By Kendall Worth
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| https://nsaccw.org/ |
I have been talking about social prescribing and setting up a program in Halifax that would include some way of helping people socialize and make friends. But there are a variety of problems related to making friends and keeping them that I have been thinking about. Wouldn’t it be a great idea if Shauna, Nate, Sasha, and Mike (click here for Part I where they are introduced) are standing line at the foodbank or waiting for a free meal:
In Shauna’s Case – What if their were 3, 4, or 5 other people also standing in line at that same food-bank or eating their meal at the soup kitchen/drop-in, also interested in wanting to do things like make crafts and share baking days?
In Nates Case - What if their were other people standing in line at that same food-bank or eating their meal at the soup-kitchen/Drop-in, who would be interested in also gathering in someones apartment to watch a game?
Too bad their was no way we could link these individuals with those with the same interests, looking for friends, that would make new friendships for Shauna and Nate.
However for Sasha and Mike, finding them friends through who can afford to go to the movies would be a bit trickier. Most people on income assistance or standing in line at food banks and soup kitchens do not have the funds to go to a movie. However maybe a Social Prescription Organization can access funding to organization a group of people to go see a movie once in a while.
One person who I am in talks about getting this organization going here in Halifax, recently forwarded me this link and suggested to me that referrals from social prescription could be to all sorts of programs – like many included in the link. Even though this link talks about a program/organization aimed toward those on the Autism Spectrum, this is a wide range of support services for all the clients that this organization serves.
Some, who are part of the community of people I advocate for, are saying they want to see a support group for those have had friendships end, especially when it is about “not respecting boundaries”. They want to see this issue addressed as part of a social prescription program in Halifax. If I have learned anything from the people I have interviewed, I learned that, although I have also had this experience, I am not alone this situation. To help illustrate the whole picture of the problem and the potential solution - I am going to take a moment here to go back to this article from the Nova Scotia Advocate.
From the article:
“When it comes to choosing friends, compassionate, positive and upbeat individuals are the best companions because of their ability to make a positive impact on you. In my personal life this is exactly what I look for in a friendship” Many others who are part of the Community I advocate for agree.
It goes on:
“When friendships end and I tried to find a way to show them that I am upset about losing a friend it only made things worse. I just have to respect their decision”. This is what I myself learned when it happened to me and as time went on, I have learned I am not alone in this situation.
Then the final point of this article is:
“In my experiences boundaries at times during a friendship remain a mystery and are downright difficult to figure out”
That quote really points out the need for this support.
“Knowing your boundaries is important in a good friendship. The one thing you cannot have is a controlling personality as part of a good friendship. In my experiences boundaries at times during a friendship remain a mystery and are downright difficult to figure out”
Then in this article here I explain that people I have interviewed felt it important to talk to me and for me to explain their situation and what happened to them that meant they ended up on welfare.
One specific quote from this article is:
“People tell me, “Kendall, because we have no friends we feel discouraged from wanting to move ahead in life. This is the exact reason as to why some of us social assistance clients are not doing things like going back to school, thinking about getting a job, etc.” “
I have much information about the people I interview, but I always promise anonymity, so often although I have more information about why people ended friendships – I cannot share those details publicly.
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