Using this guide

Seminars and tutorials

The pack provides a wide range of information that could provide the basis for debate, discussion and teaching on many aspects of journalism. There are several examples of good practice that could be considered and analysed.

A number of journalists have provided short pieces on their experience of reporting poverty. As these pieces show, there are ethical issues involved in how people are approached and reported on. The pack could be used as a starting point for discussion or debates, or as one aspect alongside other topics such as mental health or disability, where some of the issues of stereotyping may be similar.

There is also a section in which people experiencing poverty, and organisations that represent them, give their views on how they feel the media treats them, which is likely to provide a basis for discussion. Resources include written pieces and also short films with perspectives from people in the media and the public.

Dissertations and papers

All these topics could also provide the basis for dissertations and other course work.

Further ideas

As a nationwide issue (even the most affluent areas have pockets of poverty, albeit in some cases hidden) poverty is a topic that can be used as the basis for practical exercises in interviewing, reporting, feature writing and programme development for all forms of media. Ideas could include:

• investigating a particular estate or area where there are high levels of unemployment;
• considering the 'infrastructure' of poverty in an area: what facilities – both public sector and private – are there to support people?;
• reporting on innovative schemes that are attempting to help people move out of poverty;
• looking at the problems faced by people in poverty in rural areas and the specific issues they face in housing, transport and employment;
• investigating how hidden the poverty is: how do others view it – do they see there is a problem?

Starting points for research to identify issues and subjects include local councils, citizens advice bureaux and churches and other poverty outreach as part of their activities. In addition, local groups of national charities may well be able to provide statistical information about poverty issues and to provide contacts for case studies.

The following can be contacted at national level for advice and help, and to put journalists in touch with their local groups:

• Save the Children
• Shelter
• Age Concern and Help the Aged (merged in April 2009 and will be rebranded in 2010)
• UK Coalition Against Poverty

In addition, there are likely to be locally based charities that can provide help.