In our efforts to continue our Culture of Caring and become a more poverty-informed institution, the Training department of Amarillo college is bringing an even greater awareness of the reality of poverty to the Faculty and Staff of AC by implementing a poverty simulation. Created by Missouri Community Action Network, the Poverty Simulation was designed to simulate the harsh reality of poverty and the barriers that those living in it face on a day to day basis. During the simulation AC employees will role-play a situation in order to gain a better understanding about the odds that are stacked against a high percentage of our student population. The scenarios range from working to maintain a household as a single parent with extremely limited resources to an elderly adult in desperate need of medication.
According to data pulled from the Advocacy and Resource center on the Washington Street Campus, in June alone, a total of 453 students were served at the ARC. Students accessed a variety of resources including social services, the adult students program, the food pantry, and the clothing closet a numerous amount of times throughout the month.
What does this mean for you? As an employee of Amarillo College we are committed to student success and removing barriers to help students succeed. By actively participating in the Poverty Simulation you will have the ability to educate yourself about the different types of barriers our students face and identify the areas where YOU can make a difference. Simulations are 3 hours long and will be several times each semester.
