Edmonton residents recently had an opportunity to develop an insight into what life can be like for the working poor.
The United Way held an hour-long poverty simulation for 65 young professionals.
During the session, participants broke up into groups. Each received a package of information about their income level for the role-playing exercise, as well as other items that represented the resources they would need to access.
For one hour, they had to do their best to make their limited funds stretch to cover all their expenses. They needed to access services such as child care, transportation, health care, and social service agencies. They also had to pay their bills, purchase food and other essentials, and cover their housing costs.
They got a chance to see for themselves just how difficult it can be to live below the poverty line.
The United Way has held 20 sessions like this already, and plans to hold at least 22 more in the future. They are geared towards a different audience each time, including schools, not-for-profit agencies, and local business owners.
An event like this can go a long way towards raising awareness and empathy for those less fortunate. A company that provides printing services can help by creating pamphlets and others items that can be handed out those who take part. These can be taken home to serve as discussion starters.
