Youth Pack - Unit 3
Session 3.1
Session Title: What is Poverty
HWB Organiser(s)
- Social Studies
Experiences and Outcomes
SOC 4-16b
Through discussion, I have identified aspects of a social issue to investigate and by gathering information I can assess its impact and the attitudes of the people affected
SOC 4-20a
I can critically examine how some economic factors can influence individuals, businesses or communities
Learning Intentions
- I can discuss and define what poverty is
Resources
- Flip charts/pens
- Agree/disagree display cards
·Handouts:
- Who is in Poverty?
- Definitions of Poverty
- What is a resource?
Activities
What is Poverty?
When you hear the word “poor,” who or what comes to mind?
What does it mean to be poor today?
Is being in Poverty the same and being Poor?
Ask group what they think of when they hear the word ‘poverty’.
Get them to write their thoughts down; create a mind-map; draw a picture; create a word cloud etc.
Ask the groups to share their understanding and ideas with the while group.
What do you think are the causes of Poverty ask group to brainstorm potential causes.
Some of the causes of poverty are:
- Poor paid jobs
- No jobs
- Lack of education
- Poor Health
- Government policy
- War
What problems do poorer people have in their daily lives? List some of the difficulties people face?
Give out Handout Who’s in Poverty? and read out the scenario;
Which of the stories do you think described poverty? Neither, one or both? Explain your answer. Describe the differences between the two stories, Is there any similarities?
The point that separates those in poverty from those who are not will vary depending on how affluent (rich) the society is.
Some people state that poverty can be defined purely in material terms – that poverty consists solely of a lack of material resources. An example might be not having enough money to buy those things believed necessary to have acceptable standard of living.
Others argue that poverty is about more than the lack of material goods. They argue that poverty has multiple dimensions to it. For instance, individuals might not have access to educational opportunities; they might experience unpleasant working conditions or a lack of power over their own lives. This implies that to tackle poverty we must do more than give people money
Give out Hand-out Definitions of poverty and read through the difference definitions.
Discussion
Do these definitions match with yours? Is there anything you disagree with? From the scenarios in Handout 1 who was living in absolute poverty and who was living in relative poverty?
Give out Handout What is a resource and read with group
Beliefs about Poverty
In this activity, you’re going to explore your own beliefs about poverty.
(Note: Post a sign in one corner of the room that says “Strongly agree” and one in the opposite corner that says “Strongly disagree.” Make a line connecting the two corners with tape, chalk or string.)
Think about this statement for a few moments, and then go stand anywhere along the line that shows how strongly you agree or disagree with it.
Read aloud the following statement:
Individuals are responsible for living in poverty. They have no one to blame but themselves.
When everyone is standing on the line, talk with the people nearest you about why you chose that place to stand. Explain to each other your beliefs about who is responsible for poverty
Repeat the same exercise with the following statements;
- Poor people are unmotivated and have weak work ethics.
- Poor parents are uninvolved in their children’s learning, largely because they do not value education.
- Poor people tend to abuse drugs and alcohol
- The Government should help poor people more
- You can’t be in poverty if you have a job
- If you have close family and friends you cannot be poor
- If you don’t have an iphone/ipad latest gadget you are poor
- I know people who are in poverty
After each statement volunteers to explain why they are standing where they are.
Session 3.2
Session Title: Poverty near me
HWB Organiser(s)
Social Studies
Experiences and Outcomes
SOC 4-16b
Through discussion, I have identified aspects of a social issue to investigate and by gathering information I can assess its impact and the attitudes of the people affected
SOC 4-20a
I can critically examine how some economic factors can influence individuals, businesses or communities
Learning outcomes
- I can show and understanding of how poverty can affect people and communities
Resources
- Poverty DVD
- Handout: Poverty near me
Activities
Poverty near me - DVD
Show poverty DVD
Imagine living in a place where you did not have clean water to drink or access to a working toilet. Imagine going to bed hungry each night or not having a comfortable home to sleep in that would protect you from cold, heat, wind, and rain. Imagine not being able to go to school or to even have access to radio, television, telephones, or newspapers. Imagine getting sick and not being able to get the medicine you need or be able to see a doctor or go to a hospital.
Different people have different ideas about what UK poverty is - and some people say that we don’t have child poverty in the UK because you don’t see starving children, or children running around with no shoes, or children who are living on the streets. Poverty is often less visible in the UK than it is in other parts of the world
Poverty in Britain tends to be relative. In 1949, no-one but the very wealthy would have had fitted carpets. In the 1950s, it was normal for people to go to bed in winter in rooms so cold that ice formed on the inside of the glass. Today, we might consider that people who have no heat in their homes or no carpets are poor.
