The Experiences of Receiving Economic Assistance of the Youth in Low-income Households

[[abstract]]本研究旨在了解低收入戶少年接受經濟扶助的過程、經驗的覺知與感受，以及其對於接受經濟扶助後的生活樣貌詮釋，期望從少年的角度了解其對於接受經濟扶助的看法，並對實務工作和政策提出建議。本研究採取質性研究之方法，運用深度訪談來進行研究資料之蒐集。本研究採取立意取樣法作為研究取樣方式，並符合下列取樣標準：少年的家庭具有低收入戶資格、少年設籍並實際居住於南投縣、少年的家庭接受經濟扶助達一年以上。 本研究一共訪問六位少年，主要了解其接受經濟扶助的現況與經驗、低收入戶身分的覺知歷程與感受、接受補助後的生活樣貌。研究結果與發現如下： 一、 國內的經濟扶助足以滿足低收入戶少年的基本需求，然而無法滿足自覺需要。由於家庭經濟不充裕，低收入戶少年在金錢有限的考量之下，使得社會參與和事物的選擇性皆受到限制，甚至急著想要打工以滿足自覺需要和協助家庭經濟。 二、 低收入戶少年透過家長和學校老師的描述而對低收入戶資格有進一步的認識，然而有些家長隱晦不談，可能會使其對低收入戶進行自由聯想，甚至出現負面、不當的連結。 三、 低收入戶少年會考量他人對於接受經濟扶助的回應後，而決定是否曝光身分。 四、 學校老師掌握經濟扶助資訊，並成為協助低收入戶少年申請扶助的重要角色之一，其對低收入戶少年的態度、調查福利資格的方式影響低收入戶少年的受助感受以及福利身分的隱私保密、曝光與否。 五、 社福人員的態度與行為影響低收入戶少年的受助感受，而低收入戶少年面臨負面感受，大多選擇默默接受和自行接受，僅只少數受訪者有拒絕接受服務的經驗。 六、 低收入戶少年接受經濟扶助不僅需要符合社福團體所訂定的資格審查，亦需要完成接受經濟扶助的附帶規範。而有時社福機構或人員會以行為表現做為低收入戶少年是否能夠使用服務的判斷依據，形成操控行為。[[abstract]]This research aims to realize of the youth in low-income families’ processes of receiving economic assistance, the experiences and feelings they got, and the interpretations for their lives after receiving economic assistance. In addition, this research provides some suggestions to practice work and policy by means of the viewpoints from those low-income teenagers who receive economic assistance. The qualitative research is adopted by this study and the data used is collected through a series of in-depth interviews. Besides, purposeful sampling is used as a tool with the following criteria: the youth in low-income households, the youth living in Nantou County, and the youth in low-income households receiving economic assistance for more than a year. Six teenagers have been interviewed in this research. The main purpose of this study is to discuss the reality of their experiences when receiving economic assistance, the identification and the feelings of being in low-income families, and the lives they have now after receiving economic assistance. The results are as follows: 1. The economic assistance in Taiwan is enough to provide the basic needs for the youth in low-income households, whereas it is not enough to give what they want. Because of the financial difficulties, the youth live with limited money, and hence have fewer options for social participation and their daily lives. Therefore, they urge to take part-time jobs for their own or their families’ needs. 2. Through their guardians and teachers, the youth in low-income households have further understanding about the qualification of the low-income family. However, some guardians resist mentioning it. As a result, the youth may make free-association about low-income households, which may further leads them to inappropriate or negative associations. 3. The youth in low-income households consider others’ responses to the reception of economic assistance, and then decide whether to disclose the welfare identity or not. 4. Teachers hold the information of economic assistance, and thus play important roles to help the youth to receive the economic assistance. Their attitude towards the youth and their ways to investigate welfare identity affect the feelings of the youth in low-income households as well as the privacy of welfare identity. 5. The attitudes and behaviors of officers in the social welfare institution affect the feelings of the youth in low-income households. When the youth have negative feelings, in most cases, they choose to keep silent and accept it. Only a few teenagers reject to accept the social services. 6. To receive economic assistance, the youth in low-income households have to meet the qualifications which set by the social welfare institution and to complete the requirements right after receiving it. Sometimes, nevertheless the officers in the social welfare institution measure the qualification based on the teenagers’ behaviors, which somehow forms a kind of manipulation.[[note]]碩