Poverty is alive and well, and in a street near you.

Poverty is rife in Scotland. And it’s becoming more prevalent.

When hundreds of thousands of people in Scotland do not have enough to afford the basics to live, it’s time to take action.

What we are talking about here is the absolute inability to afford the basics of life. The inability of people in our lives and in our communities to achieve the most basic of human rights such as access to food, heat and shelter. If you think I am exaggerating, there is a whole raft of evidence out there of the impact of poverty. The NHS in Scotland has been gearing up to deal with this for some time now. So how can this be right in the 21^st century? The myths about poverty and life on benefits are among the biggest challenges we face in turning the debate around. So it is in this context that the third sector is fighting back. SCVO, along with the Poverty Alliance, CHAS, CPAG, Alzhiemer Scotland, Macmillan, Oxfam and Shelter Scotland have launched Scotland’s Outlook campaign. Our aim is to raise awareness of the scale and impact of poverty in Scotland and to face, head on, some of the myths that exist about people’s lives and the day-to-day hardship they face. Poverty is wreaking havoc in people’s lives and homes – it’s a perfect storm which will have long-term effects on the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities. When highly-regarded economists such as Joseph Stiglitz start challenging the level of inequality that exists in our society, it’s time to listen. When hundreds of thousands of people in Scotland do not have enough to afford the basics to live, it’s time to take action. That’s what our campaign is trying to do by building a collective commitment to tackle the blight of poverty in Scotland. Poverty is alive and well, and in a street near you. Consider your own perceptions of poverty and of people on benefits and consider this: it could so easily be me or you. Look at the campaign site, film and facts and share them. Take action in whatever way you can – together we really can make a difference.