Keith Joseph, 1976, Conservative politician said, ‘There is very little poverty in Britain today’, using an absolute measurement of poverty
Discussion;
- How far can you agree with this statement?
- Who might you consider to be absolutely poor in Britain
- Are there areas in your neighbourhood or town where people are living in poverty?
- What do you notice about these areas?
- What stereotypes do others have about the people in those areas?
- What do you believe is at the centre of the issue of poverty in your town?
The impact of poverty can be hugely significant.
In small groups discuss what do you think are the affects of poverty individuals;
for example;
- Loss of status and income (if the person was previously in employment).
- A decline in self-esteem.
- A decline in personal health.
- A feeling of social exclusion.
Is poverty a problem just for individuals or is it a problem for society?
What are your views?
What are affects on Communities?
For example,
- a wide gap between rich and poor within society can result in social conflict.
- Lots of people on benefits
- Unemployment
- Poor Housing
- Suicide
- Shops closing
- Non engagement in politics etc
In groups discuss three reasons why people find themselves in poverty and explain why it might be difficult for them to get out of this situation.
Give participants Handout Poverty near me and discuss - download here.
Session 3.3
Session Title: Poverty needs v wants
HWB Organiser(s)
Social Studies
Experiences and Outcomes
SOC 4-16b
Through discussion, I have identified aspects of a social issue to investigate and by gathering information I can assess its impact and the attitudes of the people affected
SOC 4-20a
I can critically examine how some economic factors can influence individuals, businesses or communities
Learning outcomes
- I can recognise the difference between needs and wants in relation to poverty
Resources
- · Flipchart/pens
- Handout: Children go without essentials
Activities
In small groups, get the pupils to write a list of the things they think they need (not necessarily material possessions) to lead a happy, healthy life. Still in groups, decide which are the top ten things and write each on a post it note. Then rank the notes in order of importance.
Decide where they would draw a line to separate those that would define them as poor or in poverty if they went without. Bring the participants together as a class and ask each group to bring up and stick on the board their top three labels.
If any are repeated, group them together.
Discuss what they have chosen and if there are any that stand out as the most popular.
Ask the pupils to bring up the remaining post it notes – the things without which they feel they would be poor. Again, group any repetitions. At this point discuss ‘absolute’ poverty as opposed to ‘relative’ poverty – that is, ‘needs’ as opposed to ‘wants’.
Discuss:
- What things do you think all young people should have the right to in life?
- Are most of the words to do with lack of money or material goods?
- How many are to do with lack of opportunity or a lack of access to essential goods or services – such as water, education or healthcare?
- Are any to do with recreational services or hobbies? We need things for mental health for instance … books, TV, pet
- Are any to do with a lack of power?
- Do we really want to measure poverty in terms of lack of access to seemingly ‘luxury’ items
- In reflection is there things missing from the list?
- What could be done to help young people to secure their rights and bring them out of poverty?
- Could television/media have a role in influencing people’s view of poverty/being in poverty?
Give out Handout Children go without essentials and discuss - download here.
Session 3.4
Session Title: Compare and contrast
HWB Organiser(s)
Social Studies
Experiences and Outcomes
SOC 4-16b
Through discussion, I have identified aspects of a social issue to investigate and by gathering information I can assess its impact and the attitudes of the people affected
SOC 4-20a
I can critically examine how some economic factors can influence individuals, businesses or communities
Learning Intentions
- I understand how poverty affects people differently
Resources
- Handout: Who is more likely to be poor and why?
Activities
Read the two scenarios below.
- Cheryl Cole, Millionaire Pop Star caught malaria following a trip to Tanzania. Following a short illness she is now back at work performing and being a judge on the xfactor.
- Cheri Okosi, a married mother of two living in a remote village in Tanzania, catches malaria. She gets very sick. Eventually she dies.
Working in small groups :
Discuss the steps that may have happened in each scenario to get from the starting point to the end result. Ask the groups to create a flow chart detailing the different experiences.
