Editor:
As a co-researcher and major contributor to the Poverty Reduction Strategy Framework report, I fully agree with John Gleeson’s assertion (Editorial, July 16) that Sunshine Coast residents are generous when it comes to responding to calls for donations to community services for those in need, such as the food bank or the SCCSS’s housing project for women and children. However, these calls rely on a charity model of support, and the purpose of our project was to move beyond charity to examine systemic factors that contribute to poverty and suggest how those might be altered in ways that reduce the incidence of poverty in the first place. Part of that process involves understanding and thinking about poverty in a different way, and the short stand-alone document, The Poverty Lens, provides an accessible starting place for individuals, organizations and local governments to begin that shift. It is available in print from the SC Resource Centre and online at https://resourcecentre.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Strategic-Framework-for-Poverty-Reduction-Poverty-Lens-Web.pdf and also as an appendix in the full report.
There is no simple fix for poverty, of course, as there are many factors that come into play. And certainly, informal community actions that model inclusion and care play an important role. But bringing local governments and community organizations together to strategize and coordinate their actions is also a necessity. The Poverty Lens can help focus the discussion at many levels – recommended reading!
Pat Feindel, PhD, Wilson Creek