The Affects of Poverty on the Aged Community
There are many definitions of poverty. Poverty can be culturally specific. What may be defined as living in poverty in one culture may be different in another. Poverty can be defined as a lack of basic resources such as money to pay bills buy food etc. In Australia there are many different communities, families and individuals who experience lack of access to resources on a daily basis .Poverty is a major issue for social workers. This essay will explore poverty in relationship to the ageing community and how this is influenced by the current political environment in Australia.
A well-developed understanding of poverty is essential for social workers as understanding poverty and what defines poverty will assist in working with individual’s in an anti-oppressive practice.
Porter and Trezise state that there are two theories of poverty, one which places the responsibility of being poor with the individuals themselves and the other theory which views poverty as a social problem that has been produced and reproduced by structural forces in society.
Porter and Trezise state ‘The poverty debate is thus essentially and unavoidably political ….The poverty debate resolves into a contest between two main theoretical approaches. One emphasises individual choice and responsibility, drawing to attention the roles of moral character and motivation in determining and individuals soci-economic status. The second theoretical approach high lights broader social and economic structures. This structural approach explores the class and economic processes that limit and anticipate the opportunities open to individuals and the choices they can make. Porter & Trezise (p 36 2006)
How an individual defines poverty will define the way in which they practice as a social worker .If a social worker adopts theory one and sees poverty as the individuals reasonability then this is what they will focus on for example getting them into paid
A well-developed understanding of poverty is essential for social workers as understanding poverty and what defines poverty will assist in working with individual’s in an anti-oppressive practice.
Porter and Trezise state that there are two theories of poverty, one which places the responsibility of being poor with the individuals themselves and the other theory which views poverty as a social problem that has been produced and reproduced by structural forces in society.
Porter and Trezise state ‘The poverty debate is thus essentially and unavoidably political ….The poverty debate resolves into a contest between two main theoretical approaches. One emphasises individual choice and responsibility, drawing to attention the roles of moral character and motivation in determining and individuals soci-economic status. The second theoretical approach high lights broader social and economic structures. This structural approach explores the class and economic processes that limit and anticipate the opportunities open to individuals and the choices they can make. Porter & Trezise (p 36 2006)
How an individual defines poverty will define the way in which they practice as a social worker .If a social worker adopts theory one and sees poverty as the individuals reasonability then this is what they will focus on for example getting them into paid