Susan Smith argues the third sector needs to take a new approach to helping society's most marginalised prove their critics wrong
The UK parliament passed measures this week that will lead to £12 billion in welfare cuts and third sector organisations across the country put their heads in their hands.
The fear that vulnerable people, including hard-working families on low incomes, are going to struggle even more is upmost in everyone’s mind. However, this also brings up long-term fears for the future of our economy and society with these measures cutting away rung after rung on the upward mobility ladder.
Sadly, the battle against welfare cuts has been lost. The Labour Party’s failure to vote against the UK government welfare bill was the final nail in the coffin for those defending the UK’s traditional welfare state. Campaigners need to redefine the war on welfare; let's enable those who the state is callously disregarding to fight back and prove their small-minded critics wrong.
It’s tempting to prophesy the return to a Dickensian world of workhouses, soup kitchens and endemic poverty
Recent columns about foodbanks in TFN, however, have highlighted a sharp divide in attitudes towards charitable responses to poverty. It’s tempting to prophesy the return to a Dickensian world of workhouses, soup kitchens and endemic poverty, but this won’t win the argument against those convinced the only righteous path is trodden by the worthy middle-classes.
So, what is there to do? Clearly, the sector must continue to highlight injustice where it is cropping up. Lobbying for a more just society requires evidence of where injustice is failing our citizens, and no sector is better able to provide this than the third sector. Front-line service providers need to monitor and speak out when they see cuts leading to social housing rent arrears, a growth in foodbanks, an increase in health problems and more family breakdown, for example.
In terms of practical solutions, the Scottish Government funded Community Capacity & Resilience Fund, which is set to announce around £150,000 of funding for community welfare projects soon, is a step in the right direction. However, the fund is just a paper boat bobbing on a tidal wave unless we find a way to take innovative projects that actually work – think for example the Comas £20 More project which helps families find £20 a week – and roll them out more widely.
So, if you have ideas and examples of how the sector can work together to tackle welfare cuts and rising demand for services, let us know. Email ideas to [email protected] or tweet @thirdforcenews
