national work
Listening Events
Community Links and our partner Church Action on Poverty are working with community organisations around the country to hold “Listening Events” focusing on issues around working-age poverty. These events have brought together people with direct experience of poverty and to uncover some of the issues and myths around work and poverty in their area.
We will be posting ideas and suggestions taken from these events and invite you to join the discussion and add your comments.
Here is some feedback from some of the events that have already happened
Women Connect First, Cardiff Listening Event June 2010
“Last week I was meant to go to college but couldn’t afford the childcare. I was asked for £160 deposit, where am I going to find this?”
“I worked as a machinist for 20 years but had to give up work to look after my mother. Despite working for many years I have received a letter to say that I don’t have enough NI Credits to get a full state pension.”
“People need a DECENT wage, not one that is made up of benefits, there needs to be an increase in the level of the minimum wage.”
“Asylum seekers should be allowed to work, they can’t survive on £30 per week. By them working it would help them integrate more and learn English. Asylum seekers may wait six to seven years before getting permission to stay, because of this asylum seekers are forced into working illegally.”
“I am working two nights a week, because of this my children have lost their entitlements to free school meals.”
“I have been living here now for ten years and me and my children have to rely on money sent to me from my family in Nigeria to survive.”
North Derbyshire Carers Form Listening Event: Listening Event, June 2010
'I was moved by the need to dispel the myths and policies that affect people and decided to host a Listening Campaign aimed at carers of people who experience/have experienced working age poverty.'
Rob Hanlon from North Derbyshire Carers Forum got involved in the Listening Campaign with Community Links.
ATD Fourth World: Listening Event, May 2010
The main points that came out of our listening campaign were the extraordinarily complex nature of UK poverty, the lack of understanding that those living in poverty perceived in the attitudes of policy-makers and the general public and their determination to do something to change this situation.
This last point is perhaps surprising – the group that took part was made up of 18-30 year olds, an age bracket commonly portrayed as politically and socially apathetic. Discussing working age poverty with these young people showed how wrong this is. Their responses were impassioned, constructive and rooted in their day-to-day experiences.
The participants in the workshop all cited public attitudes towards young people living in poverty as having a major impact on them. They felt they were seen as more likely to engage in criminal activity, whether theft, benefit fraud, drug dealing or vandalism. Most people saw this as a consequence of media portrayals of all young poor people as ‘chavs’ and ‘hoodies’. The group felt such stereotypes often undermined the many constructive roles they played in their communities.
People suggested an end to the DWP’s aggressive benefit fraud campaigns. They also felt that something needed to be done to counteract media stereotyping of jobseekers – a campaign focused on the positive role many of them play in their communities and families as volunteers and carers. They also felt that more people needed to know thereal amounts of JSA and ESA payments, so the public could be made to understand that they lived on very small budgets.
Let us know what you think about the ideas and suggestions that have been uncovered in our listening events. If your community organisation would like to run an event please contact Gary Blake 020 7473 9663.