What do we mean by extending opportunities for the poor?
We can create opportunities for the poor in the areas of
___Employment
___Education
___Life Skills
___Survival
___Social connectedness
___The way to bring the planning of opportunities to reality is through advocacy.
Why extend opportunities for the poor?
___Any civilized society has an obligation to help its poorest members
___Decreasing poverty adds to the workforce
___Fewer poor people reduces the tax burden on everyone
___Decreasing poverty means increasing the number of consumers, and thereby strengthening the overall economy
___Adults rising out of poverty can break a generational cycle
___Reducing poverty decreases medical costs
___Reducing poverty increases diversity in all sectors of society
___Providing opportunities for the poor gives more people a stake in the society
___Providing opportunities for the poor increases equity
___Providing opportunities for the poor can improve their and their children's lives
When should you work to extend opportunities for the poor?
___When there's an election approaching
___When a comprehensive new initiative is starting
___When publicity about poverty or other issues opens doors to opportunity
___When there's a crisis that people simply can't ignore
Who should work to extend opportunities for the poor?
___Government
___Private funders
___Community institutions
___Business
___Human service or other non-profit or community-based organizations
___Grass roots or other community groups and community members
How do you extend opportunities for the poor?
___Some general guidelines for creating opportunities for the poor
- Assess the needs of the population you're concerned with
- Where possible, enlist the people you hope to benefit in the planning process
- Treat people with respect
- Devise opportunities that set clear and reachable goals, where participants can see the changes they've made
- Provide the emotional and psychological support necessary for people to change their way of thinking about the world and their place in it
- Provide the survival support necessary for people to make the transition to the next step
- Leave people enough time to make the change
___Provide employment opportunities
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Pre-employment skills training
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Career counseling
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Employment training
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Actual employment
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Social entrepreneurship and micro-credit
___Provide educational opportunities
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Basic education and ESOL
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Post-secondary education
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Education for the children of poverty
___Provide training in life skills
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Economic literacy
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Parenting and other family obligations
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Health information and healthy practices
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Civic participation
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General counseling
___Provide other opportunities
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Affordable housing
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Providing capital
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Preference for low-income applicants