Members of the FiCD team helped earlier this year to co-ordinate research done by Dundee Drop In in partnership with Dundee University. The research has been collated (see our previous blog post for more information) and our co-ordinator Gordon wrote this article for the St Paul's Cathedral Autumn Newsletter reflecting on his engagement with people at Drop In's during the research process.
When does poverty become destitution?:-
As part of my commitment to working with the Dundee Drop In
group of church based projects, including Graham’s Kitchen, I helped
co-ordinate research across the projects earlier this year with Dundee
University. This has been collated, but actually getting alongside many
of those who use the drop ins was the first shock to my system. The
questionnaire took about half an hour to complete and the first two guys I
interviewed had not had any electricity for ages. The cost of reconnection was
prohibitive so trying to cook anything or wash themselves was impossible, let
alone heat their homes. These first two would become typical of many who
had fallen on hard times. Yes, some were drug addicts and coping with the
damage that drugs had inflicted seemed impossible. There was one guy who
had not had any electricity for a whole year and was entirely dependent for his
survival on the various drop ins across the city. As well as no
electricity he had no benefits apart from getting his council rent paid. His
benefits had been sanctioned (stopped for some reason or another) but he didn’t
know how to get them re-instated, so for a whole year had been totally
dependent upon handouts for his survival. The parish nurse who interviewed him
and the council worker who was then involved managed to get his benefits
re-instated - (£72.00 pw). However, he subsequently found himself
sanctioned again as he has poor literacy and finds it difficult to apply for
the number of jobs required. Then there was the former joiner who
was determined not to be sanctioned, but he was as he applied for a job
by email and not through the right website. He was surviving on about £50
pw prior to being sanctioned as there had to be a contribution to his rent as
Housing Benefit only paid so much as he was in private accommodation. Those who
are sanctioned can apply for a hardship payment, but it takes a couple of weeks
and is a small proportion of benefits. Sanctions start for four weeks,
but can escalate to six months, which I’ve come across.
Anyway, just some of the people I met, laughed with – yes
laugh! Their openness and welcome was second to none and it made me think
of Jesus. Of how he was there to help the lepers, the outcasts, the
prostitutes. He challenged the establishment because he thought
differently. He didn’t speak about a fair world or a just world, but a
generous grace that subverts the norms of society. So, such an experience
changed my perception. It wasn’t just being there, but listening and learning
and getting to know and trust other human beings who were hungry in our city.
We completed 106 questionnaires across the drop in projects and
they show that no electricity, benefit sanctions, loneliness, poor mental
health and lack of clothes are key problems for people and when people have
a number of these problems then along with low self-esteem they are
really up against it. But, why use the drop ins? Well, it isn’t rocket science,
but the main reason for using the drop ins was hunger! I think being
hungry is when poverty becomes destitution and I never thought that I would
ever use that word for Dundee, but this research has changed me forever. I now
recognise some people begging and some people selling the Big Issue.
Of course some people are rogues, but most guys and girls have
fallen on hard times for all sorts of reasons and become isolated and
excluded. What Graham’s Kitchen does is fill a gap in the sharing of
food, company and help. This is not the answer, but it is “not passing by”, “
going the extra mile” and it is leading to other action. St. Mary’s in
Lochee and Eagles Wings are looking at the provision of clothes – not just
handouts, but trying to give people a choice, because they can’t afford charity
shops. Others like the Friary and Gilfillan are looking at helping with
IT access and Job Search to help people avoid sanctions. And yes,
this is being doing in partnership with the council, but often churches are
best placed to make that simple response that the Cathedral does through
Graham’s Kitchen. It is so important and many people are grateful – believe me,
I’ve heard and written down many comments expressing sincere gratitude.
