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w w w .i n si d eH A LT O N .c o m O A K V IL LE B EA V ER W ed ne sd ay , O ct ob er 5 , 2 01 1 1 6 1 7 W ednesday, O ctober 5, 2011 O A K V ILLE B EA V ER w w w .in sid eH A LTO N .co m POVERTY Oakville is an affluent community one that provides an enviable standard of living thanks to our many natural and human-made amenities. But living in our midst are thousands of people, often unseen, for whom daily life is a struggle. Those who work full time jobs at minimum wage but need to support a family are under-employed due to a lack of recognition of foreign credentials or living on fixed incomes from disability pensions, old age security, or social assistance often cannot make ends meet and must choose amongst food, electricity, medication, shelter and clothing. Research demonstrates that low-income Canadians are more likely to die earlier and suffer more illnesses than Canadians with higher incomes, regardless of age, sex, race, and place of residence. It also confirms that children and youth who have had a healthy start to life are more likely to stay in school, enter the job market, and be successful in their chosen profession later in life.11 The conditions in which people are born, grow, work, learn and live known as the social determinants of health play a fundamental role in shaping their well-being.12 Poverty costs us all. Whether its measured by our reduced employment pool and tax base and its negative impact on our competitiveness and productivity, the increased pressure on finite public expenditures for social services or health care, or the strain on the dignity that is an inherent right of humanity, poverty is a concern we cant afford to ignore. SIZE AND SCOPE -$369 the monthly shortfall faced bya single man, age 31, on social assistance16 AVERAGE RENT IN HALTON $731 COST OF NUTRITIOUS DIET $244 TOTAL INCOME $606 LEAVING A DEFICIT OF $369 WHERE IS POVERTY? The 7.5% of households in Oakville that are low income are spread out across the Town.13 People in poverty can be our neighbours or those standing in line next to us at the grocery store or library female lone parent families in Oakville lives in poverty14 MENTAL HEALTH Whether its a youngsters anxiety about school, a teen with an eating disorder, an adult dealing with depression and perhaps an accompanying addiction, or a senior living with dementia, statistics show that 1 in 5 adults in Canada and 1 in 5 children and youth in Ontario will encounter a mental health issue in their lifetime.35 Oakvilles experience can be expected to be no different. Research indicates that 70% of mental health problems and illnesses have their onset during childhood or adolescence.36 Evidence dictates that early intervention is best, and that if left untreated, youth are far more likely to be impacted negatively by health and social issues when they become adults.37 Greater emphasis is being placed on developmental assets, or the positive experiences and personal qualities that youth need to grow up healthy, caring and responsible, and not fall into risky behaviours.38 Many recognize the symbiotic nature of poverty and mental health. Theres also increasing awareness of concurrent disorders and a growing realization that the person is not to blame. With a population that is aging and living longer, the number of people with dementia is also projected to soar, at a time when there will be relatively fewer young people in our community to care for them. While pharmacological and behavioural interventions continue to make dramatic differences, many are now emphasizing that treating a mental illness is often as much about helping people learn how to cope with their personal stressors as it is about helping themwith the condition itself. >1/day Last year, police responded to approximately 500 calls in Oakville, related to mental health issues, which averages out to more than one call a day39 $22,896 the annual income a family of four receives from social assistance and additional benefits or credits15 Tensions, Gaps, Ideas and Action To read about some of the external factors compounding poverty, the gaps in services that people face, and some interesting ideas and actions that have been implemented to combat it, please visit our website at: www.theocf.org/VitalSigns/Poverty FORCES AT PLAY The amount Canadians spend for every dollar earned putting families in record levels of debt, where the loss of a job or the onset of illness can trigger a descent into poverty18 $1.47 While the average wait time is 2.7 years, it would take a cumulative 27 years to accommodate everyone on the wait list for affordable housing in Halton19 27 YEARS 13% Demand for social housing by seniors is up 13%, yet their relative wait time is low at 1.8 years.20 Seniors are also seeking access to Oakvilles only homeless shelter in record numbers21 ALMOST 44% of the families served by the Salvation Armys residential units for Haltons homeless come from Oakville22 Based on the Low Income Measure (LIM), an indicator of relative poverty, the overall poverty rate in Oakville rose 22.3% between 2001 and 2009, from 11.8% to 14.4%. This rate was 35.3% lower than the provincial average of 22.2% and 33.2% lower than the national average of 21.5%17 CHARITABLE GIVING AND VOLUNTARISM Oakville