1. Extending opportunities for the
poor

2. What do you mean by extending
opportunities for the poor?
• We can create opportunities for the poor in
the areas of:
• EMPLOYMENT
• EDUCATION
• LIFE SKILLS
• SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS

3. Why extend opportunities for the
poor?
• Providing opportunities for the poor increases
equity.
• Providing opportunities for the poor can
improve their and their and their children’s
lives.
• Adults rising out of poverty can break a
generational cycle.
• Reducing poverty increases diversity in all
sectors of society.

4. When should you work to extend
opportunities for the poor?
• When there’s an election approaching.
• When a comprehensive new initiative is
starting.
• When there’s a crisis that people simply
cannot ignore.

5. Who should work to extend
opportunities for the poor?
• Government
• Private funders
• Community institutions
• Business
• Human service or other non profit or
community bases organizations.
• Grass roots or other community members.

6. Some general guidelines for creating
opportunities for the poor:
• Assess the needs of the population you’re
concerned with
• Treat people with respect.
• Provide the emotional and psychological
support necessary for people to change their
way of thinking about the world and their
place in it.

7. Provide employment opportunities:
• Pre-employment skills training.
• Career counseling.
• Employment training.
• Actual employment.
• Social entrepreneurship and microcredit.

8. Provide educational opportunities:
• Basic education and ESOL
• Post-secondary education.
• Education for the children of poverty.

9. Provide training in life skills:
• Economic literacy.
• Parenting and other family obligations.
• Health information and healthy practices.
• General counseling.