By Kendall Worth
Since my BLOG began in 2021, I have been writing about policy and telling the stories of individual people, and advocating for those experiencing poverty, disability, and mental health issues. Over the past 5 years I have expanded, from reporting directly, and primarily, on the individual stories of people living in poverty in Halifax, into advocating for solutions for those experiencing poverty and mental health issues.
While my blog was progressing, so was, the occasional misunderstanding in the community about my capacity and ability to cover some stories. So, over the past 5 years, I have had to say NO to some of the stories readers contacted me about. Today, I want to provide a description of my focus, and to provide clarity about which First Voice stories I can cover, because just living in poverty or having mental health issues does not mean that I can or will write about your specific circumstance. I also need to protect myself and others from being stigmatized, when folks come forward about their situation.
Please draw your attention to the following if you want me to publish your story on my BLOG.
First and foremost, I have on occasion been asked to do a story which would mean I have to travel to somewhere in N.S. outside Halifax. My advocacy work, including my blog, does not include a budget for travelling. I do not own a vehicle or drive. This is why, as part of the criteria, the story has to be located on an HRM Halifax Transit bus Route.
Second, I cannot take stories over the phone or internet. My own disabilities mean I have to meet you in person.
Third, I cannot take First Voice stories where there are still active court cases happening as part of the person’s situation. Where the story is about an ex-boyfriend or an ex-girlfriend coming after the other parent (meaning whichever parent has custody of the kids), for child support, and especially where MEP is involved. I cannot report on this type of story because these are legal matters and this type of story would take me doing some creative journalism.
Fourth, I am particularly interested in stories in which people are finding ways to improve their lives even while struggling in poverty. For example: they are interested in things like going back to school, actively searching for employment, pursuing volunteer work, or going to mental health support groups. The income assistance recipient expressing interest in these things allow me to share positive vibes in the story.
The impetus for this blog post came after I had a request to cover a story that might be interesting but on which I do not have capacity. Recently, I had a first voice person get in-touch but his story included me having to travel up to Truro to do some major and creative investigating. I am not going to get into any details on what this story was actually about. However it included his case going through the courts, issues with the Maintenance Enforcement Program. (MEP); I worried that he would be stigmatized for some of the details. And as I am pointing out, I have no way to travel to Truro.
There are exceptions. A couple I can note:
1. I will report on cases, after a Caseworker’s Decision get denied through an ESIA Appeal Hearing, and the affected Income Assistance recipient is pursuing it to the Supreme Court.
2. There have been times when I have been asked to report on loneliness as I did here, and that this article expands on. This is a big issue and the one that matters to me and that I talk about extensively as no community solutions are forthcoming. See https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/search/label/social%20isolationere for where I continue to talk about Social Isolation on my BLOG. See: https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/search/label/social%20prescription and here https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/search/label/social%20prescribing where I talk about the solutions on my BLOG.
Ok, Now I need to address something-else regarding what I cannot report on in my BLOG. Occasionally I have gotten asked to report on stories where people trying to repair friendships have got into trouble by contacting folks who did not want to hear from them and got into trouble trouble with the law for Criminal Harassment. I do not report on these stories while people are facing charges.
Finally, I do not mind doing stories on single parents for my BLOG, as long as these stories do not include fighting a battle in court for child support, or involve MEP. I just do not have the resources to do the kind of investigative journalism required to accurately report on a story involving legal matters. Otherwise the Criteria for my First Voice Stories, has to be that the story can be connected to the solutions I am advocating for --- it is what will solve the problems they are having in Day-to-day life.
The type of First Voice stories I am interested are:
Stories about what it is like to live on the $1023 Standard House Hold rate through income assistance.
Stories on how living on the historically low income assistance rates have impacted you.
Stories about the impact of living with Mental Health issues, and living in poverty, has affected your life.
Stories where any one of the solutions I have been advocating for - A Social Prescribing Organization, Basic Guaranteed Annual Income and improving access to the Career Seek program – could make a positive impact on your life.
Another issue, I have dealt with and will continue to report on, because of the connection to mental well being, is Inapproporiate Body language and how that is dealt with by law enforcement officials., I will continue to report on this moving forward.
I do report on the Homeless situation, the housing market and the need for affordable housing in Halifax, and I will continue to do so.
And I am open to new ideas as long as they are positive.
I will leave this here!
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Kendall Worth is an award-winning anti-poverty activist who lives with disabilities and tries to make ends meet on income assistance.
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