Cycle Of Poverty Essay

After much thought and research I have decided to focus of the psychosocial aspects of the poverty cycle. There seems to be many misconceptions on how and why people stay in poverty. The reasons are many – lack of education, disabilities of head of household or family members, substance abuse, poor job market, and yes, lack of motivation. The debate usually centers on what the obstacles are to stop the cycle of poverty. Frequently we hear the phrase “Just get a job!”, but often times it is not that easy, and the more obstacles in the way, the harder it seems to accomplish your goals. However, I would want to know if it is possible to provide too much support so that a person never tries to work on issues that can be overcome. I would like to take a closer look at some of the psychosocial aspects of poverty, research what Massachusetts is doing to help break the cycle, and use the paper to educate on the issues that can derail a persons effort to break out of poverty. My thesis for this paper is that by providing the right amount of support we can start to break the

Social issues can be a very sensitive subject, most people have preconceived ideas about what works and what doesn’t. I would like this paper to clarify some of the misconceptions surrounding the causes of poverty and the best way to help those in need. I have heard such comments as stated before “they should just get a job”, other misconceptions include that people with trauma, mental illness or substance abuse should just “get over it” or that it is “just an excuse not to work”. Another common comment is “If I could do ________, then they should be able to also!” All these comments do is further the divide between those with the means and support from those who do not have those