‘A Fair Way to Go’, published by the Dundee Fairness Commission in May, is a significant research-based report providing recommendations for tackling poverty and inequality within Dundee. Many of the concerns and recommendations for reducing poverty in the city may also be highly relevant for organisations working towards social justice across Scotland.
What is the Fairness Commission?
The Fairness Commission was established in 2015, as part of Dundee’s Fairness Strategy. This Strategy originally set out to tackle ‘poverty, building on past and current efforts and informed by evidence of effective approaches’. Now the Fairness Commission, with members from a range of backgrounds, has examined issues on deprivation and existing anti-poverty projects, in order to provide practical recommendations.
What form did the Commission’s research take?
Using a participatory approach, the Commission worked with several community and public organisations to listen to the real life stories of those in poverty, to gain crucial insights into their ‘lived experiences’. The complete results of this work are available in the ‘Gathering Experiences of Poverty in Dundee 2015’ report.
The Commission’s final report uses evidence from this community research to provide a clear profile of poverty issues in Dundee while also highlighting current successful projects. Recommendations are then set out for local and national Government.
The report’s main findings are summarised in the themed infographics below. The full report is available here.
Stigma
Work and Wages
Closing the Education Gap
Benefits, Advice and Support
Housing and Communities
Food and Fuel
1 Stick Your Label
Developed by those with direct experience of poverty, the aim of this campaign is to challenge the stigma of poverty and its negative impacts. For more information: http://www.povertyalliance.org/policy_campaigns/syl
2 Work Programme
This provides support, work experience and training for up to 2 years to help people find and stay in work. For more information: https://www.gov.uk/moving-from-benefits-to-work/job-search-programmes
3 Scottish Living Wage
The Scottish Living Wage is based on the cost of living and is currently £8.25 per hour. For more information: http://scottishlivingwage.org/about_us
4 Scottish Business Pledge
The Scottish Business Pledge is a voluntary commitment by companies in Scotland to adopt fair and progressive business practices in support of the Government’s shared ambition to improve business competitiveness and productivity while tackling inequalities. For details of the Pledge Commitments: https://scottishbusinesspledge.scot/about/
5 Dundee Waterfront development
For details of the Waterfront Community Benefit Agreements: https://www.dundeewaterfront.co.uk/sites/default/files/docs/CommunityBenefitsAgreements_EndUse.pdf
6 Social Prescribing
For the definition of ‘social prescribing’: http://www.wellscotland.info/priorities/Social-Prescribing-and-Self-Help
7 The Crescent, Whitfield, Dundee
For current details of the facility: https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/communitycentres/whitfieldcentre
8 Warm Home Discount Scheme
For details of the Scheme: https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/what-youll-get
