Richmond child poverty not improving at best: survey

The Board of Education presented the results of its child poverty survey to city council Wednesday morning.

Based on anecdotal responses from teachers and administrators, the survey found 20 per cent perceived an increase in poverty at their schools in recent years, compared to only eight per cent who perceived a decrease. Fifty per cent stayed the same, while 13 per cent were not sure, meaning at best, the problem remains the same, and is not improving.

Due to privacy constraints, the board couldnt ask families questions relating to their socio-economic status, which makes the survey unofficial.

However, the information is still useful, said school trustee Rod Belleza, who put forward a motion to conduct the survey in April.

We want to create awareness about this and bring it to the attention of the city, said Belleza, who saw much poverty during his 20 years as an active community volunteer. A social problem like this has a negative impact on an individuals potential, and our objective is to focus on the development of a students potential.

It has frequently been reported that Richmonds child poverty rate is the highest in the province at 26 per cent, according to 2006 census data reports, with one of the driving causes being the high cost of housing.

Though many debate the actual level of child poverty, the fact is it exists, teachers and administrators see it daily, and solutions need to be found, according to board members.

While most schools have a fruit and vegetables snack program in place, only 30 per cent or less have a hot lunch program, a breakfast club, or a homework club.

One of the problems faced by the district is the instability of these programs.

A breakfast club initiated by a staff or PAC member, for example, might not continue the following year if the organizer leaves or retires.

This is where having a dialogue with the greater community the city, the district, and nonprofit organizations would be important, said Belleza. We need everyone to contribute solutions, perhaps this means having volunteers who are committed to the sustainability of these programs.

The report recommended initiatives which included establishing stronger ties with various community organizations to ensure longevity of programs, continuing to advocate for Richmond students, and making school-based administrators more aware of which grants and support programs are available to them.

One thing the report concluded, however, was that child poverty numbers will continue to grow and eventually staff and PACs wont be able to support the larger number of needier students.

Devising a system-wide plan would not be an efficient use of district resources, as the need varies greatly between schools.

Instead, the district plans to focus on initiatives for the schools that are most in need, partnering with local organizations.

Weve just done the first thing to get the community aware of the problem, said Belleza. Everyone says its not their mandate. Its not the mandate of anyone, but its the responsibility of everyone.