First Poverty Truth Conversation of 2013

 

On Friday 25 January 2013 people from all walks of life met in the Gorbals Parish Church for a conversation about life and poverty. The event, organised by the Poverty Truth Commission (PTC), is the first in a series of 6 ‘Poverty Truth Conversations’ seeking to bring together key decision makers and public figures with people who have experienced social and economic deprivation. The aim is to enlighten and allow those who have felt marginalised to tell their story about what life is like in poverty in 21^st century Scotland. However, in addition to this, the conversations are about establishing relationships and building friendships which, due to artificial social and economic barriers, do not usually have the chance to develop.

Martin Johnstone, the Secretary of the Commission, introduced the event by reminding the audience that although Scotland in many ways has made large advances in the battle against poverty, there still remains many concentrated pockets of deprivation, particularly in Glasgow. Although some innovative strategies have been developed which have achieved partial success, we still overlook a key ingredient in our approach to tackling poverty. Those with the experience of the struggle, Martin highlighted, have rarely been at the table.

A key goal of the series of conversations is to break down the formal character usually prevalent in meetings and discussions about poverty. This was helped in no small measure by comedy from Blair Green, one of the PTC’s original commissioners. After just scraping past the PTC censor, Blair covered a range of topical issues from horsemeat to coverage of poverty in some newspapers. Intermingled in this, however, was the serious note that without comedy, Blair would have struggled to survive the despair of poverty.

Then followed a presentation from two long-standing PTC commissioners: Anne Marie Pfeffer (Buttle UK) and Donna Barrowcliffe. They talked of their positive experiences working with the Commission through developing positive human relationships between the marginalised and the powerful. Donna talked of the incredible reactions she has had from civil servants when telling them her story. She also talked of how, before participating in the PTC, she felt that her voice had never been heard. Anne Marie and Donna also showed how their speaking out had not only brought tangible success it had also brought the two of them closer and they have developed a strong and lasting friendship.

After that Elaine Downie of the PTC was in her element as the post-it notes were out and the audience were invited to become active participants, mingling with each other and telling their story of why they had come along. A variety of responses were produced, from specific policy issues such as kinship care and the living wage, to more general themes such as overcoming obstacles, establishing relationships and seeing how the work of the PTC will continue into the future. A similar exercise was then carried out asking what area of concern the audience would like the Commission to address. This generated interesting and diverse answers with many raising ideas such as child poverty, the vilification of those in poverty by the media, local empowerment and enabling the marginalised to have their voice rightly heard.

Then followed a film interview with Mari telling of her struggle to survive on the minimum wage whilst providing for her child. The film was introduced by Marie McCormack who talked of the difficulties in interacting with the job centre. In the film, Mari talked of her love for her job and her commitment to it but how she has received only the national minimum wage for 6 years and this has barely been enough to survive on. She has had to really on a caring network of family and friends in order to provide for her child. In a very matter of fact and modest manner she talked of the great personal sacrifices to ensure that her child did not go without.

A dynamic discussion then followed centred around the issues raised in the film. Fred, Mari’s brother in-law, spoke at length about how she was encouraged by the department of work and pensions to return to work but how she now feels trapped. Blair picked up on this point, saying he feels the Job Centre has lost its way and is now driven by statistics and not by treating the individuals they deal with as human beings. A good point was raised by Andrea Williamson, of GP’s at the Deep End, when she said the state is failing to realise the interconnectedness of the problem and how it seems to just shift the problem from one state department to another. The importance of early years development of a child was also addressed, with many crucial elements of this commented on, such as rising child care costs and poor provision for kinship carers. Welfare reform was also discussed with Jim McCormack from the JosephRowntree Foundation stating that we need a different way of looking at its role in society.

To round off the event was the first PTC film of 2013, a Dickenzian Tale of the two sides of Glasgow. This was a music video by the hip hop artist and new commissioner Ayesha Khan (also known as Deva One), expertly filmed by Elaine. ‘We’ve forgotten who we are’ she sang as she raised themes of the stark disparities in quality of life between those born in the deprived areas and the expensive areas of Glasgow. Ayesha herself has lived in a variety of different parts in Glasgow and has worked with Volition Scotland which tackles the alienation felt by many youngsters in deprived areas and seeks to steer them away from violence and find expression through music and other art forms.

Just before the audience departed Martin left them one challenge: to find another person in the room to arrange to meet up with independently of the commission. This was enthusiastically received by the audience as they quickly sought to build relationships and further the discussions of the day.

The Poverty Truth Commission would very much like to thank the commissioners old and new for their attendance and the enthusiasm which they brought to the event. The PTC is eagerly anticipating the next meeting on Friday, March 22.

Click here to view Ayesha's video

Kinship Carers take their campaign for a fairer deal to Scottish Parliament

Yesterday Kinship Carers from across Scotland visited the Scottish Parliament to raise awareness of their campaign for a fairer deal. The event was hosted by Johann Lamont MSP and organised by The Scottish Kinship Alliance, the Poverty Truth Commission and the Family Addiction Support Service. The event included a play named 'Chap at the Door' which tells the true story of the hardships faced by Kinship Carers in Scotland.

