spent 20+ years building relationships and power in disadvantaged communities in Coventry. Our new blog with @futuregovforum.bsky.social provides 5 tests for inclusive renewal in Pride in Place funded areas that allow local people to lead, not be crowded out in the rush to act: bit.ly/3SsF1JY

In a fractured Britain, hope is growing for a different kind of politics—one which shares power, backs local leadership and believes strong communities build foundations, not barriers. Our Coventry community organising stories feature in this new Nation of Neighbours report: bit.ly/4eokizu 1/2

#RiverFestCov is this weekend! See you there? #GreenForAll community organiser Ari will be joined by our Connecting for Good initiatives Coventry Urban Eden and Roots in Nature for the community growing session on 7 June, 11am-4pm. Come explore how you could start a green movement in your area! 🎟️👇

#TIMMSREVIEW OF #PIP | Lots of people came to our public consultation event on 6 May and we've now submitted our 12-page organisational response to the government's Review — with 11 recommendations for the future of PIP. Read them, plus anonymised experiences of Coventry people here: bit.ly/4dZLgw0

Over the years we've developed five tests which can help guide Pride in Place programme design towards inclusive power and partnership building. They draw on our work, backed up by theory and practice. Our CEO Clare Wightman and co-writer Rosie McLeod share them with @futuregovforum.bsky.social 👇

NEW BLOG ON OUR WEBSITE ✨ We are often approached by the media for interviews and comment about our work and on issues affecting people and communities. Here we set out guidance to help us share stories in a way that protects— rather than harms—people we are working with. Check it out bit.ly/4tT6aCT

Just three days left to have your say and help shape the future of PIP... 📣

Meet Grace—our new Coventry Youth Activists campaigns coordinator. CYA will soon launch a national campaign—challenging benefit changes that pose a threat to the futures of young disabled people. Aged 16-23? Passionate about disability justice? 👉[email protected] www.youtube.com/shorts/Oc5C4...

Help shape the future of PIP by submitting your views to the government's Timms Review before midnight on 28 May. That means there is just one week left to share your experiences of Personal Independence Payments. We have submitted our organisational response — add yours here: bit.ly/4nHvDOp

Our Teenviners have started a new project on their year-long journey with Teenvine Plus to create their own individual 'Museum of Me'. Curating and expressing their identity for these online exhibitions will take a few weeks but it will be fun for our young people with SEND! More themuseumofme.co.uk

A week ago our Connecting for Good team led a free session giving Coventry people new to community organising an opportunity to dip their toes into its basic principles and methods. For others, it was a refresher and a chance to catch up with fellow movement members working together for change. 1/

ACCESSIBLE LEADERSHIP | People often tell our Coventry Youth Activists how "lovely" it is they’ve been given an opportunity to speak up and campaign for change. But if you ask them, they’ll tell you they created their own chances. Meet Joey and the CYA team here 💛 www.covactivists.co.uk/who-we-are

Our community organiser Ari would like to invite you to #RiverFestCov on Sunday 7 June from 11am to 4pm to find out how YOU can get involved in Coventry's Green For All partnership. Ari says: "Come and join me for a pop-up day of planting around FarGo Village!" Free ticket link below 🎟️👇 1/

Whether you are new to community organising or want a refresh on the basic principles and methods... we have got you covered! Grab a free ticket to our next city centre open event tomorrow evening (13 May) from 6-8pm. Led by our friendly Connecting for Good Cov community organisers 🎟️ bit.ly/4uGlxj1

Thank you to everyone who attended our evidence gathering and support event yesterday with @ce-lawcentre.bsky.social — sharing personal experiences of PIP for the #TimmsReview. We will now collate responses to submit to the review on behalf of our two organisations. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Today is the day to have your say in local elections 🗳️ Our disabled activists CYA are encouraging young disabled people to vote and reminding them to bring photo ID to the polling station: bit.ly/3QRgy0o Snap a selfie and add #CYAAtThePollingStation to support their campaign for accessible voting 💛

We want to present a full picture of what Coventry people think of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) benefit that supports people with the extra living costs associated with having a disability or long-term condition. Join our consultation with @ce-lawcentre.bsky.social on 6 May bit.ly/48QE4k1

BLOG | We love it when a plan comes together—especially when our outside of the box approach produces nesting boxes! From recognising difficulties our young people with SEND were having finding the right green opportunities to creating a hands-on session bringing them closer to nature bit.ly/3QUngm6

Our H (for Health) Team presents an awareness film about cervical screening for people with learning disabilities, made by people with learning disabilities. Help them boost screening appointments in Coventry and Warwickshire by watching and sharing their film today! www.youtube.com/watch?v=43L8...

Grapevine and @ce-lawcentre.bsky.social are hosting a consultation inviting Coventry people to tell us what they think about Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Here's CELC's Emma walking through our venue @belgradetheatre.bsky.social so you know where to find us on 6 May—drop in from 10am-12.30pm

Thank you Hillz FM for inviting our community organisers Siân and Melissa into the studio to talk to presenter Kate about Connecting for Good Cov and how local people can join others in the movement using resources and support to turn their ideas into real change ✊ Info: www.connectingforgoodcov.com

SAVE THE DATE 📅 6 May, 10am-12.30pm at @belgradetheatre.bsky.social. In 2025 Grapevine and @ce-lawcentre.bsky.social supported Coventry people to respond to the government’s consultation on changes to disability benefits — and we're doing it again! This time to respond to the Timms Review of PIP. 1/

Last chance for a free ticket to something exciting 👇

Creating space for young people with SEND to express themselves—without judgement—plays a key role in building resilience and self-awareness 💪✨ Next Steps project worker Poppy uses simple activities to start bigger conversations about emotional regulation. Meet Poppy: www.youtube.com/shorts/cs16B...

