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How are the Children:

Understanding Poverty 

Family-serving organizations will have the most success when they have a deeper understanding of poverty from the perspectives of children and families who live in it. Most of the training and research on poverty is conducted by people who have not lived it. This training will provide an insider perspective, along with 30 years of research and best practice. The tools provided are developed with people who have lived and studied poverty. These strategies can be used right way to improve outcomes for children and families.

This series, designed specifically for CalTrin, includes 2 modules that will help all staff gain a deeper understanding and leave with the tools to make a difference for children and families living in the crisis of poverty. It is recommended that participants register for both modules and attend all four training sessions if possible, as each one builds upon the other. Leaders who have attended the first modules are invited to a final interactive session to take a deeper dive and look at whether services are meeting children and families where they are, as well as authentic solutions to the barriers they face.

Originally presented on May 18 & 19, 2021

10:00 –
11:30 AM PDT

(3 Hours)

Breaking the Iron Cage of Poverty

Nearly 12 million full-time workers struggle to pay rent and buy food. Efforts to eradicate poverty fail, or at best, assist people to “cope” with current poverty conditions. This module is designed to provide the foundation for improving outcomes for children and families living in the crisis of poverty. You will also gain a better understanding of your own attitudes, beliefs, and values about poverty, race, and equity.

Who should attend: All Staff. Participants will benefit most if they are also able to attend Communicating and Relating More Effectively Across Social Class Barriers.

Participants Will:

  • • Enhance their knowledge of poverty
    • Develop a common definition of poverty and a common language to discuss issues with peers and partners
    • Gain an understanding of the different life experiences of poverty and how they impact success

Originally presented on May 25 & 26, 2021

10:00  –     
11:30 AM PDT

(3 Hours)

Communicating and Relating More Effectively Across Social Class Barriers

How many times have you shared information with someone in poverty and thought you were perfectly clear, but they ask the same questions or do not follow through with your instructions? Much of the misunderstanding is related to the vocabulary we use, our examples, and our styles of sharing information. Participants will explore tools that will help you to see and hear the perspectives of others. You will also examine how your communication style and perceptions can inhibit or enhance relationships that improve the lives of children and families.

Who should attend: All staff. Participants will benefit most if they are also able to attend Breaking the Iron Cage.

Participants will:

  • Explore how different life experiences impact communication styles
  • Gain a framework for improving communication and relationship skills
  • Obtain concrete tools for building stronger relationships and communicating more effectively with those who live in the crisis of poverty. 

Originally presented on June 9, 2021

10:00 –
11:30 AM PDT

(1.5 Hours)

Leadership for Change

Leaders set the tone for prioritizing what we do to improve the well-being of children and families. In this workshop, Dr. Beegle will engage leaders with deeper understanding of strategies for building  services that break poverty barriers. She will assist leaders in looking at their policies and practices through the eyes of children and families living in the many types of poverty and provide proven leadership strategies for building a community-wide, poverty-informed approach to improving child welfare. Dr. Beegle will introduce leaders to the Blueprints for Change tool that can build their organization’s capacity and eliminate poverty barriers.

Who should attend: Managers, Directors, Board Members who have attended at least one of the two previous modules in this series, Breaking the Iron Cage and Communicating and Relating More Effectively Across Social Class Barriers.

 Space is limited. Registration preference will be given to leaders of Family Resource Centers, Child Abuse Prevention Councils, and other child abuse organizations in California. 

Participants will:

  • Explore the building blocks for systemic change
  • Develop four poverty-informed leadership practices
  • Discover ways to build community capacity to remove poverty-related obstacles
  • Create their own Blueprints for Change – an action plan for improving outcomes

Dr. Donna M. Beegle

Communication Across Barriers

Dr. Beegle grew up in generational migrant-labor poverty and is the only family member who has not been incarcerated. She achieved her GED at 26 and – 10 years later – her doctorate. Dr. Beegle brings an insider perspective as well as 30 years of research with children and families living in the crisis of poverty. In her training series, she provides research based tools that improve outcomes for children experiencing the trauma inflicted by poverty. She has worked with organizations and non profits in all 50 states to ensure people and systems have the tools for building responsive, inclusive organizations to break the iron cage of poverty.