Getting Ahead in a Just-Getting-By World

In a joint effort made between Boulder Housing Authority’s Family Self-Sufficiency and Workforce Boulder County, a group has come together to discuss issues in the community, and to brainstorm ideas on how to build economic stability.  This discussion involves exploring and analyzing different themes in their lives, assessing resources and barriers in the community at a local and national level, and building future stories.  The topics that have been addressed so far in discussions are: coming to terms with what life is like for people in low-income communities, how to deal with an abstract future, how life is different for people in different economic classes, what the different resources in the community are (and what their goals are), what can be blamed for the existence of poverty in a community, what government policies have gone into fighting poverty, and what the expectations are of people in the middle class.  Leah Moore from Workforce Boulder County, and Jennifer Franklin from Family Self-Sufficiency are facilitating the discussion.

As an incentive to participate, and share their insight into a community-needs assessment, those people involved in the group are provided with a $25 Target gift card at each session.   Childcare and transportation are also provided in order to make it possible for participants to attend.  

Rose B., a current participant in the Getting Ahead discussion group, is glad to be taking part.  She is especially enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.  “It’s like life,” she says.  “Life is a learning process, and this is opening my eyes…everyone leaves (Getting Ahead) with a little piece of something that will benefit them.  There are a lot more resources in Longmont than I’d realized.”  Rose went on to say that she would like to see a lot more of programs like these offered, because she believes that many people could benefit from it.   If you are interested in participating in , please contact Jennifer Franklin at (303) 682-6717, and leave a message with your name and telephone number to be placed on a waiting list.