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Thank you to everyone
who submitted their creative ideas to help us #ReducePoverty in Canada!
Congratulations to the youth whose submissions were chosen for the #ReducePoverty in Canada Contest!
These young people had the opportunity to showcase their ideas at the National Poverty Conference on September 28, 2017. You can view the selected submissions below.
We would like to thank everyone who took the time to send in their innovative ideas to make our communities a better place.
Congratulations to the youth whose submissions were chosen for the #ReducePoverty in Canada Contest!
These young people had the opportunity to showcase their ideas at the National Poverty Conference on September 28, 2017. You can view the selected submissions below.
We would like to thank everyone who took the time to send in their innovative ideas to make our communities a better place.
By Donia Arfaoui
Category: 18 to 24 years old
(Translated from French text)
Our country bases its hopes on youth,
but that doesn’t mean it leaves out older people. In fact, the opposite is
true, because they are the ones who have experience and can train us youth to
continue what they started, because they also continued what their predecessors
started. By working together, we can develop a solution to reduce poverty in
Canada. Young and old people alike must work together to address this scourge.
That is why the plan I am proposing to reduce poverty in Canada calls for
people of all generations to participate and is made up of three components.
First, we must raise awareness among youth. To do this, I suggest holding
interactive conferences and awareness workshops in schools across Canada to
empower youth. Youth have to understand that the passion and motivation to get
out of poverty have to come from themselves. Most of all, youth have to realize
their full potential, because when they believe in themselves, they are willing
and able to get out of poverty. Second, we need to provide youth with training
and work experience. Youth should be offered paid internships regardless of
their past or present so they can have a better future. Many youth are afraid
to look for a job because of events in their personal life that deeply affected
them either physically or psychologically. So they fear that these events or
their lasting effects will jeopardize their work. If we give youth more
opportunity to learn and gain experience in the workplace, poverty will decline
because youth are the future of our country. Third, we must recognize
immigrants’ diplomas. When they arrive in Canada, many immigrants are unable to
work in the same field they did at home because their diplomas are not
recognized. They have to spend a long time doing training or completely redo
their education, but without the time or money to do this, they work low-paying
jobs and live in poor neighbourhoods. To fix this, we should recognize their
diplomas or equivalencies to reduce the time and cost of their training, which
would allow them to earn higher salaries and reduce poverty in Canada. In
closing, to reduce poverty in Canada, we must all work together and believe in
the potential of every one of us.
By Ritika Arora
Category: 18 to 24 years old
Watch the Prezi!
Text from Presentation:
Poverty in Canada
What are HelpingHubs?
Evidence
Advocacy
Additional programming
In summary, the national poverty reduction strategy should incorporate the following elements:
By Cheyenne Hardy
Category: 12 to 17 years old
Once when I was a little girl,
I heard my mother say,
If you give a man a fish to eat,
He will have food for just one day.
But if you TEACH a man to fish,
Hungry, he will be no more,
With words of wisdom such as these,
I often wonder, why do we still have
poor?
I volunteer at a Food Bank
It is open every week.
Our clients come for food and clothing,
But is there something more they seek?
Maybe they seek a solution
To end this cycle of poverty.
Every week over and over we do the same
thing,
Isn’t that the definition of insanity?
When someone lives in Poverty,
The most likely have bad health,
Poor health can mean no education,
No education means no wealth.
Everything in life is connected,
Poor wages, no transit, no job,
understand?
And just one little thing can throw you
off course,
Like sickness or injury, not part of the
plan.
Poverty means making tough decisions
Putting food on the table, or paying
rent?
Medications? Utilities? Forget about
those
The money’s already been spent.
Poverty is a complex issue
It affects us all in different ways and
degrees
Its multi dimensional nature
Affects the strength of our communities.
So listen up Governments...
It’s time for us ALL to think,
Because poverty reduction and economic
growth,
It’s all intrinsically linked.
Canada, we can do better,
We need to work hand in hand,
Our leaders, our citizens, the wealthy
and poor
It’s time to make a stand.
Together “hope” can be restored
But UNITY is essential
Together we can ensure all Canadians
Have opportunities to meet their
potential.
Let’s start with Education, and
affordable housing,
Maybe higher wages and lower day care
fees?
Let’s stop treating the symptoms of
poverty,
But instead, find a cure for the
disease!
And this brings me back to my mother’s
words
Because essentially this is my wish
Let’s stop feeding our hungry for just
one day
By teaching this country to fish!
By Seanna Strassburger
Category: 12 to 17 years old
My idea is for the government to provide safe and free housing for qualifying families in Canada. This housing can be in the format of communal living, where individual families have their own family space, but cooking and common areas would be communal living. This would benefit the families involved in many ways mainly it would help create a sense of neighborhood and community again. Everyone in the home would be expected to contribute to the running of it, and use their skills to assist and help other if possible. It would allow those in the communal living areas to pass on and teach their skills to others living in the area. Whether it be cooking, cleaning or handyman skills to maintain living quarters, yard work, car- pooling, etc.
The #ReducePoverty in Canada contest is held by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) as part of the Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy.
Please
be sure to read the following contest rules before submitting your entry.