Carleton professor creates plain-language guide for getting government aid

Online Google Document shows how to apply for things like Employment Insurance, Caregiver Benefits, rent subsidies and others. 

Poverty has long weighed on Hugh Segal’s mind. For decades,

A Carleton University professor has created a plain language guide to help those trying to access government programs in the time of coronavirus.

Jennifer Robson has studied how government communicates in her academic work as an associate professor in political management. Robson, who spent six years on Parliament Hill as a staff member to MPs, then worked in the non-profit sector before joining the university, says governments are poor communicators.

Robson’s posted a Google Document online with straightforward instructions on how to apply for things like Employment Insurance, Caregiver Benefits, rent subsidies and others. She answers questions like: “I’m self-employed. What benefits can I get?” and “I am at home because my kids cannot go to school or daycare. I need money to make ends meet.”

You can find Robson’s guide here in PDF form here: https://t.co/jLgYqIXyGG?amp=1

Read the full article at the Ottawa Citizen