Poverty and in turn solutions to end poverty impacts are different based on where they live and social location
Creating the future we all deserve: A social policy framework for Nova Scotia
We have to begin at addressing the root causes of poverty.
But what are they?
Inadequate Welfare Income
Holes in
Social Safety Net
Discriminatory Barriers to Employment
The essence of social justice is the equality nature established among men and the inequality they have facilitated among themselves.
-Thomas Sowell
How do we assure that we are truly breaking the cycle?
In contrast, research from both New Zealand and the child poverty report from Nova Scotia indicates that social safety nets are broken. Services intended to help individuals are more of a hindrance than a help, which leads to a never-ending cycle of poverty around the world. This further emphasizes the need for intersectoral action that addresses poverty, its indicators, and risk factors. Once these are addressed and the services are in a position where they are truly helping, then we can truly break the cycle of poverty.
Because the service landscape through which vulnerable young people must navigate is experienced as a “patchwork of organizations” that often lacks coherence, coverage and consistency (Ungar, Liebenberg, Dudding, Armstrong, & Van de Vijver, 2013 p. 151)
The social contract is broken. Thousands of children are falling through the holes in our social safety net. Poverty is one such hole that impedes the rights of parents to raise children in safe and healthy conditions and harms children’s ability to grow up healthy and to develop their potential towards full participation in society. (Frank,2024)
The key is to create public policy through collaborative decision making rooted in an intersectoral lenses.
Centering the wellbeing of children and youth is key.
Child Poverty
In 2018 it was stated
Lifting children out of poverty is a top priority.
Evidence shows that children who grow up in poverty are more likely to remain poor as they age.
It is said that 1 in 5 children in Nova Scotia live in poverty, a statistic presented by Leslie Frank in 2024. Looking at the numbers, it is just that number. In the above picture you see five pairs of little feet. Based on the statistics presented by Leslie Frank, 1 set of those feet lives in poverty. So, who is it? Is it this statistic guaranteed to happen?
Who decides what child doesn't have access to enough food.
How can we change this?
Changing the narrative
Transgenerational Transmission are you more than what you hear?
Our world can impact us in many ways, good or bad.
Understanding the ways we pass things to the next generation is important. If we want to enrich transmission of humane, compassionate values, beliefs and practices, and minimize the transmission of hateful destructive beliefs. We need to be very mindful of what we're exposing our children to generational transmission of bias can be disrupted (Perry, Winfrey,2021)
Positive Youth Development theory
The Canadian Poverty Reduction Report States, "Meeting the vital needs of children and youth is particularly important because the impacts of experiencing poverty as a child can continue throughout a person’s life."(Government of Canada, 2024) Our understanding of how to best support young people is also informed by international research.
A significant longitudinal study conducted in New Zealand demonstrated that employing positive youth development practices leads to improved outcomes for young people.
What exactly does "Positive Youth Development" entail? It's an approach centered on fostering the "Big Three" developmental assets in youth.
What are the big 3
The Development of life skills
Opportunities for Youth Engagement and Empowerment
Positive and Sustained Relationships with competent caring Adults
Instead of viewing young people through a deficit lens, as if they are somehow broken, we recognize their inherent potential and focus on equipping them with the necessary skills to thrive. This strength-based perspective is crucial for building a brighter future for all.
(Saunders,2017)