According to official figures, Kinship Carers are currently looking after at least 10,742 of Scotland's most disadvantaged children. A 2011 survey by Buttle UK, however, estimated that there are more than 60,000 children in kinship care.  Kinship Carers are family members, often grandparents, who have become the primary carers because of parental drug or alcohol abuse, neglect or bereavement. Using the official figures of 10,742 kinship children, Kinship Carers are currently saving the government £176 million per year by keeping children out of foster and residential care and with their families where they are happiest.

Despite this huge saving for the public purse, kinship carers continue to face significant disparities across different local authorities and with other similar carers, such as foster carers. A Kinship Carer in Glasgow describes his situation: ‘I became a kinship carer 11 years ago when my wife and I brought our granddaughter home from hospital to care for her in only the clothes she was wrapped in. We had both retired and had no money to fall back on and nobody to help us.’ The Children and Young People Bill currently passing through Holyrood proposes to address some of the shortcomings in the current support provided but without effective resources real change is unlikely.

The event attracted coverage by both the STV news and the Glasgow Evening Times.

Martin Johnstone, secretary for the Poverty Truth Commission’s secretary commented, ‘Some progress has been made over the last five years but it is not enough – and it is not nearly quickly enough. We need to move from warm words to real action in order to ensure that this group of children, and their carers, get the support they need and deserve. Kinship Carers need to be listened to and what they have to say needs to be acted upon.’

 ‘With the proposed benefit cuts and the independence referendum hitting the headlines daily, the issue of what sort of society Scotland wants is now more important than ever. Thursday’s event will highlight, once again, the wonderful work Scotland’s Kinship Carers do as well as highlighting the on-going need for change.’

Thursday’s event was an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the vital role of Kinship Carers and thanks are given to the MSP's that attended.

Here we are again, Christmas round the corner

One of our new Commissioners, Fred, shares some of his thoughts about Christmas...

 

"Here we are again, Christmas round the corner, kids holidays looming, demanding more by each advert that they see. So where does this leave many families. Some are organised and all set for the big day, however these days there are sadly more who are not.

The working family face the same challenges faced by the unemployed and low income alike.

These problems escalate in number of different ways, struggling to perhaps pay the mortgage/rent, we choose to perhaps delay December's payment, gives us the money to buy the kids there toys.

How much is required, how long is a piece of string.

If we look at this in deeper scenarios it can paint a dark time ahead. The parents argue over money, leading to anything from the kids being upset to see this and feeling guilty and stressed, to violence or even broken relationship. If these kids are of teenage years, they may choose to spend time outside with similar kids in same position, this can lead to these same kids being involved in anything to “get away from it all”  Alcohol? Drugs?

The low income families suffer severely at these times, faced with a lot if difficult choices, just to pay for one day of celebration. Why? Christmas is so now commercialised it's not Christmas, it's a time of struggle which can lead into the preceding months of January through to March or beyond just to find a balance again in the home.

Perhaps we really should be teaching our children the true meaning of Christmas, a poor family arrive at a stable, Jesus was born, three wise men give one gift each, and it is this event that we should be celebrating, then our children won't be faced with the same financial problem caused by us and the commercialised  Christmas.."

'What if we were to do this in my city?'

Recently Martin Johnstone, the secretary of the Poverty Truth Commission, was invited to visit Leeds to discuss the possibility of Leeds doing something similar to the Commission in that city. Andrew Grinnell from Leeds shares his thoughts about how the process could be used there:

"I first heard about the Poverty Truth Commission in a meeting for a charity I used to be a trustee for. Just as we were about to start the meeting a fellow trustee thrust a copy of the commission’s findings into my hand and one quick glance through got me asking 'what if we were to do this in my city of Leeds?' There was something about the approach that caught my imagination. By valuing the opinions of those who were directly facing poverty it enabled them to articulate the issues as they saw them and built dignity as they testified as to how this had impacted their lives. Whilst at the same time it allowed decision makers the opportunity to look at the issues from a different angle, to build relationship with people who were affected by their decisions and to collaborate with them on effective responses to poverty.

From my experiences of Leeds it seemed like an appropriate way of discovering a meaningful response to the wide levels of inequality within the city. I’ve listened to people in my neighbourhood who have many opinions about how things need to change but struggle to know how to make them heard. I’ve listened to council workers and officials who desperately want to increase the positive impacts they are having upon the city but don’t quite know how best to work with local people. I’ve seen how businesses within the city want to bring positive and lasting change not only for the good of their business but also for the cities residents. Our hope in Leeds that as we move from asking ‘what if we did a poverty truth commission’ to ‘what are we discovering about poverty through this challenge’ is that as people from all sectors encounter one another, deep and lasting responses to the poverty we face may be found."

The Poverty Truth Commission will continue to support those in Leeds to take up this piece of work.

