Poverty Simulation Exercise?

I did one in grad school two years ago. It’s very enlightening on the struggles someone would face who doesn’t have a car or phone or a computer just to get everyday basic things accomplished. How quickly at that income or lack of income all together things snowball.

Okay I just watched the video.

Is this geared for a school whose students have not ever been touched by poverty?

I can understand wanting to teach empathy to well off students who have never faced that situation.

In my neighborhood, kids know all too well what poverty is like.

Our high school does a tent city weekend. We do have kids at our school who struggle with poverty and homelessness. With just under 3000 students they cover the full array of wealthy to poor. It helps show the kids that need help, that is ok to ask and it helps show the kids not affected by poverty some sympathy.
We also have a loft at school that is a food pantry and clothing store. Kids get a backpack filled with food every Friday.

If you watch the video, it is very well explained.  I think it's a great program to teach empathy.

As a person who grew up in poverty and still has many family members and friends in actual, real, poverty, this seems well meaning but in reality a little offensive. Sort of like baby sitting a doll for a weekend doesn’t show the reality of trying to provide child care, diapers and actual real food for a child. Or a grocery budget of (*whatever*) for a period of time, but knowing the experiment can be called at any time and it’s a limited time only.

Poverty is generational, and even well meaning as this seems, there is absolutely no way to truly understand it. It’s like being “black for a weekend.”

I know it gets my hackles up whenever my more affluent “act two” friends try to act enlightened. Or my other favorite, I was going to join the military... but....

Until you wear the shoes, don’t pretend you have blisters. And those blisters don’t feel the same when you know they go away at 8pm.

I’m sorry it bothers you. I knew going through the simulation that it doesn’t even begin to compare to really living it. But if people don’t even have a glimpse into a what a life living in poverty resembles, how are they supposed to comprehend and try to create opportunities to help? When I did the simulation it was unbelievably frustrating trying to accomplish ANYTHING. And it was only a two hour simulation. This gives people that glimpse. Hopefully encourages them and inspires them to get involved, create programs and raise money to assist people. To help them get past and out of poverty.

When dd was 8 she had a friend that was definitely in need of some warm gear. We made two sets and she took them to school and just said “oh my gosh, look! My mom made us matching hats and scarves! TWINS!!”

This was what I was thinking too, it’s crazy to make the kids go out when they aren’t dressed for it. But I also know kids who would intentionally leave their stuff at home so they wouldn’t have to go outside. I would have been one of them, LOL.

I emailed the teacher today and will see what she says.

This is another good idea. Even my DD is worried that this kid will feel like a charity case if she knew the stuff came from us, and DD has said “I know it isn’t my business, but...” She definitely is worried about this girl and it warms my own heart that she cares this much about a kid she literally just met eight days ago.

Well, my kid has a very distinctive hat that I made just for her a couple years ago and she wears it pretty much every day, even long after winter ends. I call it her “cloak of invincibility” LOL. She’s pretty attached to the fact that it sets her apart so I don’t know if the twins idea would work in our situation. But I did make a different hat for another friend (who specifically asked her if I could do it) and he loves it and wears it every day.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I have contacted the teacher letting her know we are more than willing to help if it would be welcomed and not an intrusion. I’m totally fine with it being anonymous and would tell my kid why it needed to stay that way and I know she would completely understand.

ETA: Just wanted to follow up that DD’s teacher replied saying she had no idea the new student didn’t have appropriate winter gear for the weather. However, she did ask the other teachers and apparently the school has some resources there so this little girl was able to get a warm coat, snow pants and boots before recess today. 😊 I told the teacher to let me know if there was anything else she needed (hat, mittens, etc.) that we could help out with. I feel so much better knowing this kid will be warm when she’s playing outside. I know how bad it sucks for me just standing out with my kid at the bus stop for five minutes, I can’t imagine how not fun it would be to spend 20-30 minutes out there every day not dressed for the weather!

When I was 16 or so, at summer camp (Christian) we did an exercise where we were divided into three groups. Group 1's instructions were to go swimming and whatever we normally did at camp. Group 2 did some camp "labor" and then got to swim, and Group 3 did chores all afternoon and I think was told not to interact with the other 2 groups. We were all given different instructions/rules and ate different meals. It ended up in an interesting discussion, but also a ton of hurt feelings. I guess since I remember that day vividly almost 30 years later it made an impression on me.

I'll be interested to see how your experience turns out.

The people who need it in my town are the parents. We had someone post to our town FB page recently that they were looking for charity opportunities where their child could actually give the things to the people in need so they would appreciate what they have. I had to sit on my hands and not type: "Holy shit, they aren't ZOO ANIMALS!"

I use a similar scenario with my nursing students. Whether they come from wealth and privilege or from poverty they have found the exercise to be very helpful. It helps them to understand the hard choices you have to make. Most find it makes them more empathetic for their patient's. Many good discussions have taken place around this concept.

I would call the school and ask. Many schools have social workers on staff to assist students with needs. Our school has a coat closet and local charities and churches work with the social workers to purchase shoes, coats, etc. for students.

That's kind of the angle we take, but you have to be very careful. While most of our campers are from middle/upper middle class, not everyone is. And everyone DOES have a different story. We have to be very careful about how we delve into sensitive topics - and sometimes things you may not even think of. For example, homeless people have a higher rate of physical handicaps than the general population - but we don't want some kid going home and thinking they're about to be homeless because daddy sprained his ankle and is on crutches.

The "zoo" issue mentioned above is another fine line. I think it really depends on the kid and how they've been prepared. I've seen people show up to make sandwiches to send out on the truck with their fancy matching t-shirts, huge diamond rings, chatting about the exotic vacations they're about to take and how they're glad they got this task checked off their list for their "service league." On the other hand, I've seen a 9-year-old girl go out with the truck into the homeless community, sharing food, toiletries, etc. who comes back and lists all the ways the different people were just like her. You always have to be sensitive to that fact - you may be in a position to help, but you're still just like the people you're helping.