Day 14: Guest speaker on poverty and homelessness

Mental health and vulnerable students

Asking some difficult questions:

• Impact of poverty
• Myths and held beliefs/Stigma
• Effects on Children and Families
• The role of mental illness and trauma
• How to help

Our beliefs about poverty, homelessness and mental illness create our attitude toward those who struggle with these issues. Society often has an "us and them" approach to social issues....it doesn't affect me, and I'm not like them.  Stigma reinforces attitudes that may prevent change form happening.  

What are social determinants of health.  Multiple factors contribute to health and socio economic status (SES).  

Activity: stepping into someone else's shoes.  Looking at identity.  What factors contributed to higher health and SES.  CLICK to access the document

Power and privilege.  

Who does poverty affect?

Marginalized groups (ex. person with disabilities, single mothers, Aboriginals, etc)

Children living in poverty (usually becomes intergenerational)

15% of people with disabilities live in poverty, 59% of which are women.  People living with disabilities are twice as likely to live below the poverty line.  Homeless individuals likely have a mental disability (estimated 45%).

Indigenous Peoples: In 2014, 64.1% of food bank users were Indigenous Persons.  Aboriginal peoples are over represented amongst the homeless population in virtually all urban centres in Canada.  1 in 2 Status First Nations children lives in poverty.  

Minority groups: 1 in 5 minority families live in poverty in Canada as poised to 1 in 20 non-minority families

Elderly: Nearly 15% of elderly single individuals live in poverty

Contributing factors: Cost of living in the Lower mainland.  Mental Health.  Addiction.

CLICK to watch the COST OF POVERTY IN BC

The working poor.  

Mental health continuum.  CLICK to see

Supports available: Health care system.  Government supports.  Education

Conversation Cafe:

• Is poverty inevitable in society?  If you are born into poverty what needs to happen to break that cycle?
• What can we do about poverty and homelessness in Richmond?  BC?  Canada?
• What is the role of advocacy in supporting those who struggle with mental health and poverty issues?
• How has stigma kept us from working for change?  Think about your attitudes and held beliefs.