is a caring community. The sentiment is echoed by countless agencies, sports clubs, and faith congregations, and the scores of people whose contributions sustain them. Yet despite all the bake sales and car washes, sponsoring of friends to participate in events, and small gifts at the check-out aisles, the number of donations directly being given to charities is stagnant and thats cause for alarm. In the wake of decreasing funds available from government grants, increasing costs and wages, and a growing demand for services particularly during tougher economic times, donors provide an essential source of revenue for the 250 organizations that constitute Haltons non-profit and charitable sector. While these organizations provide invaluable services that immeasurably enhance our quality of life, they also employ approximately 5,000 people and engage approximately 20,000 volunteers. The sector directly contributes about $188 million to Haltons GDP, or $240 million if you factor in the economic value of volunteer labour.24 Voluntarism, itself, brings its own set of benefits. Research shows that individuals who were involved in community activities as youth or exposed to role models who volunteered tend to make much larger charitable donations as adults.25 We also know that young people who are involved in their community report higher feelings of self-esteem and overall good health, and are significantly less likely to engage in sexual activity, violence, and use tobacco, drugs or alcohol.26 Charitable giving and voluntarism are cornerstones of a vibrant community. Its in all of our best interests to show that we care. 38 million The number of hours contributed by volunteers in Halton during the 12 month reference period of the 2007 Canada Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating. This is the equivalent of 20,232 full-time, year round jobs29 67% of the population in Halton Region aged 15 and over volunteered their time through an agency, group or organization in 2007, compared to 47.3% provincially, and 46% nationally28 HALTON 67% PROVINCAL 47.3% NATIONAL 46% SIZE AND SCOPE We belong 74% of 12 year olds and 62% of 15 year olds in Oakville reported a strong sense of belonging in their community31 >$1 million The Oakville Community Foundation and its Fundholders granted $1,037,668 in 2010, an increase of 77% from 2009 levels33 23% of charitable organizations report that their existance is at risk and 14% are under high stress, according to a survey of 1,600 charity leaders across Canada32 FORCES AT PLAY WERE GENEROUS 31% of Oakville residents reported charitable gifts on their tax returns during 2007-2009, compared to approximately 25% of Ontarians and 24% of Canadians. The median gift was also larger approximately $360 each year in Oakville, compared to approximately $310 in Ontario and $250 across Canada30 SIZE AND SCOPE FORCES AT PLAY 43% of children raised in low income, lone-mother families experienced some psychiatric disorders or schooling and social problems, compared to only 24% of those in low income two-parent families40 44% over a 12-month period, 44% of grade 10 students in Oakville reported at least one episode of binge drinking (five or more drinks on a single occasion) and 35% reported using illicit drugs41 1 in 11 people in Halton (9%) aged 65 and over have dementia.43 Each month, the Hamilton/Halton chapter of the Canadian Alzheimers Society receives 200 new referrals.44 The number of cases is projected to more than double in the next 20 years to 10,962 cases for Halton alone45 Over a 12-month period, 11% of grade 10 students in Oakville reported thoughts of suicide, while 38% reported high levels of positive mental health42 Holding Steady For each of the 2007, 2008, and 2009 taxation years, 31% of Oakville residents reported making charitable donations on their tax returns27 = 1,000,000 volunteered hours Tensions, Gaps, Ideas and Action To read about some of the external factors affecting charitable giving and volunteerism, the gaps in services faced by charities, and some interesting ideas and actions that have been implemented to encourage donations of time and resources, please visit our website at: www.theocf.org/VitalSigns/CharitableGiving&Voluntarism Tensions, Gaps, Ideas and Action To read about some of the external factors affecting mental health, the gaps in services that people face, and some interesting ideas and actions that have been implemented to promote it, please visit our website at: www.theocf.org/VitalSigns/MentalHealth The length of time that children in Oakville, age six and under, can wait for mental health services from the Reach Out Centre for Kids in Halton, due to funding restrictions.46 Approximately 600 clients in all age groups are waiting for treatment services and 150 for psychology services47 UP TO 2 YEARS Employed caregivers report that their duties have resulted in modertate to high emotional strain, which is linked with poorer personal health, increased work-life conflict, lower levels of family well-being and reduced fertility48 1 IN 4 People in Ontario age 15 and over reported providing unpaid care or assistance to seniors50 9.8M Canadians in the lowest income group are 3-4 times more likely than those in the highest income group to report fair to poor mental health49 3-4 TIMES