So over 1,000 people marched down Queens Street on Saturday and there seemed not a politician to be seen anywhere of any party or any persuasion.
Me thinks that this has at last been to seen as too difficult for anyone in any political party to take on, yet there are some long term solutions that may assist any political party to begin the resolution of this appalling and degrading for us all situation.
Making the assumptions that the majority of the poor both in housing, health, education and food are reasonably mostly in the main /largest cities then consider the following:
To begin with stop throwing money at the problem and parallel the funding and begin to disseminate the information collected on the use of that money with families and find out how it has not helped them i.e. no work to get away from the lack of financial income; Look at the food they eat and if necessary begin an education programme that allows them time and grace to learn to feed their families (budgetting, shopping preparation etc) with better food, prepared well, in a timely manner, including school food; Look at the relationships or lack of them and how that impacts on behavior in that household and consider their methods of communication to see if that might help them find work even with a shortage of education and experience in the workforce; Consider the state of their accommodation, from every perspective, as well as their knowledge and ability to look after that accommodation from every angle from tidiness, cleanliness, in home organisation of space warmth and facilities.
At this point there is then real information and perhaps a real desire by those living in the house/home to go the next steps into their future. Perhaps they might look at gardening for some of their produce etc.
Any Political Party taking these steps may then have a real and very public handle of the future of our poor and remember the objective is never to denigrate the poor but to consult, assist and support to full employment as well as offer the changes that will result in better living standards for the whole family. Or have I got this completely wrong?