Unequal Opportunity?

This rant stems out of an argument that took place at a community centre I volunteer at, along with a student nurse, against a social worker and a social work student.

One of the users of the centre had said that he felt that some of the people that used the centre did not deserve it because they were not homeless. Shockingly, the social worker turned to say something along the lines of, I can see where you're coming from, I agree that some people abuse the system. Whoa, hold on.

Maybe you need some context. This centre is right on a main street, open to anyone to walk in. The only requirement is that you sign in and sign out so that they can declare how well-used the service is, for funding purposes. There is no sign on the door that says who can and can't use the service. People may come in as they please, join in for the lunch, activities, or ask for a meal to take home to their family.

Now, when resources are stretched thin, as they are, I can understand where the centre user was coming from, but, in fact, I have never seen this place stretched beyond capacity. There is always enough food for firsts and seconds, I have never seen someone turned away at the desk.

A bit later, the social worker tried to justify the position by saying, well sometimes I have people come up to me and complain about the food, it's not a restaurant!


When I tried to make sense what she was saying, I asked her if she meant that some were undeserving or ungrateful, she completely denied it, though, that's an awful lot like what it sounded like. And really, she still felt that the centre was useful, but how come?

Equity

The idea of equity spurs out of the idea that equality does not account for the fact that we are all born into unequal opportunity. It's a way of compensating for the fact that some people have steeper feats to endure and overcome than others.

The community centre is meant to be a transient aid, to help out in the rougher times, to help step out of poverty, or at least remain functioning in society. They offer showers, laundry machines, washrooms, air conditioning, internet access and meals. They also have a separate space for youth to develop their own programs.

Many of the people who have spent any length of time in this sort of place, have come to know the "regulars," those who appear to coast at the level their at, but that would be disregarding something greater, wouldn't it? Can one centre be expected to transform a person to fit into the tight box that is privileged society? Is that even what we are seeking?

Help People Help Themselves

An important theme in nursing, and I think the student nurse would agree, is not just about helping people, but finding out what you can do to help them help themselves. If you are not developing skills or sustainable changes, places like these do simply become a revolving door.

I would argue, though, that it is not the individuals who are not trying to get out of the trap, but the system that does not create many opportunities to emerge. Welfare and disability provisions penalize those who try to find a legitimate job to make ends meet for them and their families, forcing them to use it as a crutch with no incentive or support for greater aspirations.

Perhaps this is a naive notion, but I think that it is untrue that people do not want to work. Regardless of the job, working provides a great deal to the health of people: creating social spaces, challenging our brains, fostering a sense of integrity of the person with the world, etc. Obviously, having a job that you perceive as a bad job may not be a positive experience, but I think people tend to benefit greatly to being employed in some shape or form, in their participation in society (whether paid or unpaid).

The underlying factors are just too great to place the blame the individual. Even the "qualified" face significant barriers to employment, that simply cannot be denied, such as discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, race, physical ability, mental ability, and so on. That doesn't even account for the fact that it is more often who you know that gains you employment, rather than your skills at performing the job.

And so, to say that some people do not deserve to make use of the centre is simply untrue. One cannot understand the suffering of another. To be placed in the same shoes of another, one still will not experience the same suffering as another.

We are different people, with different histories, with different strengths and weaknesses. Unless we have any faith in the ability of places and programs like this one to help all those who declare themselves in need, then we have no reason to have them open at all.