Exploring new ways to talk about child poverty
/This article was featured in the SCDC Weekly - 15th October
SCDC recently attended an event exploring new ways to talk about child poverty - showing both the urgency required and what positive action Scotland can take.
Through conversations with a wide range of people, Save the Children and Joseph Rowntree Foundation research explored where the conversations around poverty can get stuck, and how we can shift the way we communicate.
What emerged was a new story about child poverty. Identifying with how people are feeling in Scotland right now was key, as well as framing investing in children as investing in a better future for Scotland.
Crucially, dialling down the data was a vital step: instead, we should focus on one statistic, such as “1 in 4 children experience poverty in Scotland,” and weave it throughout how we talk about child poverty.
There were also lessons around avoiding inadvertent stigma by talking about a better future for all children, and the importance of using strong and vivid language.
With upcoming elections, and widespread support for eliminating child poverty, these will be important lessons to consider for those working across community development practice and policy.
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