Members of our Mentoring Scheme meet to review the pilot

 

 

Earlier this week people who have experience of living in poverty and civil servants from policy areas that deal with Community Justice, Public Health and Public Service reform met together to evaluate and review a mentoring scheme which they have been involved in over the last 6 months.

People from both groups were paired together and have been meeting together regularly both in local communities and in Government offices to talk about each other’s lives and work. The meeting this week was a chance to reflect on the time that those involved took out of their busy lives to get to know more about each other. The initial aim for the scheme was that the pairings would meet 6 times over 6 months which was difficult in practise but was a good aim.

The group thought that the process had helped them to get to know someone new and that real relationships developed with real people which otherwise they might not have met. The process purposely did not have a set agenda, only a sheet of suggestions of where to meet and ideas that they could consider. This worked well for those involved, allowing them to find a way of meeting which suited them. There was also a consensus that it was good to meet each other in their ‘home’ patch which also gave those involved a chance to meet other people from communities or colleagues. Being introduced to folk by local people made a big difference to the relationships formed.

Liz* and Julie* were both very nervous in the lead up to their first meeting however once they got to know one another this changed. In their meetings they went on walkabout tours, visited Bridging the Gap (a drop in which Liz is involved in), visited the Government offices in Edinburgh and met with the Ministers private secretary and local community police. Liz was challenged by the way Julie worked and meeting with her regularly helped her feel much more confident and connected to the political process. Julie very much appreciated the opportunity to get to know people as herself rather than as a civil servant and welcomed the chance to learn by getting a feel for things rather than through research.

There has been much to take away from the process:

• Learning, about how Government works and that civil servants are people and approachable;
• Confidence;
• A reminder that society is made up of individuals and the policies made in Government impacts on those individuals;
• and how important it is not just to spend time behind a desk, but to broaden horizons by meeting with people directly.

Isabelle* from the PTC, who was involved in the scheme, said “I got involved as the idea of it sounded good. I liked the chance to work with civil servants rather than MSPs; the people that write the policies and don’t just want your vote. Being involved has helped me to meet someone new that has a different outlook on life and made me think more about the pressures civil servants go through. I hope to continue friendship we have formed.”

A number of recommendations were made and it is hoped that another group of people will undertake the scheme in the New Year.

*Names have been changed.

 

Commissioners share their experiences of the Poverty Truth Commission with the Scottish Leaders Forum

 

It was heartening that the Scottish Leaders Forum decided to devote one of its conferences to "Supporting resilient communities" and the Poverty Truth Commission were very happy to be invited to be a part of the event.  The audience comprised of chief executives from local government, top civil servants and leaders of major charities and government agencies.  Over two workshops we addressed some 50 delegates stimulating lively discussion at each session.

Commissioner Anne Marie Peffer, from Buttle UK, spoke with great panache and humour introducing the work of of the Poverty Truth Commission, highlighting achievements and future challenges in work with the media, reducing crime, kinship care and empowering people in poverty to get into direct discussion with politicians, top officials and policy makers. Fellow commissioner Jean Forrester moved the workshops with her personal account of being a kinship carer and the work she is doing to obtain proper recognition for the job they do. Another commissioner, Ghazala Hakeem, spoke about her work on behalf of the Commission, how it had developed her confidence all round and especially in her ability to influence change. Finally commissioner Bob Winter, former Lord Provost of Glasgow City Council, wound up by linking what had been said to the wider subject of the conference. Bob commented "It was clear from questions discussion and comments after the workshop that we had made a considerable impact." 

 

About her experiences of being a part of the event Anne Marie commented "it was a real pleasure to work with colleagues Bob, Ghazala and Jean again.  On this occasion quite a few of the audience had actually heard of the Poverty Truth Commission, but had not experienced the powerful presentations such as those made by Jean and Ghazala. Once again, the "truth" about poverty made a big impact and people were clearly moved.  Discussion was to the point and constructive.  I am always surprised at the number of service providers who have never considered involving service users in the planning of those services and was glad to note that a number of those present will now be reconsidering their strategy."

Ghazala commented "The Scottish Leaders Forum was an exciting and inspiring event for both the PTC commissioners and the attending delegates. The delegates were interested and positive about our presentation. Many approached us at the end to invite us to their respective organisation to speak to their staff. It is crucial for those who are experiencing poverty to be acknowledged and hears. As Nothing About Us, Without Us, Is For Us."

The workshops led by our commissioners had great feedback and in a letter of thanks Sir Peter Housden, Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Government, commented "Your workshop in particular was commended for the speakers’ amazingly powerful presentations. You completely captured the reality of community empowerment and co-production with lessons on how to engage those communities and get the best from people who already want to be the solution as well as from those who may previously have felt they had nothing to give."

They Should Listen To Us

 

This film was created for Includem's staff conference in September 2012 as part of their commitment to listening to young people and incorporating their views into the provision of our service.

 

The film allows young people from Glasgow to share what would make their life better.