Getting a seat at the table How the Society can win on important poverty issues

What to expect today Purpose: Connect our work with the poor with powerful strategies to address poverty issues Outcomes of this webinar: Understand why SVDP / you can act powerfully The process of developing the leadership of marginal families The role of the Society in the public arena

What do we learn in home visits? What are the challenges we discover through our conversations? Do you ever feel powerless after leaving a home visit?

What are the pressures facing the families we visit?

Case study: The AMOS Project, Cincinnati Cincinnati has the third worst childhood poverty rate in the country 72% of jobs in the Greater Cincinnati region pay less than what is needed for basic needs (Rand Corporation)

Case study: The AMOS Project, Cincinnati youtube.com/watch?v=QyuJWMjyQ0I

There is a continuum for creating change Direct Aid / Service Self-Help / Counseling Education Advocacy / Raise Awareness Community Organizing

AMOS Project Organizing Campaign Problem: Childhood Poverty Issue cut: Preschool Promise (Preschool for all 3 and 4 year olds in Cincinnati, with strong wages for the teachers) Strategy: passing a ballot initiative that delivers on a set of values and goals Outcome: Registration of 15,000 voters Negotiation with corporate leaders on the ballot Wins ballot initiative with largest margin of victory in ever in Cincinnati

Other examples? Criminal justice reform / reentry organizing strategies Access to good jobs Protecting safety net

Who makes decisions that affect families in your community? How can the people who stand the benefit the most have authentic seats at these decision making centers of power? If you were to order or group the powerful institutions and people in your community and state, where would your conference rank? Where does your council rank?

Power ... Power properly understood is nothing but the ability to achieve purpose. It is the strength required to bring about social, political, and economic change. ... Now a lot of us are preachers, and all of us have our moral convictions and concerns, and so often we have problems with power. But there is nothing wrong with power if power is used correctly. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Where do we go from here” 1967 The Society of St. Vincent de Paul can build and yield power correctly when we do it following the leadership of the those we serve

The Organizing Process Listen: Organizing starts with people, and listening to people about the challenges they face daily Who’s side are you on? Build a diverse team: Bring people together committed to each other and to addressing important poverty issues Research: What are the issues that we can work on? Problem: Big, vague, everyone agrees, Politicians pontificate here Issues: Specific, concrete, measurable, clear decision makers Develop Strategic Campaigns: Through strategic campaigns, we develop the leadership of Vincentians, everyday people, and faith leaders to win on issues that are important.

Developing New Leaders What is a leader? Someone with a following and can deliver it How can you help people grow in their ability to lead, to connect with their neighbors? What do they need from you?

Your Next Step Build a team: Listen & Invite Do a power analysis Who do you want to join your team? Listen & Invite Test potential leaders Do a power analysis Who runs your city? Who makes decisions? How much power do you need to build and exert to get into those rooms!