Circles Program Helps People Leave Poverty

I attended the graduation exercise for 12 people who completed the Getting Ahead course offered through Circles. These 12 people currently live in poverty in one of the toughest housing units in our community. They appeared before the crowd of well-wishers with changed attitudes, countenances, and behaviors. They expressed their confidence to leave behind lives of poverty and get ahead with their lives.

Circles, a nationwide program developed by Scott Miller at Move the Mountain, helps thousands of people across the nation change their lives and move out of poverty. The program recognizes the findings of Bridges Out of Poverty. Circles provides participants with structured formats to bridge out of poverty.

The program mirrors what we teach at the GoalsWork Institute.

• Participants learn principles and skills in the 15 week Getting Ahead course. To graduate they set goals to move their lives towards self-reliance
• Each graduate, now called a circle leader, receives 3-4 other allies (middle to upper class volunteers) to help them implement their plans and achieve their goals
• Circle leaders act each month according to their plan, they may also ask allies to act with them
• Circle leaders face the limitations that have prevented their success in the past, and may reach out to sabotage their present success. Allies help them work through their limitations.
• Circle leaders create synergy in two ways. They meet at least monthly with their allies to report their progress, outline future action, and brainstorm solutions to limitations. All Circles participants get together weekly at a dinner to celebrate success, lift each other, and keep on track.

Circles programs across the country create success. You can read testimonials on their web site.

Two graduates spoke Tuesday evening. Their well-structured, cogent, and impressive comments reflected their new found confidence plus the innate (but oft denigrated by others) intelligence the participants always possessed. As one graduate said "A lot of people do not believe we are smart, or can solve problems. They see us as poor and ignorant. This program helped us recognize our intelligence...We know we can succeed. We know, that with the help of others, we can achieve the success that has eluded us in the past."