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Take Caution, Social Workers: Not All Poverty Trainings Are Created Equal

by Rose Frech, MSW, LSW

     Poverty is everywhere, and its professional impact resonates far outside the field of social work. As the intersection of education, criminal justice, health care, and social services continues to be increasingly complex, professionals from a range of backgrounds work with low-income populations in a multitude of roles. Educators, health care providers, and others outside the field—unlike trained social workers—may not have received adequate training in working with diverse clientele, including individuals living in poverty. Consequently, many may find themselves overwhelmed by the challenges that arise when working with low-income people.  

     Workshops and other forms of professional development focused on poverty offer attractive options for government agencies, nonprofits, education, and health care institutions to bridge the gap with their multidisciplinary staff. However, not all poverty trainings are created equal, and closer inspection will show that they can represent vastly different ideological viewpoints.   

     Social workers often find themselves at the forefront of these events, either as organizers or as attendees. When planned carefully, these events may provide valuable opportunities to expand dialogue around these issues and help other professionals to better understand the challenges individuals living in poverty face. They have the potential to increase empathy and improve interactions with clients or consumers. Nevertheless, these workshops and presentations may promote politically-charged values and present divisive strategies for addressing poverty and inequality. As a result, to achieve the desired impact, great care must be given when selecting and planning these events to assure they align with your agency’s mission and values. 

Bridges Out of Poverty

     For example, one popular option is training on the Bridges Out of Poverty framework. Presented both in books and through workshops, the Bridges framework emphasizes a “culture of poverty” paradigm, focused on the norms and values adopted by the poor that lead them to, and keep them in, poverty. Deemphasizing social structures that may create poverty, these workshops outline the “hidden rules“ of the social class and highlight how differences in values and language can hold lower-income people back from financial success. Trainers present strategies professionals may use to apply these concepts to their work.  

     The model is embraced by many as a useful exercise in understanding the behavior and decision-making of lower income clients or consumers, leading to increased empathy and support. However, critics of the framework argue that it is a “blame the victim” deficit model, and that the generalizations presented about poor people are polarizing and even harmful. Others have argued that the research supporting the model is flimsy, at best, and that social theories entangling poverty and culture are outdated. 

Poverty Simulations

     In contrast, poverty simulations, often offered by community action agencies or other private nonprofits, provide experiential learning opportunities. Participants typically spend a designated amount of time in a simulation designed to represent a week living in poverty. Individuals are assigned to families, presented with different scenarios, and guided to interact with different systems (school, work, the “welfare office,” child care, and so on) while trying to get by with very little (or no) income.

     Unlike the Bridges model, which focuses on individuals’ behaviors and values, poverty simulations strive to makes the case that anyone, regardless of background, would struggle to meet the demands of a life in poverty. The goal is to replicate the barriers faced when trying to navigate life in poverty and reproduce the subsequent feelings of stress. Proponents note that these experiences offer a much-needed wake-up call to those who continue to support the “welfare queen” narrative, that living in poverty is easy, or who simply can’t understand why their clients are constantly late or lack focus.   

     However, these simulations are also not without critics. Some have argued that these events are not reflective of the experiences of many low-income people, and therefore reduce the poor to caricatures. Others have called them exploitive, by glorifying the experience of poverty into a form of game.    

     Neither option offers concrete solutions for addressing the issue of poverty. Both pay insufficient attention to issues of race, and neither has a sufficient evidence base. There are other models that offer different perspectives that should be similarly scrutinized.  

Invited Speakers

     Another attractive option for agencies and institutions is hosting speakers to address issues of poverty with their boards of directors, staff, or other stakeholders. Such speakers can provide much-needed motivation to uplift those entrenched in the work. Others can offer valuable perspectives on issues related to poverty. Some speakers may have lived in poverty themselves and have powerful personal stories to share, highlighting their perspectives.   

     However, care and discretion must be taken here, as well, as a simple Internet search for speakers on issues of poverty will yield results ranging from ultra-conservative pundits to ultra-liberal social activists. There is no doubt that some speakers may highlight the importance of mentors, faith, or education in breaking the cycle of poverty. Others may allude to the breakdown of the traditional family or emphasize character issues among the poor. Still others would likely address the dismantling of the government safety net and the need for more robust social programs. Their message, and the takeaway for your audience, could vary considerably. 

     As social workers, promoting a better understanding around issues of poverty and inequality is an important tenet of our profession, as is respecting a diversity of opinions and values. These trainings or speakers will present information and ideas that will likely resonate with many, but will it be the message you want to send? 

Considerations in Planning a Poverty Training

     Social workers involved in decision-making when planning a poverty workshop would be wise to consider the following: 

Conclusion  

     Trainings, workshops, and speakers can provide much-needed professional development for staff working with individuals living in poverty and should not be discounted. Social workers should be cautious, however, in fully embracing any speaker or model without doing their homework. Additionally, the impact of any such event is likely short-lived. To promote empathy and understanding and provide support to staff, social workers should consider encouraging opportunities for ongoing discussions around poverty and inequality within organizations.  

Rose Frech, MSW, LSW, is a licensed social worker with experience in direct service, management, policy analysis, and demographic research. Her primary interests are issues of poverty, social welfare policy, and promoting advocacy among social workers. She works as an assistant college lecturer at Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio, and is Vice-President of the Board of Directors for the NASW Ohio Chapter.

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