When you’re trapped in poverty, escap- ing its grip can seem nearly impossible.
Navigating complexities of employment, education, budgeting and saving is overwhelming even with guidance, and more so taking that journey on your own.
But with someone to walk side-by-side, it becomes a little bit easier.
As a countywide program prepares to help individuals and families escape the cycle of poverty, organizers are in dire need of volunteers to serve as guides to a better life.
Bridges Alliance of Johnson County will begin its first session in May. Over the next 14 weeks, participants will set solid, achievable goals while learning about the different obstacles that will block them, and how to overcome those. They’ll work on setting a budget and figure out the resources they need to be self-sustainable.
But in order to ensure that people are successful, the organization is looking for Circle Allies — volunteers who will offer emotional support and advice as people work towards goals they’ve set.
“People will begin to create a future story of where they’d like to be in a year or two years. They all have those dreams, but aren’t able to ever take those concrete steps,” said Marie Wiese, coordinator of Circles Indy and team member of the alliance. “That’s where the Allies come in — giving them a different perspective to help them take that first step.”
Jerry Bennett has been involved as a Circle Ally for the past few years. The southside resident signed up for the program after his wife died, in an effort to expand his social network and find ways to occupy his time through the grieving process. He also went through the training as a Circle Leader, which helped him better manage his finances.
“I’ve developed some strong friendships through this,” he said.
Bennett has a poem that he has memorized, which he feels encompasses his mission as an Ally: “Come, walk with me awhile. I will not give you money, for that would cheapen our relationship, but I will listen and empathize and if, together, we find a way toward a better way, well, that is yours to keep and, perhaps, one day, share with another.”
The Circle Ally is a key part of the Bridges Alliance program. Bridges Alliance of Johnson County was formed as a response to the continuing poverty plaguing county residents. More than two years of planning have gone into forming the program in Johnson County.
The organization is a collaboration of businesses, social agencies, churches and individuals working to approach the issue in a comprehensive way. Resources from those different groups will help guide people caught in the cycle of poverty to more stable and independent lives.
Bridges Alliance organizers have lined up the initial 12 people who will be working through the program. They had to apply, go through an intensive meeting process with alliance staff and commit to being part of the program.
The participants are all under-resourced, meaning that they do not have the skills, housing or employment to survive. Some may have jobs, but don’t make enough to pay their bills.
“This is where we actually are getting ready to help someone make a difference, whether that’s one person or 12 people,” said David Sever, a member of the Bridges Alliance steering committee. “These are people who want a better life, who want to go from surviving to thriving.”
The program blends concepts from two existing anti-poverty approaches. Bridges Out of Poverty focuses on understanding the hidden rules of society that can keep people from succeeding, such as how the way you dress at a job interview can greatly impact your chances of getting the job, or how people can be labeled by the way they speak.
At the same time, Bridges Alliance has also worked with a group called Circles USA, which works to reduce the number of people struggling through peer-to-peer counseling, goal setting and other assistance.
The Circles model is centered around Circle Leaders, the individuals and families who want to move out of poverty. They will go through a 14-week session, which will start in early May, where they will be encouraged to lay out a plan and establish goals of what they want to achieve to break out of poverty.
“We want them to understand the tyranny of the moment. They’ve never been able to put a name on what their life is like, so we’re helping them conquer the chaos of living in crisis,” Wiese said. “Helping them understanding about what it’s like to not live in chaos.”
Once they graduate, they’ll be paired with Circle Allies, who will help support them as they work to achieve those goals. Allies can give advice on resumes and job interviews, help them get assistance finding job training or locate affordable housing.
The goal is for Circle Leaders to eventually become examples and support for others in poverty.
Those Circle Leaders are matched with people known as Circle Allies — volunteers who collaborate with Circle Leaders as they work towards economic stability.
“It’s not to fix things for them. It’s to create intentional relationships with them. It’s to work with them. They decide what they want to do, then the Allies help them do it,” said Leslie Daugherty, Circles coordinator for the group.
The initial class has been set and is ready to start its 14-week journey. But finding Allies has been a larger challenge. In order to make the program successful, alliance organizers are hoping to enlist 30 to 40 people to serve in the role.
One of the Allies’ most valuable assets is their experience. Bennett shared a story about his own Circle Leader, who worked with a woman who was trying to open a bank account. But her credit history showed that at one time she had a car repossessed, which disqualified her from opening the account.
The woman was heavily discouraged. Bennett offered another suggestion, though. He took her to his own bank, to talk to his account manager. That experience was more positive, and the woman was able to open a checking and savings account.
“We left and she was very happy, because she’d established a bank account, had credit, and it was all because I was able to introduce her to my personal banker,” he said. “That networking, those relationships work.”
Allies will go through an orientation and two three-hour sessions of Bridges Out of Poverty training, and then take part in a poverty simulation on June 3 to help better understand the situations that under-resourced people face.
Two Allies will be matched with each Circle Leader once they finish their initial classes. The volunteers are asked to commit to two Circles meetings each month for 18 months, at least. They will also work to befriend their Circle Leader and establish a trusting relationship with them.
One of the primary lessons will be to put your fix-it lists away when dealing with their Circle Leader, Wiese said.
“It’s not about fixing anybody. It’s about walking alongside them,” Wiese said. “I think people in middle class who want to help, want to volunteer, automatically go into fix-it mode. We want them to put that away. We just want people to be there for them.”
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Bridges Alliance of Johnson County
What: A collaborative effort of businesses, agencies, churches and individual residents aiming to reduce and end poverty in the county.
How does it work: Individuals and families who want to break the cycle of poverty will take a 14-week course, where they learn techniques and approaches to better their lives. Afterwards, they will be paired with two or three Circle Allies, who will provide support and resources as they work to meet the financial, employment, education and other goals that they’ve set.
Volunteer: Community members are also needed to donate their time to support the effort. Volunteer opportunities range from becoming an Ally to support those in poverty to helping provide food, transportation or child care during meetings.
For more information on the effort, becoming an Ally or volunteering, go to bridgesalliancejc.org/volunteer or call 317-667-3332.
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Circle Ally informational meeting
What: An opportunity to learn more about Bridges Alliance of Johnson County. People can find out how to become either a Circle Leader participating in the program to move out of poverty, or a Circle Ally, an advocate offering guidance to Circle Leaders through their journey.
When: 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Grace United Methodist Church, 1300 E. Adams St., Franklin
Who can come: The session is open to anyone interested in the program.
Information: bridgesalliancejc.org
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