Social Assistance - Maybe we need a new approach-New Paradigm

I have been reading on a number of postings on facebook and the like about people struggling to make ends meet...prices are continuing to go up and people are on social assistance or EI - Employment Insurance for various reasons.  Money only goes so far for both individuals and government.  I'm not sure of the exact particulars of social assistance only that it doesn't seem to be enough and budgets are getting smaller while expenses are getting greater.  The solution is to find a way to create a sustainable system that government can continue to help those in need with the help of non-profits and possibly Churches.  I'm thinking a new approach is needed along the lines of this quote -
"If you give a man a fish you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish you
feed him for a lifetime."  
The main components that people need are transportation, housing and food...medications etc too but the basics are the three mentioned.  From my limited understanding money is what is given to each person to buy food or pay rent etc. what about the training part? Are we giving people anything to build on or are we creating system to keep them in the system? I remember working on a study a number of years ago and a man was on social assistance but really wanted to work - the barrier for him was that he couldn't afford his meds and work but social assistance wouldn't pay meds unless he was on social assistance.  Everyone can be productive and usually want to be within their capabilities so why not focus on what will give them a better quality of life and a hand up not a hand out.  I was at the soup kitchen once and met a person I graduated from school with - she said thank you for the hand up...she had fallen on hard times and needed a meal since the money she had was used for rent etc.  If we can consider that everyone has value and that we need to meet them where they are at.  Yes some have addictions but why do they have addictions and how can we help them? We go to third world countries to teach people to farm, and other skills while we have a ton of people here that would love to learn new skills.  So what do you think? I believe we should look to see how we can make everyone productive i.e. teach how to grow food at whatever level and means they have.  How to cook a meal from scratch i.e. soup. or create a co-operative to join forces to feed our poor, under-employed, and working poor.  Community gardens? Shared transportation options to help those that need a car for work or maybe a scooter borrow system....look at what people need, how we can tailor a program to get them off social assistance, as I'm sure most want to be self-sufficient and those that don't we can work with them to...at their current situation/level.