Poverty Simulation Nuts and Bolts
United Way of the Greater Triangle
Laurie Williamson. Ashley Taylor. Lindsey Dolan. Cassie Proper
www.unitedwaytriangle.org
WHY?
• Community Engagement
• Thought and Community Leadership
• Experiential
• Meaningful
• Helps to develop empathy among
participants
• Simulates deeper understanding and
discussion of daily struggles for those
living in poverty
• Encourages conversation about changes
in systems, our behavior and action that
can be taken to influence change through
advocacy, giving, volunteering, building
relationships
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WHO do we engage with
Poverty Simulations?
• Local companies
Nationwide, RTI, Redwoods
Group, LORD corporation
Capitol Broadcasting
• Chamber/Leadership Groups
Raleigh, Durham, Johnston
• University classes
UNC School of Nursing
School of Business
• Faith Communities
• Local Public Schools
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Media Coverage
WRAL
Triangle United Way Uses Simulation to Educate on Poverty
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/10379072\
Johnston County Chamber of Commerce Young Leaders
United Way Hosts Poverty Simulator
http://www.claytonnewsstar.com/2013/03/12/2744361/united-way-hostspoverty-simulator.html
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HOW do we engage companies
with Poverty Simulations?
• Hands on experience
• Greater understanding of obstacles low income families face
• Increase attention and discussion around issues of poverty
• Encouragement to take action
• Testimonial to other employees
• Become providers at future poverty simulations
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Poverty Simulators Online
SPENT
http://www.umdurham.org/spent.html
http://playspent.org/
American Public Media Marketplace Piece
Pretending to be poor can change your perspective
http://www.marketplace.org/topics/wealth-poverty/pretending-bepoor-can-change-your-perspective#.UG9ksOC-Qpg.email
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To order a
Poverty Simulation Kit…
The Missouri Association for Community Action
http://www.communityaction.org/Poverty%20Simulation.aspx
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Simulation Kit Includes:
• DIRECTOR'S MANUAL: Instructions on how to run a
simulation, sample invitation letter and news release, facts
about poverty, suggestion about what people can do to
impact policy.
• RESOURCE PACKETS: Instructions and accessories for
each community resource, including welfare office, pawn
shop, school, bank, police station, grocery
store. Accessories include calculators, clip boards, money
boxes, play money, homework, Social Security cards,
name badges, forms.
• FAMILY PACKETS: There are 26 family packets, each
with a family scenario and accessories, including play
money, appliance cards and transportation passes.
• COMPACT DISC: Contains PDF files of all materials so
lost items can be reprinted.
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Do you believe poverty is the result of individuals
making poor decisions or a system that does not
understand the needs of the low income people?
Responses of program participants…
“I do think - as an educator - that we
need to give children of these
families the tools they need to be
able to make good decisions and
the ability to collaborate with others
who are in the same situation.”
“I think the system is broken because it
is reactive instead of proactive. I think
interventions/help has to start before a
child is born in order to provide them with
the highest chance of rising above
poverty. I also believe that a fair amount
of people make poor decisions, hence
another reason for early intervention.”
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Do you believe poverty is the result of individuals
making poor decisions or a system that does not
understand the needs of the low income people?
“There needs to be education
on life skills in the
communities.”
“I think poverty is a result of
many things. I think sometimes
it is a cycle that some families
get stuck in. I also feel our
system sometimes makes it
hard for families to move out of
poverty. I think lack of
education plays a big role also.”
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Engaging UWGT Staff, Volunteers
and Agency Partners
• Executive directors and program
directors from our partner agencies
• Cross functional representation from
UWGT
• Social Work interns from UWGT and
program agencies
• Community Impact Cabinet and YLS
Volunteers
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Do you believe poverty is the result of individuals
making poor decisions or a system that does not
understand the needs of the low income people?
Responses from UWGT and Agency Partner Volunteers…
“The ‘system’ seems to create extra burdens for
low-income persons to even survive on a day-today basis. The ‘transaction costs’ for most of the
expenses (and income) that low income persons
face are considerably more than for those with
greater control of their financial options. That said,
there does seem to be cases where individuals
choose shorter term ‘benefits’ rather than longer
term opportunities”
“Individuals with limited resources need
financial counseling. They need to learn how to
use their limited resources wisely, making good
choices. They need role models, people just
like themselves who are successful, who can
inspire and motivate them to do better.”
“I think poverty is a complex
individual, systems and overall
social problem…It’s hard to emerge
from poverty without basic needs
being met (i.e. hierarchy of needs)
but most folks need more help
getting those needs met so they
can focus on the bigger picture.
Breaking the cycle of poverty is
another way systems can help. I
know NCSU has a program that
supports students who are first
generation college attendees.
That’s great!”
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Logistics
• Recruiting volunteers to be service providers
• Organizing volunteers
• Training volunteers
• Coordinating with participating company or group
• Scouting out and arranging for onsite logistics
• Leading Poverty Simulation kit assembly
• Leading Simulation set up – 1-1/2 hours prior
• Facilitation of simulation - 1) Introduction 2) Script for Simulation 3)
Floating and Monitoring during simulation 4) Debrief
• Clean Up
• Follow up survey
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CHAOS
ORDER
CHAOS
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Facilitating the Debrief
• Family composition
• What kind of feelings came up during your month in poverty?
• What happened to your family?
• How many families:
Paid the rent or mortgage bill?
Kept the utilities on?
Bought groceries?
Were evicted?
• What had value?
• Did any of you help each other out? Why or why not?
• Service providers talk about their experience and what they
observed
• Take aways – How will you use what they learned from this
experience in their every day lives. What can they do?
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QUESTIONS?
Laurie Williamson
lwilliamson@unitedwaytriangle.org
Stan Holt
sholt@unitedwaytriangle.org
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