The story of Suzanne (not her real name), a university student who needed help after she got pregnant, and a caseworker who went out of his way to stop her from getting what she was entitled to.
Our series ‘Lives on Welfare’ continues. Here Joe, one the most gentle and soft spoken people I know, talks about becoming the target of a verbal attack by a Community Services employee. Being treated disrespectfully by Community Services staff and feeling powerless as a result is another common theme in the stories people on welfare tell.
Tenants of social housing in Spryfield and elsewhere are tired of waiting for repairs, and are resuming their countdown to a full blown rent strike. Liberal MLA Brendan Maguire is offering his full support to the group that issued the strike call.
Two glimpses into the life of a person who receives social assistance in Nova Scotia.
Poverty advocate and social assistance recipient Kendall Worth just went through his Annual Review. Here Kendall suggests some of the changes that would make it a much better process, based on trust rather than suspicion, clients’ needs rather than saving money.
Kendall Worth, who struggles to make ends meet on social assistance, comes out in favour of an annual guaranteed basic income. Not surprising, if you see your benefits shrink, your special needs ignored and you have to face a patronizing bureaucracy on a daily basis.
Tired of waiting for repairs and tired of promises, public housing tenants in Spryfield and elsewhere are talking about a rent strike.
In this op-ed Sherry Costa of Independent Living Nova Scotia argues that the Halifax regional School Board restore funding for a successful transition program for youths. There is a good business case, and most importantly, it is the right thing to do.
Follow-up on our strange story about funding cuts of a program that helps youth with disabilities transition from high school into the community. The Halifax Regional School Board refuses to explain what exactly was wrong with the program, and students and parents are left out in the cold.
Photos taken in and around public housing units in the Greystone Drive area during the last few weeks. All these units are currently occupied. Things have been like this for very long times.