For example:
- Cheryl Cole caught malaria – was given treatment in a private hospital – financially secure– is being checked by the doctors regularly and given more treatment if needed – the condition cleared, warm secure home, nutritious diet, she is living a normal life again,
- Cheri caught malaria – there is no free medical treatment available –she doesn’t earn enough to pay for treatment – her condition gets worse – she can’t work so no money or look after her children, her husband can’t work as he has to look after the children, no money is coming into the house, no heating, poor housing, poor diet,
Discuss other example
- An earthquake, 7.0 on the Richter scale, strikes in Haiti. More than 300,000 people are estimated to have died and more than one million are homeless. The same strength earthquake hits San Francisco. Sixty-seven people die and 12,000 are homeless.
- Thousands of people dying from Ebola in South Africa, Health Workers contracting disease are returned to Britain/America and survive.
Many factors that contribute to a life of poverty. One is poor health or the potential for poor health. Within your group, brainstorm and list several circumstances under which health issues could have and/make an impact on a person’s ability to escape poverty and how poverty may cause poor health. Then use two different highlighter colours to mark which circumstances might lead to a short-term lack of resources and which might lead to poverty that cycles into the next generation.
Groups at risk of Poverty
- Poverty is linked to ethnicity, gender and age.
- Research suggests that the proportion of people in poverty is higher among:
- Single parent households
- Single pensioners
- People with disabilities
- Families with a child under 11
- Households without paid workers
- People who left school aged 16 or under
- Children and young people
Give out handout who is more likely to be poor and why? (Download here) and ask the participants to complete in small groups.
Ask the groups to feedback on the causes of poverty
People living in households headed by someone of Pakistani or Bangladeshi heritage are at risk of living in low-income households. Possible reasons for this could include racism and discrimination in the labour market. Members of some minority ethnic groups are less likely to take up the welfare state assistance to which they are entitled. Members of some minority ethnic groups are also more likely to experience unemployment and are more likely to live in low income households.
Women face a greater risk of poverty than men. Possible reasons could include the fact that women earn less than men, on average, because they are more likely to work in low paid jobs and to work part-time. In general, women live longer than men so there are a larger number of older female pensioners living alone. Women are less likely than men to have an income from an occupational pension. Women are also more likely than men to head single-parent families which often have to live on low incomes.
Children and pensioners are more at risk of poverty than other age groups. Possible reasons for this include living on a low income such as state retirement pension and not claiming the benefits to which they are entitled to.
Session 3.5
Session Title: Social Justice
HWB Organiser(s)
- Social Studies
Experiences and Outcomes
SOC 4-16a
I can contribute to a discussion on the extent to which people needs should be met by the state or the individual
SOC 4-20a
I can critically examine how some economic factors can influence individuals, businesses or communities
Learning Intentions
- I can show an understanding of the difference between charity and social justice
Resources
- Handouts; Social Justice v Charity
- Charity to social Justice
Activities
What’s the difference between charity and social justice?
Social Justice refers more to the concept of moral rightness, while charity refers more to the giving of help to those who are in need. Charity deals with the immediate need, while social justice leans more towards addressing the root cause of the problem.
For example, charity is shown when a voluntary organization sets up a foodbank or food co-operative for those who are in need. On the other hand, social justice is when organizations, will campaign and challenge the elected officials, and campaign for policies that will lead to systemic change ‘“so that problems like hunger and poverty will be resolved on a bigger scale.
Although both charity and justice aims to fulfill a need, the approach is different. Charity addresses the immediate need, while justice digs a bit deeper into the root cause of the problem.
Give out Hand out Social Justice v charity and read it through
Give out hand out 7 and ask pupils to complete in small groups.
In today’s jargon, the groups of people that we have been talking about so far are quite often described as being socially excluded. If we want to reach a position of social justice where society is fair and just we need to look at how we can include all groups who face social exclusion.
Split into small groups and ask each group need to identify a group of people in society (perhaps in their own area) who they feel are excluded and discriminated against.
Some examples of excluded groups are:
- Refugee and asylum seekers
- Immigrant groups in the local area – who are visually different e.g. colour of skin, clothes worn
- Single parents, young and old
- People addicted to drugs and/or alcohol
- People living with a mental illness
- People with chronic diseases
- People with disabilities – learning and physical
Each group now has to come up with 5 measures that could be taken (by Government, local Councils, Health Boards, fellow community members, neighbors, etc.) that would help their identified group to have as good a chance as the rest of the population of keeping healthy (remembering all the different factors that affect health).
Each small group should write their measures up on a flipchart which should then be pinned up for all to see.
Have a brief discussion about the measures they have identified and highlight that these could form part of a process of social inclusion with the end goal being a fairer and more just society. Give out Handout 7 and read through it with the group.
