Living on the Edge
Poverty Simulation Workshop
On September 9, 2015, more than 130 participants from
agencies and organizations throughout Mississippi County and dozens of people
from all backgrounds — teachers, human services professionals, politicians, and
students gathered at Arkansas Northeastern College in the Governors Ballroom to
take part in a poverty simulation conducted by the Arkansas Department of
Higher Education and the Delta Bridge Project, Mississippi County Community
Plan.
The simulation is used to educate anyone, from the
wealthiest to those deeply impacted by poverty. Workshop participants role play
and take on the personas of different family members who are living in poverty.
The families are given extremely limited resources and are expected to live for
a designated period of time within those means. Surrounding the families’ homes
are booths set up as social service offices, a pawnshop, food bank, community
health clinic, schools, police station, etc. When the simulation concludes,
families debrief and then share stories of their experiences, which is a
powerful and empowering tool that helps participants better understand the
hardships of under-resourced citizens.
During the simulation, group members were busy shuffling
around the room, struggling to get children off to school and existing on a
tight budget, vising agencies for supplemental assistance, and seeking
transportation passes while wondering how lingering medical bills and other
pressing bills were going to get paid. Some had their personal belongings
robbed from their “homes.” Others had to pull their children out of school just
to help make ends meet.
At the beginning of the simulation, participants were
told, “This is not a game.” Some still laughed when it began, but most were
straight-faced and somber when it was over. Most gained a new found
understanding of just how difficult it can be to live at or below the poverty
line, even if it was just a simulation. For an hour, the 10 or so “families”
lived a life teetering on the edge of the national poverty threshold.
After the simulation
debriefing, a community panel titled, “Where Do We Go From Here?” was convened
to discuss barriers that prevent under-resourced citizens in Mississippi County
from moving from poverty to prosperity. The workshop concluded with people
having the opportunity to sign up and volunteer to serve on four committees
designed to improve the quality of life for all Mississippi County citizens.
Those committees include: Leadership (Quality of Life and Wellness), Education,
Housing, and Economic Development. For more information on how you can become
involved with this initiative call (870) 8383.2920.
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