The following is a transcript of the above video, which features a Getting Ahead participant from Lewis County, New York.
I am 75 years old, and first of all, I would like to thank Karen, Stephanie, Amanda, and all who helped me and my classmates through this much-needed workshop of Getting Ahead. They say than an old dog can’t learn new tricks. But I learned in this class a way of getting out of poverty, and I will apply what I have learned. I was a stump at one time, and now I’m going to become a tree with branches. God bless you all, and thank you.
The Lewis County Priorities Council is sponsoring the Bridges Out of Poverty model in Lewis County, New York. Reducing the social costs of poverty, strengthening the workforce, and building a more prosperous and sustainable community are goals on which most communities agree.
The aha! Process Getting Ahead program engages investigators (participants) in exploring the realities of poverty in their communities and how those realities impact them. They also explore the causes of poverty, the “hidden rules” of economic class, and ways to develop resources and build stable lives. Getting Ahead graduates build relationships across class lines and often join the decision-making tables in their communities.
