Interview with Tammy Jakeman
By Kendall Worth!
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| Tammy Jakeman and Kendall Worth |
Tammy Jakeman is a successful woman, who ran as an NDP Candidate, in Eastern Passage, in the last provincial election. But, Tammy, back in her days on welfare, truly believed that she was never going to see a way out of it.
Tammy had some benefits that not everyone on social assistance can find:
Even though she lost friends because of their belief in the stigma about her, and others, she was able to maintain some of the good friends she had, before going on welfare.
Her family actually treated her like they knew she could do better in life then receiving welfare, and were supportive of, and willing to assist her to get off the system. Her family remained supportive in helping her maintain her health and well being.
While receiving income assistance she met her partner, to whom she is married today.
Tammy’s story is similar to this one, I wrote about previously. Both women got themselves off social assistance with the help and support of a community.
Here is the interview detail:
#1 – Tell me about why you decided to run for politics. You say you have ADHD – is that connected to your reason for running in the last Provincial election?
ADHD is just something new that developed since she ran for election. She admits it has always been there but something she became aware of since she ran in a political election.
One of the big reasons why she did run is because of the work that she does in education. She has brought a lot of things to the attention of government. She believes that she has a point of view and perspective that can help members of her community. She considers herself someone who has always been involved, but previously, as someone behind the scenes. She had a real good friend who was an MLA (Kevin Deveaux) from 1998 till 2006. Kevin was the #1 friend who encouraged her to get involved.
#2 – Is there anything you would like to tell me about your past life on welfare, your ADHD Diagnosis, how you live day–to-day, life in your situation, etc?
Income Assistance is no stranger to Tammy because she lived on it, at one point in life. She was a single parent in the 1990’s. In October 1990 her son’s biological father was hit by a car. He survived the accident but with a traumatic brain injury. He was unable to support Tammy and her son, and he, n fact, had to be supported by his family. That started the cycle of Income Assistance. Back then she got $780.00 a month. She paid $480 a month for rent, wish left $300 for Daycare, Landline phone, power bill, Diapers, and transit. That left her $100 a month for food.
If it was not for her parents, who helped her, she is not sure what she would have done. She was a regular user of the food bank during her time on welfare. Her ADHD Diagnosis had no connection to her reasons fr needing income support, but being aware of her diagnosis makes her sympathetic to what others go through.
She is grateful that her parents could help her during that period, and it was the time when she met her current partner! If she did not have supportive friends and family in her personal life at that time, she would have never met her husband.
#3 – Can you compare living in poverty in Eastern Passage, on the periphery of HRM, to living in poverty closer to the heart of the city??
Poverty in Eastern Passage looks like:
no access to grocery store except via transit and it can be worse if you do not live on a transit route and/or have a mobility challenge.
Usually paying 60% or more of your income for rent.
Not having access in your community to to health care and mental health services.
Because Eastern passage is like a small town it can feel isolating if people do not understand you circumstances.
There is only one food-bank in the whole community that is run through Saint Peters Church and to access it you have to call a number and leave a message. Food Pick-up is only on Wednesdays. It is all Community Volunteers.
As for Medications there is only one pharmacy in the whole community and not everyone lives within walking distance from the drug store or the food bank.
#4 – What would have considered as the turning point in your personal life that got you from being on welfare to where you are at now?
Tammy returned to school with the support and encouragement of people in her life and community. However, she lost her welfare while attending school. Between completing school, her current position as a teaching assistant, she worked a lot of different jobs. It took her 9 years to pay off her student loans. If it wasn’t for all the help and support from friends, family, community -- she would have never been able to do it.
Tammy’s story provides us with a happy ending. Lets take a moment here to pretend that was Tammy still on welfare today. With the rate at $790.00 a month, when she was on social assistance, vs the current standard household rate – she would only be getting $160 more per month. However, these days, provided that she could navigate through the bureaucratic nonsense and the difficult-to-navigate systems of the Department of Community Services, she might qualify for some special needs allowances with it’s “next to nothing” money. Then she would get her free bus pass (today, she would not have to out of her own pocket for transit.) she would be slightly better off – but not by much.
There are many other welfare recipients out there who do not have the support that Tammy had from friends and family. Nevertheless, I want to extend my personal Congratulations! to Tammy, for making her way off of income assistance.
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