Participants of Circles South Muskoka share solutions for alleviating poverty. This story is the fourth in a four-part series featuring members of Circles South Muskoka discussing poverty and how to achieve more stability.
Over the past three weeks, our reporter has been writing about inflation, the housing crisis and mental health.
But what are the solutions to these wide-reaching issues?
Change doesn’t happen overnight. The goal of the Circles South Muskokaprogram is to help people with lower incomes make long-term, sustainable progress and have the confidence to look ahead.
That isn’t easy, especially when you are experiencing poverty and “you’re in the trenches all the time,” said Circles co-ordinator Amy Jones.
Markers of success aren’t always big life moments like moving into a new place or getting a vehicle. As Circles members shared, it may be securing child care, forming a friendship or making a phone call to a service agency.
A big part of Circles is changing people’s perceptions about poverty so they can be more empathetic.
“You don’t know what someone’s experience is or (why) their core value system is causing them to look in a certain direction and behave a certain way,” said Amy Jones. “That’s really the beauty of Bridges Out of Poverty is it provides that common language and understanding.
“Those barriers come down and you just realize you’re all human,” she said.
Misconceptions are a huge problem — and they don’t do anything to help the people facing these issues.
Gravenhurst Against Poverty and Circles South Muskoka team up to work on the Gravenhurst Against Poverty Gardens project. — Bryan White photo
“People just assume that you’re too lazy to work, or you’re addicted to something or whatever the case is,” said Circles leader Sarah M. in relation to the housing crisis. “People just assume that homeless people are just in one box, but they’re not.”
As ally Gerry Lawrence said, when people are unaware of what poverty looks and feels like, “it’s out of sight, out of mind.
“We’ve got to somehow change the thinking of the people and that’s really, really hard to do,” he said.
Circles offers workshops to help leaders achieve more self-sufficiency, on topics like financial literacy, nutrition and cooking on a budget, and stress management.
But the program is also about having conversations and acknowledging their self-worth.
“They really understand intimately the journey that they’re on but they’ve found stability in their own way,” said Amy Jones. “What that looks like is different for everybody but it’s finding that stability and being in a good place and having your goals met and you’re continuing to move forward.”
Education, empowerment and relationship-building are the key ways to get people out of poverty, said Circles coach Kelly Jones.
“The allies may not have the answer, but part of walking alongside the leader, they’re discovering the answer and then they’re using those networks and the resources that they are connected to,” she said.
So, what can people do to make a tangible difference in their communities?
Bryan White of Gravenhurst Against Poverty and Sarah M. of Circles South Muskoka work together to create a new garden box. — GAP photo
Here’s what Circles members recommended:
• Advocate for change at the municipal, provincial and federal levels.
• Appeal to compassionate professionals and see if they are interested in partnering with local agencies to support the community’s needs.
• Educate yourself and others about how poverty affects people and communities, and how issues like inflation, housing and mental health are interconnected.
• Seek resources to shift your mindset about poverty, like taking the Bridges Out of Poverty training.
• Make Bridges Out of Poverty training mandatory for community service agencies that work closely with people experiencing poverty, and encourage this training for volunteers at non-profit groups like food banks.
• Work with people who have lived experience with poverty to find solutions.
It is learning to listen, being open-minded and having meaningful conversations — and also getting involved in community projects. Recently, Circles South Muskoka teamed up with Gravenhurst Against Poverty to replace one of the garden boxes that helps sustain the food program.
“That’s all of us together doing the same thing and providing a service for something,” said Kelly Jones.
Anyone interested in becoming a Circles leader or ally can contact Kelly Jones directly at kjones@ywcamuskoka.com.
STORY BEHIND THE STORY: Our reporter felt it was important to share people’s personal experiences with issues like inflation, housing, and mental health — but additionally, she also wanted to share their ideas for solutions. People need to listen to and learn from those with lived experience of poverty in order to understand what it looks and feels like and what can be done to make a change.
Sarah Law – Gravenhurst Banner – Monday, July 4, 2022