Poverty hurts. The constant struggle with bills, battles to negotiate repayments, the humiliation of not having enough money to join in, having to borrow from friends and family to get by, going hungry or cold until the next payment.... As a grassroots organisation we understand the lived experience of poverty of our participants, volunteers and staff.
What we have learned is that people can often have periods of managing reasonably well with very little. But, when an unexpected cost comes along, the balance shifts quickly into unmanageable, and then to crisis. When living with no margin of comfort, with every penny accounted for, a ‘pile up’ happens at speed.
This is why all of Comas’ beneficiaries are people who are particularly vulnerable to cuts in public services and rising prices. 
Our belief in recovery means that we believe everyone can find a way to contribute to society, but we are realistic that some people cannot cope with the demands of paid employment. Their journey into work will take time, support and the opportunities that offer progression at the right moment.
The focus on tackling poverty often centres on people making the transition from benefits to work. In Comas we are focusing on enabling people to maximise their income throughout their journey towards paid employment. This means finding ways to enable people to improve their circumstances step by step, and to create a greater margin to protect against crisis.