Working & Poverty
貧．賦人生：在職貧窮
As a course constructor of the programme ‘Understanding the Other Side of Hong Kong - “Poverty, Empowering Life” Project’ organized by La Violet Education and supported by Oxfam Hong Kong, we have worked with junior and senior high school students from five secondary schools over a six-month period to understand the situation of working poverty in Hong Kong.
Why living in poverty while still having a job? What types of jobs and people are relatively vulnerable to poverty? From the perspective of teenagers, how to respond creatively to a topic like this? The programme explores the issue with the concept of design thinking, along with students and inspires them to explore how their creativity could alleviate the problem.
The exhibition at 618 Shanghai Street showcases the students' achievements over the past six months. It is hoped that those who have participated in the programme and the exhibition will be able to experience the students' deep feelings about the issue and their creative imagination in the face of poverty.
Why living in poverty while still having a job? What types of jobs and people are relatively vulnerable to poverty? From the perspective of teenagers, how to respond creatively to a topic like this? The programme explores the issue with the concept of design thinking, along with students and inspires them to explore how their creativity could alleviate the problem.
The exhibition at 618 Shanghai Street showcases the students' achievements over the past six months. It is hoped that those who have participated in the programme and the exhibition will be able to experience the students' deep feelings about the issue and their creative imagination in the face of poverty.
Year
2024
Client
La Violet Education Consultants Limited
Category
Content Research, Curating Workshop, Exhibition Design and Production
When designing the “Working Poverty” course, we aimed to use food as a medium to help students gain a different perspective on “poverty,” gradually expanding their imagination from the viewpoint of a “student.” First, we asked students to describe their impressions of food associated with poverty and their eating experiences. As a result, over 60% identified staple foods or processed items, such as instant noodles and bread, as representations of “poverty.” Most agreed that these foods are tasty and filling, but they also reported feeling thirsty afterward.
14% of students consistently depicted fast food (like McDonald’s), mentioning that it brings them a sense of happiness after eating. We then encouraged students to observe and record the raw materials, production, transportation, and preservation of the “poor” foods they chose.
At the same time, we invited students to observe and interview working individuals around them. For example, a bus driver father has his breakfast and lunch at a tea restaurant, skipping dinner to lose weight. A salesperson mother eats at a nearby restaurant at 11 AM, has some cookies until the afternoon snack time, and buys takeout home at 8 PM because she doesn’t have time to cook. Teachers who bring lunch and friends working at McDonald's were also included. By starting from the students’ social circles, we encouraged them to use observation, recording, and questioning to develop a personal understanding of “working poverty” and respond to the issue through creative work.
“Working Poverty” has the most urgent target for support, with relevant research reports and recommendations from both the government and civil organizations. If we want more people to resonate with and pay attention to this issue, is there space in the curatorial process to allow students to reflect on the meaning of ‘poverty’ in their lives? And what does “Working represent for their future?”
14% of students consistently depicted fast food (like McDonald’s), mentioning that it brings them a sense of happiness after eating. We then encouraged students to observe and record the raw materials, production, transportation, and preservation of the “poor” foods they chose.
At the same time, we invited students to observe and interview working individuals around them. For example, a bus driver father has his breakfast and lunch at a tea restaurant, skipping dinner to lose weight. A salesperson mother eats at a nearby restaurant at 11 AM, has some cookies until the afternoon snack time, and buys takeout home at 8 PM because she doesn’t have time to cook. Teachers who bring lunch and friends working at McDonald's were also included. By starting from the students’ social circles, we encouraged them to use observation, recording, and questioning to develop a personal understanding of “working poverty” and respond to the issue through creative work.
“Working Poverty” has the most urgent target for support, with relevant research reports and recommendations from both the government and civil organizations. If we want more people to resonate with and pay attention to this issue, is there space in the curatorial process to allow students to reflect on the meaning of ‘poverty’ in their lives? And what does “Working represent for their future?”