1. WELFARE, LONEMOTHERS AND POLICYADVOCACY Illustrating the Power of Collaborative Qualitative Research Lea Caragata, Professor, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada

2. Presentation Agenda Project Overview Methodology Findings Policy Advocacy Initiatives Concluding Analyses Change and Transformation 3. ionc lusExialS oc nsLeProject OverviewCommunity University Research Alliance:Lone Mothers: Building Social Inclusion 4. Community University Research Alliance:Lone Mothers: Building Social InclusionFederally funded (SSHRC) research with 3qualitative sites: St Johns, Vancouver andToronto5 universities and many community partnersMajor partner is Toronto Social Services,Candas 4th largest welfare delivererLone mothers as project advisors, researchassistantsQuantitative analysis, lone mother longitudinalpanel and multi-sector focus groupsFeminist, social exclusion theoretical framing 5. Methodology Project grounded epistemologically by an analysis of the power relations embedded in knowledge production Utilized a feminist PAR theory and methodology to guide our work Goal was good data and modeling of capacity building, engaged research subjects, shift in power relations of standard research relationship and policy change 6. Methodology Hired and trained 22 lone mothers on social assistance across all 3 sites to act as paid Research Assistants (RAs), interviewing and participating in all aspects of the research Lone mom RAs also interviewed as part of longitudinal panel Interviewed 104 lone mothers in 3 sites, 4 times over 4 years 7. Methodology: LongitudinalPanel Interviewers were matched with lone mother RAs, academics or doctoral students; all women interviewers Contact between interviewer & interviewee between interviews; after 4 years had maintained about 75% of panel Diverse range of Aboriginal, immigrant and Canadian born, aged 18-61, about 75% of participants had either 1 or 2 children, 40% had some college or university 8. Policy-Related Findings:The Power of VoiceWomen wanted to work, but were hampered bystigma, the absence of affordable child care andlimited education and training options...everybodys so concerned with keeping people off thesystem...its not enough to get somebody off the system, yougot to keep them off, and to do that we need to be allowed tohave an education and to have a healthy life. (Kelly,Vancouver)...how can you...get off Welfare and take care of yourself andyour children when you dont have someone to watch themwhile youre going to school or to work? (Jade, Vancouver) ...I would like to see viable courses offered through socialassistance, not courses that lead to jobs that have nobenefits or long-term staying power. ...It defeats the purpose...and [lone mothers] still stay on social assistance. (Julie,Toronto) 9. Policy-Related Findings: The Power of VoiceAlmost two thirds of lone mothers had experiencedabuse often this was what instigated applying forwelfare few of the systems they interacted witheffectively acknowledged abuse impacts in policy:My abuse was so bad I actually [had to go to a] shelter. I was sodisgusted with myself. I was like, how did I get in this situation? to endup on a welfare system. (Koi, Toronto)I felt really bad and actually ashamed of having to go on welfare but mypride could not keep me away, could not keep me in this situation [beingabused] and thats why, even though its a struggle raising children as asingle parent, its still better that my children... dont grow up knowingviolence. (Oprah, Toronto)[Welfare needs] to recognize abuse, single mothers that have been throughabuseWe need time to collect ourselves. I mean, for me it has been fouryears, but believe me I still think about it every day. My custody fight hasbeen for eight years. I feel worn down and every time that phone wasringing from the welfare, Did you [do this or do that]? Ohh!. I felt so bad,so stressed. It made me more and more and more stressed. I dont needthat. So they really have to, need to recognize abused people like singlemoms. And theres a lot of us out there. (Koi, Toronto) 10. Policy-Related Findings: Summary AnalysisNeed for Improved Education, Training and IncomeSecurityVery low welfare benefits are predicated on short stays notthe case for lone mother-led families, families experiencesevere material deprivation Required are better benefitsand better routes off assistanceWorkfare is oriented to shortest route to work asustainable family income requires intensive job training &stable, affordable child care Lone mothers caught inwelfare-work-welfare cycleA gender-based analysis is needed to acknowledgethat issues facing lone mother-led families aregendered, Canadas policies are so-called genderneutralAbuse is a major factor in lone mothers welfare applicationsWomen continue to be the care-givers when families break-upNeeded services include daycare, counseling & case 11. Policy Advocacy Initiatives Meetings with Directors of Toronto Social Services (our partner) Outcomes include gender/power training to all staff Service changes and inclusion of gender-based analyses Advocating use of lone moms on assistance in new caseworker training Meetings with Ministers responsible for social assistance and education and training Presence of lone mom RAs and compelling stories from qualitative data no change but ongoing consultation 12. Policy Advocacy Initiatives Meetings with federal government, other jurisdictions including lone mothers Meetings with Ryerson University/Toronto Social ServicesPilot developed with free tuition and permission to attenduniversity full-time while on assistance to documentoutcomes for policy change Lone mother RA now on national anti-poverty board 13. Concluding AnalysisIn Canada, almost 25% of families are headed bya lone parent (Jensen, 2003) and over 90% of poorlone parents are women (National Council of Welfare, 2002).Therefore:Welfare State policy and programs must beanalysed through a gender lens to addresswomens ongoing and disproportionate careresponsibilities .The exclusionary effects of poverty, singlemotherhood and welfare use are cumulative addressing them requires multifaceted solutionsthat provide meaningful education, child care andcounselling to end reliance on social assistance.Higher benefit levels for families are critical toensure social inclusion. 14. Change and Transformation Being involved with thisLone mothers, state and project has enabled me to be community partners act to an intricate part of finding a ensure mutual positive, empowering, viable accountability solution, aimed at helping single moms on social assistance. Since joining theStories from lone mothers Lone Mothers project I haveare more compelling than started University and research facts started speaking out against women and children living in poverty. I utilize the media,The use of PAR has through TV, radio andchanged the personal lives newspapers to have the of many of the 22 lone issues of social injustice mother research assistants heard. As well I volunteer and at the same time with Campaign 2000, to helped to create 22 new enlighten society about thelone mother activists true facts surrounding child poverty (Lone Mother Researcher).