by Allan NormanArt featured prominently in our recent course on rationing. Classical Art. Modern Art. Even Cartoons. But the frontispiece was this photography project image from a young person taking part in a community project. The images as a whole present a positive image reflecting unexpected beauty, and imaginative perspectives on the estate where the young people live: you can see more of them if you take the photography link from the Project's web pages.
But this particular image spoke of the predominance of negative messages being given to the young people by the signs around the estate. And it spoke to me of some of the ways in which we ration services.
(© Northern Star Community Arts and used with permission. Full-size version)
It's all there, isn't it? The intercom and the requirement to report to security remind us of the physical barriers that we sometimes put in the way of access to our services, barriers that can also be deterrents to those who prefer not to have to navigate them.
Meanwhile, the actual processes of prioritisation are illustrated by the requirement to give way to others, and exactly how high the threshold for accessing services can be is reflected in the reference to the danger of death, and reminder that we want no pedestrians.
Finally, there are the diversionary tactics - signposting, and pointing the way to the voluntary sector. Well, it is another form of rationing, isn't it?
The final seminar in the series features Steven Appleby's Loomus, and is on 'Can I? Should I? Must I? ...charge for services' on 10th September.
Allan Norman is Principal Social Worker & Solicitor at Celtic Knot (www.celticknot.org.uk), an independent law firm and social work practice
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