Poverty Advocacy & Action
Document 7 : International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival
Friday 23 October 2009 - CCA (Glasgow) 7pm
presentations & discussion : Chik Collins, Gesa Helms, Peter Kelly (chair)
Chik Collins, University of the West of Scotland, and Clydebank Independent Resource Centre will talk about his recent research, 'To Bankers from Bankies - Incapacity Benefit: Myth and Reality':
"The report offers a view on 'welfare reform' from the perspective of the Clydebank Independent Resource Centre (CIRC). It has a particular focus on the most recent changes to benefits and on the 2009 Welfare Reform Bill. These constitute a major departure from the principles of social protection which have been in place since World War II. The report is addressed to the former banker, David Freud, whose 2007 report inspired the reforms, but also, and perhaps more importantly, to the politicians who appointed him as their adviser. The first part of the report introduces both 'the banker' (Freud) and 'the bankies' (the CIRC). It then outlines the CIRC's perspective on 'welfare reform' as it has developed since 1997. The second part focuses on the experience of Incapacity Benefit (IB) claimants in Clydebank in recent years, presenting three case studies which challenge the stereotypes and the rationale presented by the proponents of the current reforms."
Gesa Helms, Department of Urban Studies, University of Glasgow will talk about, 'Beyond Aspiration: Young People and decent work in the de-industrialised city, Discussion paper', June 2009:
"This discussion paper is designed to provoke a debate about the work and training prospects for young people in Glasgow. It draws upon recent statistical evidence alongside qualitative data from interviews and focus groups. It highlight the increasing difficulties that young people experience in finding decent training and job opportunities in the city’s labour market. ... Finally, we offer up some thoughts on what alternative questions should be posed in offering people real choices and opportunities for decent employment. A cornerstone of any alternative must be to recognise individual rights to participate in economic life on equal terms. More practically, young people need to be paid ‘living wages’ in return for any kind of paid work and given properly regulated training and work placements."
There will be a discussion afterwards chaired by Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, Glasgow.
"The Poverty Alliance : Our vision is of a sustainable Scotland based on social and economic justice, with dignity for all, where poverty and inequalities are not tolerated and are challenged."
For further details of the event & copies of the speakers' research papers, please see: http://www.variant.org.uk/events.html
This event is part of Document 7 : International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival and will be preceded by a screening of the film 'Drumchapel - The Frustration Game': a damning indictment of local authority enterprise schemes which are contrived to look as if they are there to help the disenfranchised but in fact serve the purpose of greater social control. Made by De-Classed Elements in the late 1980s, a video group who were based in Drumchapel, Glasgow, it is as relevant today as it was then.
Document 7 : International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival
CCA & GFT, Glasgow, 21st - 25th Oct 09
Document 7 will screen over 60 outstanding national and international documentaries that look at human rights in its broadest sense, as personal stories with a global punch. Audiences can expect to find films that are both accessible and thought provoking, engaging and challenging, then debate them with invited speakers.
Full programme: http://www.docfilmfest.org.uk
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