England, N. Ireland, Scotland, Wales – Devolution and Disadvantage
Joseph Rowntree Foundation have released a series of reports to mark 10 years of devolution. The reports look at the impact of devolved policies and recognise a need for the Westminster to continue to reserve certain powers in order to improve conditions across the board but picks up on a failure to communicate feedback and learning between central and devolved government policies.
While concluding that much of the improvement in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales stems from UK policy, the reports acknowledge promising results from devolved policies, especially in the areas of social housing and elderly care. Athough their impact so far has been limited in size these results should improve as the administrations stabilise and imbed.
A less positive equalising factor was raised by report author Jim McCormick, who warns -
Poverty 2010
It’s 2010 the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, “The fight against poverty and social exclusion is one of the EU’s central objectives and our shared approach has been an important tool to guide and support action in the Member States,” said Social Affairs Commissioner, Vladimir Pidla. “The European Year will take this even further, by raising awareness of the way poverty continues to blight the daily lives of so many Europeans.” (Press release, Europa) Let’s hope the funding is spent in a productive way so the campaign reaches the specific goals and targets which actually make an impact on peoples lives.
We kicked off 2010 with the London’s biggest public transport fare hike in history, brought in by the Mayor’s office. This action does nothing to combat poverty, decreasing the ability for low income families to manouvre around London and access the opportunities on offer.
“Underground fares will rise by an average 3.9 per cent from January, while bus fares will go up by 12.7 per cent. Boris Johnson, the mayor, said the increases were comparable to similar-sized increases in 2005 and 2006 under Ken Livingstone, his predecessor. However, since inflation is far lower than in the previous years, the coming increase is significantly higher in real terms and the largest since Transport for London took over responsibility for London’s transport network in 2000.”
(Robert Wright, Big fare rises unveiled for London, Financial Times, 10/15/09)
The richer portions of our society will not be affected by the rise but the poor portions will definitely feel the affects of the rise in their daily lives.
And finally I’d like to relay some facts taken from the Shelter website.
• 1.6 million children in Britain live in housing that is overcrowded, temporary, or run-down.
• Over 1 million children live in overcrowded housing.
• More than 90,000 homeless children in England are living in temporary accommodation.
• 4 million children in the United Kingdom live in poverty after their housing costs have been paid.
We need to take these facts very seriously because the children are our future so together through our actions assist in providing a better life for them.
It’s good to see the EU coming together to try and eradicate poverty but until the Government and society address issues that effect peoples day to day lives such as transport, housing, education and other basic needs, we can’t expect to see the inequality gap close.
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #5
The Public Relations Guru
Being in a Reality TV programme can be psychologically damaging. To make sure you can financially benefit from your exploitation it is a good idea to have a public relations agent. He will look over product endorsement contracts for you and make sure when your private life is exposed in the press it is on the front page.
The PR consultant will oversee your career
What do you think he is advising the contestant??
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Follow the link if you would like to know more about our Poverty and Participation in the Media project
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #1
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #2
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #3
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #4
The Victim Contestant
In this picture the contestant is trying hard to win and keep his dignity. He is thinking about the fame and fortune that will follow. How the woman at the check out is going to say something like “‘Ere weren’t you on telly last night?”
How am I doing?
What else is he thinking? Any ideas?
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Follow the link if you would like to know more about our Poverty and Participation in the Media project
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #1
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #2
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #3
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #3
Studio Audience
The nice people at the Television company invite their friends and family to be in the studio audience. Being in a TV audience is very easy but these days you need to know how to Whoop! like an American, which some English people find hard to do. You can practice this at home before you go “on set”.
Two reality TV fans in the audience
Can you think what they are saying?
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Follow the link if you would like to know more about our Poverty and Participation in the Media project
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #1
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #2
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #3
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #2
The Director
In this scene the director is very animated and holds his hands up to form a frame so he can see what the image will look like on television.
Give me victim- Thats good-ACTION!
