US CAMPAIGNERS HUNTING CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS New bid to change hearts and minds over poverty
Political Correspondent ANTI-poverty campaigns are not changing enough minds and leading to successful action to eradicate the problem, according to leading activists.
Despite several organisations highlighting the scale and impact of poverty, levels remain stubborn and negative attitudes still persist within society.
In a bid to make a fresh breakthrough, top American strategists have been flown to Glasgow to help campaigners reach more people and change their thinking about poverty, its causes and potential solutions.
In Glasgow one in three children live in poverty according to latest statistics and in some areas it is even higher with levels above 40 per cent, meaning around 33,000 children are living in poverty.
On top of that the parents of those children and many adults with no children are also coping with poverty taking the figure well above 100,000.
Every year Poverty Alliance organises Challenge Poverty Week across Scotland to highlight the problems, the different types of people living with poverty, its causes and to f ocus on finding solutions.
However campaigners believe that the message is not resonating with many people and presenting the facts is not enough to make a difference to public opinion that demands effective action.
Peter Kelly, Director of Poverty Alliance said: “Poverty Alliance is 25 years old this year. We’ve been trying to change minds about pov- erty but we’ve not been as effective as we would like.
“There is information that we know to be true and it’s not connecting very well.
“In Glasgow there are dreadful levels of poverty but simply telling people about it isn’t enough.
“Expecting people to come to the same conclusion you do isn’t working but we keep doing it.”
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has brought two top strategists from FrameWorks, a Washington DC-based, not for profit organisation, to the UK.
Moira O’Neil and Nat KendallTaylor, from the FrameWorks Institute, have been sharing their research of how people think and what messages are most effective with a range of organisations over two days in the city.
Around 80 staff from government and the third sector have been hearing their messages.
Groups represented include the Scottish Government, NHS, Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership, Barnardos, Glasgow City Council and Oxfam.
The workshops will help develop strategies for the next Challenge Poverty Week later this year.
Mr Kelly added: “The kind of information we are getting from FrameWorks and JRF challenges conventional ideas how you communicate about poverty.
“It requires a whole range of organisations working in the same direction.
“During Challenge Poverty Week we will put the i deas i nto practice.”
Challenge Poverty Week will take place across Scotland in October this year.