Understanding poverty and how it affects families, employees and the community at large will be discussed from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. workshop Friday in the meeting room of Community National Bank.
Georgia Masterson, Iola, and Anita Cooper, Chanute, will direct the program. Both work at the Social and Rehabilitative Services (SRS) office in Chanute and have lengthy experience working with the down and out.
Frequent questions include:
— Why are those who most need work the ones who can’t keep a job?
— Why do these people seem to have crisis after crisis, excuses after excuse?
— Why do people in poverty seem to think differently? Why don’t they have the same priorities as we do?
Masterson and Cooper will explain the mental models of economic poverty, middle class and wealth and the driving forces of each class. This can be used to motivate employees and build relationships.
Participants will learn the hidden rules of each class in order to better understand and communicate with each other.
Today’s economy and how it affects each group differently also will be discussed as well as how to identify the eight resources a customer or employee needs to succeed.
Cooper and Masterson are both certified Bridges Out of Poverty presenters. Cooper has a master’s degree in social work administration and has worked for SRS for more than 15 years.
Masterson has been with SRS for more than 20 years. She currently supervises assistance caseworkers.
The sessions are free and open to the public. Reservations, though not necessary, can be made by calling Masterson at 620-431-5000, extension 228 or by emailing Georgia.Masterson@srs.ks.gov.
