Figuring things out...

By Kendall Worth!

from http://PovertyisaPoliticalChoice.ca.

The main principle connected to this blog post, goes back to this article which is the second article ever written on this blog. I wrote that article about why I needed to continue writing, following the death of Robert Devet my former editor, at the N.S. Advocate. I also try and illustrate the reasons why it is important to continue to advocate and fight to end poverty. A lot has happened since I started writing but we still have not got an organization of First Voice folks. First Voice folks have lived experience, of the situation they are talking about -- and not just an academic or allied or service provider view.

I used this title, - Figuring things out … as I was thinking back to my personal experiences: being a member of of the Benefits Reform Action Group (BRAG), and, of being a personal user of soup kitchens and other drop ins. I also think about, as I have touched on time and again, living the trauma that the Employment Support and Income Assistance (ESIA) program comes with, and reasons why people who want to advocate to make their situations better, are scared to come forward. It is not only about living in poverty but experiencing other types of mental health issues partly resulting from no-one listening to them.

For this story I interviewed someone who was once on welfare, but currently, is not. Let’s call him Gerry, but that is not his real name.

While interviewing Gerry, he told me that he follows my writing, and has been reading me since I wrote in the Advocate. This is the first time I have interviewed him. He mentions how lucky he was that while he was on welfare, the rents were low enough to be covered by his cheque, and after paying power and phone bill, he had $100 to spend on groceries. He told me it was no surprise to him that people on welfare are too scared to come forward about their situation, because when he was collecting it, HE was scared to come forward about it, himself. Thankfully, he came from a family that supported him and the reason that the he had to be on social assistance for a short period of time. He was off work due to an injury and it did not heal before his Employment Insurance ran out. When his injury did heal, and he was ready to go back to work, his old job was no longer available. He mentioned that he really related to the interview, I did, with Tammy Jakeman as he also experienced both stigma and support during his days on welfare.

At this point, though, Gerry asked that instead of talking about his experiences on welfare, he thought this blog post should be about starting a new organization to advocate for reform of the social assistance system. He suggested that it would take a generous investment of at least 1million dollars or more, to start an organization to replace what we once had, or to start a union of people living in poverty.

https://community.umsystem.edu/tags/division-of-diversity-and-inclusion/

During the interview, Gerry told me, that one thing he has learned about in his whole life is the ins and outs of getting a business started. He has family members who supported him for a long time who are very business driven people. Also Gerry believes that everything you do in life is a learning experience. Starting something, such as a Union of People Living in Poverty, keeping in mind the complex issues that people in poverty experience, will not be easy. Gerry mentioned this article that points out some specific parts of the business case for this need.

If you were to look at the article just linked above you will find details are illustrated like:

• Sometimes people do not understand why it is difficult for people living in poverty to make social contacts.

• If people in poverty could organize something like a union or organization, things would be somewhat better for them.

• A union in general does advocate for greater equality as well as higher wages.

The statements above only explains a small part of the business case for a Union of people living in poverty, and what we hope it could be.

First – Allow me to explain why would need one million dollars. People living in poverty have a wide range of different stories and different experiences created their current situations. As supporters of this idea we hsave to ask ourselves -- where would money come from to pay the operating cost that are involved with running a union/organization? If you look at unions like NSGEU or CUPE, both of whom are major Unions who represents workers.  They get their money from the members paying their union dues, which are usually deducted directly from their pay. This brings the income into the organization. As I have talked about time and time again, the current standard household rate is $950.00 a month for people on Income Assistance. After rent and bills are paid there is next to nothing left and this means income Assistance recipients cannot afford to pay “Dues.” The Employment Support and Income Assistance (ESIA) polices do not allow IA caseworkers to cover social activities or groups that have registration fees as a special need, meaning that such a fee would be covcered for an income assistance recipient.

Second – A union of people living poverty could advocate for more money to live on. To lesson the burden on soup kitchens and food banks. 

 

 

At this point, Gerry brought to my attention, that he has family members and friends, who also follow my work, and share the same view of the need to start a new group. Even though Gerry has never been to a meeting of BRAG himself, he has been to BRAG events and admired the work that BRAG was doing. He also followed BRAG on social media and was saddened to hear that the group had shut down. He wanted to talk to me about the idea of getting this union of people started, because he agrees that the voice, BRAG once provided, is needed in this community.

I agree with Gerry that a million dollar investment to start an organization is what is really needed. We both feel that what is really needed is to have three people start off creating the union by hiring them to work on the business plan as a paid position. But without access to investment money upfront, where does money to pay these people come from? The idea is while one person is sitting in the office doing Admin work, the other two go out into the community and visit places like Souls Harbour, Brunswick Street Mission, Hope Cottage, The Saint Mary’s Basilica Drop-in, Feeding Others of Dartmouth, the Dartmouth North Grove, and CMHA Halifax/Dartmouth Branch, for the purpose of introducing themselves as people who lived the situation, and who will not be, nor tolerate, believers in stigma against welfare recipients. Maybe as this work goes on, some more could volunteer and join their team of 2 people. According to Gerry, an idea like this could help people living in poverty to stop being scared to come forward about their situations. This would be the best way to get the word out that a Union of People Living in Poverty is getting started. Then we get to work on organizing the first meeting.

Now just to add something of my own to this!

If a Union of People Living in Poverty already existed, there is so much going on these days that this type of organization could be involved in/show support for:

First, we continue to have a growing population of homeless people in Halifax. Even though community members have stepped up during the existence of People’s Park and the community seems to be showing more respect towards our homeless population these days, an organization needs to exist to ensure that First Voice voices are as strong as could be in the community.

Second, with the Federal Government currently working on the Disability Benefit, the union (or other named org) could get that clear message of support for such legislation, to Ottawa from Nova Scotia. With a well funded organization, money could have been found to send persons with disabilities to Ottawa to be part of the Advocacy around this bill.

Third, with Christmas coming the union/organization could do it’s part in making sure that People living in poverty are going make it through the holidays as I wrote about recently, here.

Fourth, with Province House in session, the past few weeks, an anti-poverty protest could have been organized during this current sitting.

And those are just 4 major examples but the list goes on.

And the list goes on!