By Kendall Worth!
Readers of my BLOG may remember a post about trying to reactivate the Benefits Reform Action Group (BRAG) or find people towork on a budget protest.
Since this was posted, I have been having conversations with people in the community about BRAG and reforming benefits in N.S. Everyone I have talked to recently, all had one idea for the future of Benefits Reform Action Group. That idea that we should re-brand and/or re-name, and/or start over !
I received feedback from a variety of people – from an original member of BRAG, to people who have never attended a BRAG meeting, but followed our work through social media, public events, or from the news.
Everyone I spoke to, have all suggested to me one idea for the future of BRAG. The Idea: “Kendall, maybe Benefits Reform Action Group has served it’s purpose and maybe it is time for the membership to look at re-Branding the Group”.
I asked the one original BRAG member who I spoke to what her thoughts are on this idea? The answer she gave me was “Kendall I agree 100% with Re-Branding BRAG, but I have questions about how it could be different, without losing the focus on improving benefits.”
Rebranding the BRAG Group, and why this may be easier said then done!
I cannot be fully for or against it but here are some thoughts:
I am 55% for the idea, but questioning what and how is the new group going to be different?.
While Income assistance (the Current Standard House Hold Rate $950.00) does not provide enough money to live on, we cannot replace or stop advocating (That is – we have to keep it up!) for an increase to the income assistance rates. This was a strong part of BRAG’s Work.
25% of me thinking what is Benefits Reform Action Group going to offer in the Future that it has not offered in the Past, that requires a new look/feel?
The Final 20% of me feels and questions “Will the Re-branding of BRAG really be of any benefit to the community?
So, as you can tell, this idea of Re-Branding might be an idea worth looking at, but I have mixed feelings about this.
As I talked about in this post here: when the Benefits Reform Action Group did exist and in the days when meetings were well attended people found that BRAG was not only the group that was advocating for changes in the Department of Community Services Employment Support and Income Assistance Program (ESIA); but also found BRAG a support group where they could talk about what got them into the situation of living on income assistance in the first place. So, one idea that comes to my mind is “BRAG could start meeting Twice a month instead of just once a month”
The Second meeting every month could be set up as a First-Voice-Coffee-House-Style meeting instead of a regular BRAG meeting. This way First Voice are getting together and talking about their situation and getting support from each other in a safe environment.
However when I asked people for their ideas for Re-Branding BRAG. they had ideas of their own.
One person suggested (when more COVID Restriction are lifted) that I can organize a public event, at the Central Library, to educate the public on what Benefits Reform Action Group was when it did exist. She suggested that this will give the public opportunity to give feedback on ideas they have, and whether or not BRAG should continue.
A few people suggested that maybe the original BRAG membership could merge with the Basic Income Group and start advocating for a Guaranteed Income/ Basic Income.
A few People suggested that maybe a New-and-Improved-Benefits-Reform-Action-Group could offer more, maybe first voice Counselling and Support Services.
Some people suggested that we need to do a better job of making sure we are inclusive of all genders and communities (that would be the goal moving forward)
I do agree that those ideas are all good ideas.
I would like to organize a group of people who will volunteer to be outreach people on perhaps on the day before a scheduled meeting go to Soup Kitchens and try to round up some new membership for the Group. Anyway in this story I just wanted to introduce the idea of re-branding BRAG.
I hope something can be Re-started or Started!
If you are interested in reactivating BRAG or talking about re-branding BRAG, or creating a new organization, for increasing social assistant rates or some other anti-poverty demand, please let me know in the comments, or email me at: advocateX2@gmail.com
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