Last Wednesday, the same day that the province announced an employment program aimed at people facing barriers, the town’s Hw-nuts’-ulwum (Community Together To End Poverty) task force met to review and network on its work to date.
Project facilitator Rosalie Sawrie from Social Planning Cowichan opened the discussion with an update on what has been tackled since Ladysmith and Stz’uminus councils created the program in 2022.
“The task group has met with various community groups, and have engaged with individuals with one on one interviews and as much in person stuff as we could do in the time frame,” said Sawrie.
The task force also devised a series of poverty challenges that individuals could participate in to try and get a better understanding of what poverty looked and felt like.
“The various interactions allowed us to devise a strategy that allowed us to identify 10 themes as well as various actions under each of those themes,” she said.
The 10 themes are public transportation, food security, addressing stigma, racism and discrimination, access to education and employment options, adequate income support and the means to make ends meet, affordable housing and adequate living conditions, access to mental health and addiction services, mental discomfort and stress, access to health care services and physical health and wellness.
“Out of the strategy the group was able to put together a beautiful vision along with some principals and values," Sawrie said. "We really did hear from folks about inclusion, respect, caring, dignity and belonging.”
"My number one thing, coming out of it, is that everyone has equal value. We all work hard for what we have and that hard work looks different for everyone so it’s very important recognize the everyone has equal value,” she said.
In confronting all of the issues, Sawrie said, “we need transportation to be able to access and address all the other priority themes.”
Funding for the program came from the Union of BC Municipalities and Sawrie stated that locally, the group has finished the second round.
“It’s been incredible to see so many people participate in the various events,” she said.
The possible next step is to apply for stream two funding, which can be up to $50,000 to do some of the actions from the strategy. The actions for 2023/24 for the local group, besides one-on-one and group discussions, have been four dialogues where attendees could participate in discussions on affordability and inclusion, and also have a free meal while networking.
Sawrie said that the second goal of the strategy was to build a healthy food system that was welcoming to all.
“We were doing weekly food deliver to Stz’uminus from the food bank, as transportation was an issue,” she said. "We started a food rescue program, which is now in its second year, which collects food, grown locally but not harvested, so through the LRCA we have volunteers go out and gather the food and then it’s distributed through the resources centre.”
The group also did an after school nutritious snack program and a neighbour sharing food event.
The work by the task force was broad and the latest phase emphasized work with employers. The group held a couple of seminars with local businesses with topics on a living wage, cultural safety, and employment standards, along with round table discussions after each session.
Following the update on the various phases of the Poverty Task Force’s progress, Sawrie introduced MLA Shiela Malcolmson, minster of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. Malcolmson is the MLA for the riding of Nanaimo and previously was Member of Parliament for Nanaimo/Ladysmith. Malcolmson told the group that earlier that morning she was able to announce, along with the premier, that the province has committed almost $4 million, for three years, to an initiative of employment programs.
“This new employment program, part of today’s new poverty reduction strategy, will support people getting back to work so they can build a better life,” Malcolmson said.
The new Community-based Employment Services (CBES) will see the pilot start in Victoria and the minister said that providers will be selected, by next month, for the service in Vancouver’s downtown Eastside, Surrey, Prince George and Nanaimo. The province's 2024 Poverty Reduction Strategy identifies eight critical action areas for government to focus on: upholding Indigenous self-determination, preventing poverty, meeting basic needs, making programs and services better and more accessible, updating income assistance and disability assistance, opening up access to education and skills training, providing effective pathways to employment and facilitating greater social inclusion.
