By Kendall Worth
This story is about Travis (as usual) not his real name. I want to remind people that the reason for use of Fake Names when it comes to direct First Voice stories is for the purpose of protecting the person’ privacy and helping them avoid stigma.
I want to start this post off by giving you a reminder of why these First Voice stories are important. Please scroll through the articles in this link, to See direct First Voice Stories. I am giving this reminder since most of my recent posts have been reporting on the Tim Houston Government cuts, and people impacted by them. I have also written quite extensively about my ideas around social prescribing.
This current post here is yet another example of First Voice stories. These first voice stories are important because this type of story reportson the lived experiences of people who:
Live on little, as this BLOG post talks about -- the “Standard Household Rate” $1022 or less Depending on Circumstances. And, as this post points out -- people have, over the years lived the history of even lower rates, historically. This post expands on how living the overall Employment Support and Income Assistance (ESIA – N.S. “welfare system”) effects their mental health.
Live the experience of dependence on Food Banks and Soup-kitchens not only to get food, but to get out and have a life. As this BLOG post points out. However, if you look at this post, you will see there are some exceptions to that. Every Situation is Different!
And if you look through the various posts you will see by following this link, there are various mental health issues that are caused by living the Bureaucratic Nonsense and systematic problems within aspects and policies throughout the system.
Travis who I am reporting on in this BLOG is an example of all of the above!
Travis Gets the $1022 Standard Household Rate, plus the $324.00 Disability Supplement = $1346.00. He is lucky to live in a place where his rent is only $600.00 a month with power Included. He was told that he did not qualify for a rental subsidy when he applied. He is currently renting the basement of a home. However in the near Future he may have to move, because the owner of the house is considering selling. Travis is being advised that him living their while while the For Sale is on the house is going to make selling the house easier. The good news for Travis is however, The owner is says he will plan a date, and give Travis “Official notice”. That notice will give Travis three months notice prior to the sale, so he does not have to start looking for a place to live in the very near future.
Once $600.00 is paid for rent = $1346-$600=$746.00. Having that much left may sound like a sweet deal, but really it is not.
First His Income assistance Case Worker will not qualify him for the $40.00 Special Needs Telephone Allowance. This is because the people who he rents the Basement Apartment from allows him access to their phone. He has a cell phone so people can get a hold of him during the day time. His Cell phone is $79.99 a month. So With Subtracting $79.99 from $746.00 That = $666.01 left over per month.
Then, there is a once a month $20.00 cab ride to get his groceries home from the grocery store. So with subtracting $20.00 from $666.01 that = $646.01.
Then with the Remaining $646.00 and considering the way inflation is these days, what he spends on groceries, supplies for his cat, (His Cat is something he is going to have to get rid of it when he does get that official 3 month notice in preparation of the possibility that he may become homeless after moving) and personal hygiene products. All of that eats up 90% of his the remaining $646.00. So $646.00 times 90% = $581.40 spent. So with subtracting $581.40 from $646.00 that = $65.00 left.
With his remaining $65.00, He has a coffee out with his one and only friend once a week and on one day per month he has a full day of medical appointments at the Hospital. So he treats himself to lunch on that day.
While getting to know Travis it turns out that Travis and BOB who is featured in this post have something in common. What they have in common is that both Bob and Travis consider themselves a split between the 20% Lucky Income Assistance recipients and the 80% not so lucky Income Assistance recipients, which I have explained many times before. For a clear picture about this concept – see this post. Anyway, Travis has at last one friend in his personal life who does check in on him, and meets for coffee once a week.
Beyond the financial struggles, Travis faces another challenge that some income assistance recipients experience - but maybe only a rare few. Despite having no recent incidents, Travis often finds himself subject to scrutiny, due to what others perceive as "inappropriate body language." As discussed in https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/search/label/inappropriate%20body%20language and illustrated in https://nsadvocate.org/2017/03/06/kendall-worth-on-fidgeting-talking-to-yourself-and-other-involuntary-body-behaviours/ such involuntary behaviours—like fidgeting or talking to oneself—are natural human responses often misunderstood or misread. Scientifically, these movements can be linked to neurological or psychological conditions, or simply stress and anxiety, which affect body language unconsciously. Unfortunately, this misunderstanding results in Travis being approached by private security guards and treated as if he were a criminal, especially on Income Assistance cheque days, due solely to complaints about the discomfort his body language supposedly causes to others.
This issue is far from isolated and is deeply connected to the realities of living in poverty and its impact on mental health. For individuals like Travis, who may have invisible disabilities, being constantly scrutinized and judged for natural body behaviours exacerbates stress, anxiety, and feelings of alienation. This ongoing stigma affects their mental well-being and sense of security. As I explained here, Travis sought a letter from his doctor to explain how these encounters harm his mental health, but after careful consideration, his doctor declined. This situation highlights how society’s misunderstanding of involuntary body language not only criminalizes vulnerable individuals but also overlooks the broader mental health implications tied to poverty and social marginalization.
I will end this by saying We need to find Solutions for mental health and Poverty. It is Stories like Travis and other First Voice stories that prove what and Why.
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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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