Building relationship skills helps combat poverty
The UW-Fond du Lac Office of Continuing Education pilots a program to address the issue of childhood poverty in Wisconsin.
According to the Children's Defense Fund, nearly 14% of Wisconsin's children live in poverty, ranking the state eighth nationwide. This finding comes at a great cost. The state spends considerable tax dollars on public assistance programs for the poor each year, and the cost to the children themselves is high.
Poverty often leads to poor nutrition, unhealthy living environments, social stress and inadequate health care. Reducing the number of children living in poverty means less strain on hospitals, schools, public health systems and the juvenile justice system.
Increasing poverty
Over the last 20 years, the city of Fond du Lac has experienced a 25% increase in poverty. In response, the University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac Office of Continuing Education and the Fond du Lac School District offered "A Framework for Understanding Poverty" in-service, based on Ruby K. Payne's book of the same name, to 830 school district employees. An outcome of the program is that all public schools in the city created poverty-improvement plans.
Mentors make a difference
College student Elizabeth Rose, right, a participant in the UW-Fond du Lac - Fond du Lac School District mentor program, provides valuable support to the youth she mentors. Photo by UW-Fond du Lac Continuing Education
Because Dr. Payne's research shows one of the best ways to combat poverty is to help the poor build personal relationships, Lakeshore Elementary School instituted a student mentoring program. UW-Fond du Lac students who attended the "Framework" training paired up for a few hours each week with low-income elementary school students.
In a post-session evaluation, the mentors reported building strong relationships with the children. "I was happy that my mentee started recognizing me and accepting my presence, and that he began to use me as a resource," said one mentor. "The teacher let him know that I was there for him, and that I could help him." Another mentor stated, "[My mentee] didn't even want me there the first day. But by the last day, she was asking when I would come back…"
Expanding opportunities
The mentor program has expanded to include two additional elementary schools and more than 20 UW-Fond du Lac students. Last year the UWFond du Lac Office of Continuing Education raised nearly $10,000 from area organizations and a fundraiser to provide scholarships for low-income youth to attend programs that will help them continue to build their relationship-building and academic skills. — Amy Pikalek
For more information: UW Colleges Interim Director of Continuing Education and Extended Services Leanne Doyle, (920) 929-3622, ldoyle@uwc.edu