Circles is a nationally-proven and innovative way of connecting people across socioeconomic lines in an effort to move individuals and families out of poverty. Circles is not just another program to manage poverty. Circles is uniquely designed to reduce poverty by helping low income individuals expand their social capital while bringing the community together in solidarity to reduce the barriers keeping people in poverty.
The Circles Model
HOW IT WORKS
A Circle is made up of a Circle Leader (individual or family moving out of poverty) and 2-3 Circle Allies (middle or upper income volunteers) who come alongside the Circle Leader to support them in achieving their goals.
We flip the traditional mentorship model to center the leadership of those who have experienced poverty.
THE GOALS
Goal #1: Help people pursue upward mobility from poverty.
Goal #2: Remove barriers that keep people stuck in poverty.
TRAINING
Prior to forming a Matched Circle group, all potential Circle Leaders and Allies complete multi-week trainings that prepare them for the Circles process.
Circle Leaders learn about goal setting, personal finance, the trauma of poverty, cross-class and intercultural relationship development, conflict management, and workplace communication skills.
Allies focus on increasing their Poverty IQ, with topics to illuminate systemic barriers, the correlation between poverty and race, gender, and trauma, and the differences between generational and situational poverty.
MATCH DAY
After successfully completing training, Circle Leaders are matched with their Allies and begin meeting weekly for social support, skill development, goal progress monitoring, budgeting and community building.
THE PROGRAM
The weekly meeting rotation consists of goal check ins, budget check ins, ongoing training and community building. Leaders and their Allies get to work on things like tracking expenses, setting SMART goals, connecting to community resources, networking to build social capital, and more! The program is an 18 month commitment. This gives time for real relationships to form and for big goals to be achieved!
BIG VIEW
Big View is the dedicated part of the Circles model where we zoom out and look at the bigger picture—coming together as a community to address the structural and systemic barriers that keep people stuck in poverty. Through collective learning, dialogue, collaboration, and advocacy, Big View takes on challenges like housing, transportation, healthcare, and more to drive meaningful community change.
The Circles Model
Circles is a nationally-proven and innovative way of connecting people across socioeconomic lines in an effort to move individuals and families out of poverty. Circles is not just another program to manage poverty. Circles is uniquely designed to reduce poverty by helping low income individuals expand their social capital while bringing the community together in solidarity to reduce the barriers keeping people in poverty.
HOW IT WORKS
A Circle is made up of a Circle Leader (individual or family moving out of poverty) and 2-3 Circle Allies (middle or upper income volunteers) who come alongside the Circle Leader to support them in achieving their goals.
We flip the traditional mentorship model to center the leadership of those who have experienced poverty.
Circles is a nationally-proven and innovative way of connecting people across socioeconomic lines in an effort to move individuals and families out of poverty. Circles is not just another program to manage poverty. Circles is uniquely designed to reduce poverty by helping low income individuals expand their social capital while bringing the community together in solidarity to reduce the barriers keeping people in poverty.
THE GOALS
Goal #1: Help people pursue upward mobility from poverty.
Goal #2: Remove barriers that keep people stuck in poverty.
TRAINING
Prior to forming a Matched Circle group, all potential Circle Leaders and Allies complete multi-week trainings that prepare them for the Circles process.
Circle Leaders learn about goal setting, personal finance, the trauma of poverty, cross-class and intercultural relationship development, conflict management, and workplace communication skills.
Allies focus on increasing their Poverty IQ, with topics to illuminate systemic barriers, the correlation between poverty and race, gender, and trauma, and the differences between generational and situational poverty.
MATCH DAY
After successfully completing training, Circle Leaders are matched with their Allies and begin meeting weekly for social support, skill development, goal progress monitoring, budgeting and community building.
THE PROGRAM
The weekly meeting rotation consists of goal check ins, budget check ins, ongoing training and community building. Leaders and their Allies get to work on things like tracking expenses, setting SMART goals, connecting to community resources, networking to build social capital, and more! The program is an 18 month commitment. This gives time for real relationships to form and for big goals to be achieved!
BIG VIEW
Big View is the dedicated part of the Circles model where we zoom out and look at the bigger picture—coming together as a community to address the structural and systemic barriers that keep people stuck in poverty. Through collective learning, dialogue, collaboration, and advocacy, Big View takes on challenges like housing, transportation, healthcare, and more to drive meaningful community change.
