Poverty still 'biggest challenge facing North Ayshire' according to council leader
Joe Cullinane is raising awareness as part of Challenge Poverty Week
Poverty is the biggest challenge facing North Ayrshire today, according to the Council’s leader.
Events have been taking place all week to mark Challenge Poverty week. The idea is to challenge untruths about poverty –that it’s about laziness or bad decisions and it that’s it’s only about money.
North Ayrshire’s Fair for All Commission first met in June 2019, with the aim of ‘giving a face to the facts’ - ensuring that the movement to tackle poverty has those who experience it at its heart - as well as challenging stereotypes and helping to reduce stigma.
The group, which meets monthly, is made up of ten Community Commissioners – residents with genuine experience of poverty – and ten Civic Commissioners, including business leaders, policy developers and third-sector leaders.
The role of the Civic Commissioners is to listen to the shared stories of the community members and develop a deeper understanding of the real problems faced by our residents, which in turn will lead to more informed decision-making from those leaders who hold the power to drive change.
North Ayrshire Council Leader Joe Cullinane, one of the Civic Commissioners involved in the project, said: “It has been a real privilege to be part of the Fair for All Commission. Listening to the real-life experiences of people in our area is a harrowing experience, but what an inspiring group of Community Commissioner colleagues we have on the Commission.
“Poverty has plagued North Ayrshire for too long. In 2019 it is unacceptable that so many of our residents are struggling with life’s most basic needs. It is clear our prevailing economic and political system has let too many people down.
“I am proud to lead a Council that is committed to challenging the causes and symptoms of poverty. By learning from and working together with our Community Commissioner colleagues, we can gain a greater appreciation of how decisions taken locally and nationally impact lives and try to find the solutions to these problems through more informed decision-making."