By Maeve McGoldrick
We at Community Links, are members of the End Child Poverty coalition. Tomorrow we are are putting forward three of our finest to meet with government at 10 Downing Street. The coalition is calling government to step up the pace and keep to their promise to end child poverty. Three children from Community Links’ Arc in the Park open access childcare will be delivering many thousands of signatures on a petition in the shape of a birthday cake to mark the tenth anniversary of the government’s commitment to eradicate child poverty here in the UK. Free open access play schemes reach the children who need it most - it’s appropriate they play an important part in this campaign.
UNICEF and End Child Poverty have asked children from Community Links to do the handover - we have a strong belief that those who experience a problem understand it best. Tomorrow three local children - regularly users of our young people’s services - will be taking the issues that come through our doors here in Newham to the doorstep of No.10 Downing Street.
Here in Newham 55% of children live in poverty, unemployment is double the average of the rest of England and almost a quarter of the population have no qualifications. Community Links has over 60 community projects which empower individuals and communities to build their own ladders out of poverty – and towards a brighter future.
At Community Links we have researched the impact of poverty on local children and published our recomendations for change … we’ll continue to address child poverty by both providing direct services locally and campaigning for change nationally.
We wish the kids the best of luck for tomorrow and a big well done for being so brave and inspiring to us all! Look out for news and updates later this week.
I asked local Community links staff what they think is needed to end child poverty here in Newham and this is what some of them said:
“I think to reduce poverty in Newham Government needs to…..
- change the way means tested benefits are calculated to enable people to work a few hours and keep the money because taking any income away from means tested benefit prohibits people from getting back into the work place a couple of hours per week, increasing child poverty….
- ensure access to really affordable and decent housing because that is the basis that individuals and families need if they are to work towards building a more secure life that isn’t blighted by or threatened by poverty. …..
- change the benefit rules because short term work is available but it’s too difficult and too much of a risk to come off benefits….
- For me it’s “the housing and unemployment benefit system” because “it traps people out of work….
- Changes in local flexible, affordable childcare because this can stop parents from going to work if they wish to…..
- change our attitudes and behaviour towards people claiming welfare benefits because we currently stigmatise, harass and blame them for not being employed and for being poor…
- change the way those in poverty perceive themselves, because without the belief to change, contribute and achieve they will forever believe that poverty is all there is…..
- stop the temporary rents being over £300 a week because it is stopping people going to work because they cannot afford to spend all there wages in rent….
- raise the levels of child benefit because it is the most efficient way of getting well needed resources directly into people’s pockets…..”
What do you think would make a difference to families experiencing poverty? Leave a comment below with your thoughts.