Before he shouts “Action!” he gives words of encouragement to the contestants. Can you think of what he is saying?
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Follow the link if you would like to know more about our Poverty and Participation in the Media project
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #1
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #2
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #3
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #1
Reality TV- Poverty and the Media
People in the early twenty first century thought nothing of watching the insane for entertainment. It was seen as quite normal. People used to joke that it was often hard to decide who was the madder, the actors, the crew or the viewers. There are stories of the celebs leaving the asylum and the wrong people being kept inside.
Have a look at this “behind the scenes” image of a reality TV studio shoot and if you have any idea for a caption add it below.
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Follow the link if you would like to know more about our Poverty and Participation in the Media project
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #1
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #2
Reality TV shoot – caption competition #3
Poverty and Participation in the Media is now available to buy on DVD
Poverty and Partcipation in the Media is now available to buy on DVD from the Spectacle Catalogue page.
Poverty and Participation in the Media is a participatory media project examining how the media treats poverty and those affected. Looking at opportunity and exclusion; representation, stigmatisation and stereotyping. With the wealth gap on the increase and virtual segregation of the classes creating urban ghettos – Does the media bridge or increase the divide?
The Spectacle Catalogue page contains videos produced by Spectacle, Despite TV and others and all the titles are available to buy on both video and DVD.
More children living in persistent poverty in Northern Ireland than Great Britain
More children living in persistent poverty in Northern Ireland than Great Britain
A report published today (12 November 2009), on child poverty in Northern Ireland, found that more families in Northern Ireland experience persistent poverty than in Great Britain.
What can we do to tackle child poverty in Northern Ireland by Goretti Horgan from the University of Ulster and Marina Monteith from Save the Children (Northern Ireland) explores the challenges faced by the Northern Ireland Assembly in meeting its target of eradicating child poverty. It found that persistent poverty in Northern Ireland (21% before housing costs) is more than double that in Great Britain (9% before housing costs).
The report points to four main reasons for higher persistent poverty in Northern Ireland:
· High levels of worklessness: 31 per cent of the working-age population is not in paid work,higher than any GB region and 6 per cent higher than the GB average.
· High rates of disability and limiting long-term illness, especially mental ill-health.
· Low wages: the median wage for men working full-time is 85 per cent of that for British men.
· Poor-quality part-time jobs and obstacles to mothers working.
The authors acknowledge that although there are some areas which need to be tackled that are beyond the Assembly’s control, there are issues over which the devolved administration has some influence. They recommend that the Assembly works on six key areas:
· Increasing the supply of well-paid, good quality jobs
· Supporting those already in work to increase their qualification levels
· Alleviating the worst impacts of poverty on children
· Addressing the lack of quality affordable childcare
· Increasing educational attainment
· Providing access to leisure and social activities for poorer young people
Julia Unwin, Chief Executive of the JRF, said: “The Assembly has already shown that it is possible to intervene to alleviate some of the worst aspects of poverty. Just as it provided the one-off fuel payment of £150 to families on benefit in winter 2008/09, it could make it easier for people to take ‘mini-jobs’, allowing those living on benefits to provide a little extra for their families. School budgets need to provide for all the costs of education including books, school trips and after-school activities. It must also address ways of giving poorer young people access to positive social and leisure activities.”
What can we do to tackle child poverty in Northern Ireland by Goretti Horgan from the University of Ulster and Marina Monteith from Save the Children (Northern Ireland), is available to download for free from the Joseph Rowntree website.
For more information view Spectacle’s Poverty and Participation in the Media project.
Notes:
Poverty is defined as a family income below 60% of the median income.
Persistent poverty defined as being in poverty for at least three out of four years (in this case 2003-2007).
Joseph Rowntree Foundation launch Poverty and Participation in the Media project
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation have now launched the Poverty and Participation in the Media project.
Click on the links to view video clips from the project on how poverty is portrayed in the media.
Joseph Rowntree Foundation : Poverty and Participation in the Media
