The influence of welfare on leisure experiences: ‘As long as me and mine eat, I’m all right’

ABSTRACT

Welfare recipients in the U.S.A. are primarily women and their children. Welfare programmes operate as a form of social control, conditioning women into displaying desired behaviours and offering food and shelter as the reward for following the rules. Drawing from critical and feminist frameworks, this study used focus group interviews to learn more about the impact of welfare on the leisure experience. Common conceptualizations of leisure are simply not applicable to those who receive welfare and leisure is, therefore, reconsidered with a focus on classism throughout this study. The composite character of Sharise was created through the data and her story demonstrates how leisure is used as a tool to maintain the status quo for welfare recipients. Sharise describes how she struggles to follow government rules, while at the same time feed and educate her children, and provide them with recreational opportunities.

KEYWORDS:

• Leisure
• welfare
• social class

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Laurel Richmond is an assistant professor of Recreation and Leisure Studies at California State University, Long Beach.

Notes

1 Sanctions are monetary penalties that come out of a welfare recipient’s cheque if they do not meet certain deadlines or attend classes.

2 Head Start is a programme designed for low-income children under the age of 5 years to prepare them for attending school.

3 General Education Development (GED) is a series of tests taken to replace a high school diploma.

4 The Young Men’s Christian Association or YMCA is a non-profit that offers after-school programming and recreation for children.