NEW BLOG 'Strengthening people: Three stories of our work helping people facing disadvantage' 💪 Often we are meeting people in their hardest moments—but this isn’t just about surviving a crisis. We’re building individual strength, resilience, independence and a community of people who care. Link 👇

ONE WEEK TODAY 📣 Our community-led movement Connecting for Good brings people together to make real change, right now. Come and find out more! Thursday 16 April, 6pm to 8.30pm at LTB Showrooms, Priory Visitor Centre, Coventry. Meet our team and local people already shaping our city: bit.ly/4va3kLI

Wonderful to welcome Kate Lee, new @ncvo.bsky.social CEO, to our Spon End offices last week. Our CEO Clare Wightman and deputy CEO Mel Smith enjoyed taking Kate on a whistlestop tour through Grapevine's work and talking about the future of sector representation at NCVO. Thank you for visiting Kate!

Congratulations to Dorothy Maimo on her Health and Wellbeing Award! Dorothy was awarded Outstanding Contribution to Health and Wellbeing Through Volunteering in Coventry. Her journey with Grapevine began with an idea for an exercise group focused on the weight gyms don't deal with: bit.ly/4bVQk4X

Want to go behind the scenes of our community organising work in Coventry? Our team regularly "work out loud" on the blogging platform Medium, sharing what's happening, reflecting on why the mission is so important, and offering ways to get involved in shaping your city. Dive in here: bit.ly/4cdDJtP

Following her appearance on the panel at Climate Change - Rebuilding the Consensus and Changing the Narrative at @uni-of-warwick.bsky.social recently, our CEO Clare Wightman shares her thoughts on fairness as a starting point with communities and what she believes is the missing piece bit.ly/4t7eaAW

Our young Teenviners wanted to use tools and torches to make homes for wildlife and uncover nocturnal nature — and @warwickshirewt.bsky.social, @nationaltrust.org.uk and our community organiser Ari were more than happy to deliver at Coventry Charterhouse! Part of the city's Green for All programme.

Coventry is rich in history, community and pride 🩵 We are building a movement of people to make change in our city and the strength to make fairer futures possible. We need more people to step up and shape change. Interested? Our community organising team would love to hear from you! bit.ly/47aUV02

NON-STATUTORY ADVOCACY supports people to have their voice heard across a wide range of issues and life events. We meet people where they are, offering a one-to-one service in a rich ecosystem of other support proven to change people’s lives for good. This is Bengy's story ✨ bit.ly/4lQ4Nm0

Happy Neurodiversity Celebration Week! 💜 Here's some of our Help and Connect participants listening to a Canva workshop delivered by Ramona from Cov Connects, Coventry's digital inclusion programme by @coventrycc.bsky.social. The Canva idea came from participant Ruth who... 1/

THE STORY BEHIND THE NEWS 🗞️ At Grapevine, we work with local people to help them identify change they want for their community and build their capacity to achieve it. Last week we read a BBC Coventry and Warwickshire news story — with this lovely photo of our community organiser Edwin next to... 1/

OUT NOW! 🎙️Our CEO Clare and deputy CEO Mel on this week's The Relational Social Work Podcast — sharing why we believe the answer to our problems lies in each other and community, and how applying this idea builds a community's capacity to look out for itself 👂 www.therelationalsocialworkpodcast.com

HAVE YOUR SAY! 📣 The government's consultation on proposed SEND reforms is open until 18 May. Please take this opportunity to have your say—they particularly want to hear from young people, families, teachers, SEND experts, academics and representative groups consult.education.gov.uk/send-strateg...

Meet Poppy—our Teenvine Next Steps project worker helping teenagers with #SEND access the creative freedom to express their identity and make a plan for the future. Poppy has returned from living in Australia for three years and comes to Grapevine with lots of experience of working with young people

SPOTTED in Coventry city centre—new litter bin signage directing shoppers to the nearest public toilet, thanks to Need The Loo campaigners! Need The Loo is a group of Coventry residents with a passion for proper public toilet provision in the city, supported by our community organisers and part of..

HAVE YOUR SAY! 📣 The government's consultation on proposed SEND reforms is open until 18 May. Please take this opportunity to have your say—they particularly want to hear from young people, families, teachers, SEND experts, academics and representative groups consult.education.gov.uk/send-strateg...

It’s an exciting time for community organising in Coventry as we welcome two new organisers to the Grapevine stable. Ari and Priya will help local people lead the change they want to see, building collective power so those most affected by local decisions have a voice in making them. Meet them 👇🔗

The Guardian’s positive action work experience is open for applications! There are (paid) schemes for disabled, BAME, and working class wannabe journalists. Because the media needs more people like us. Info here: workwithus.theguardian.com/entry-level-...

Parents, guardians, and young people across the UK are being urged to shape the country’s next steps on children’s digital wellbeing, as the UK government opens the world’s most ambitious consultation on social media today.

Our CEO Clare Wightman shares her thoughts ahead of Pride in Place’s first delivery phase this April. Read five tensions Clare says Pride in Place must navigate—and five tests for any community power initiative to reach the goals it sets out to achieve. The Promise of Pride in Place: bit.ly/4tXzHMY

We have extended our job vacancy deadline to Monday 2 March at 9am—welcoming more applications to join the #WeAreGrapevine team as our new Campaigns Officer working on Disability Justice with the brilliant, unstoppable force that is Coventry Youth Activists! Don't delay, apply today: bit.ly/3Mfik9z

Over the next few weeks we'll be celebrating some of our members and the wins they achieved together in the past year. First, we're celebrating @grapevinecovwarks.bsky.social! 🧵 #Coventry #CommunityOrganiser #Changemaker #DisabilityJustice #Community