Stories from Below the Poverty Line
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Lately I've been reading Stories from Below the Poverty Line a first hand account of what it means to be a servant to the urban poor written by George Beukema. He expresses his concern for government programs and professional service providers when he writes...
"Three disabling effects result from the way service professionals market needs. First, a need is depicted as a deficiency rather than a condition, a right, or an obligation of another. Second, rather than placing the problem in its full social context, the situation is depicted as a lack on the part of the client. Third, the deficiency is defined in such a way as to direct the response toward professionalized service and away from the resources of residents and their community."
Inspiring words. I believe my solution would be more valuable if it can somehow involve the community that these houseless belong to, rather than rely on government programs.
"Three disabling effects result from the way service professionals market needs. First, a need is depicted as a deficiency rather than a condition, a right, or an obligation of another. Second, rather than placing the problem in its full social context, the situation is depicted as a lack on the part of the client. Third, the deficiency is defined in such a way as to direct the response toward professionalized service and away from the resources of residents and their community."
Inspiring words. I believe my solution would be more valuable if it can somehow involve the community that these houseless belong to, rather than rely on government programs.
1 Comments:
I can understand that they would recent government or even big institutions just handing out things. Are they sometimes parapyzed because of addiction or illness? What would motivate them to want to change their condition? Oftentimes just someone caring - at a genuine, real level will help someone develop self-worth and take steps towards a sense of dignity. There's a program here that is really helping by putting families together - one-on-one. If your houseware product was given to someone by an individual that really cares rather than an institution - it would be received more gratefully and therefore have more value and ownership. YM
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