Turning The Tide On Poverty

Poverty is a major issue in Winston County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, almost a fourth of the population of the county live below the poverty level and household income is almost $5000 less than the state average.
Working with the MSU Extension Service, the Winston County Partners for Community Living (WCPCL) is implementing a plan called “Turning the Tide on Poverty”. An initiative of the Southern Rural Development Center, Turning the Tide on Poverty" is designed to promote community involvement in fighting the issues of poverty. Mississippi was one of several southern states to begin initial projects last year when Neshoba and Lauderdale Counties participated as pilot programs.
The program needs community involvement and WCPCL and the Extension Service are currently looking for facilitators to lead study circles of citizens from across the county. Facilitators simply manage the study circles, assisting participants to speak freely and honestly about issues and to foster trust, different viewpoints and explain approaches to address these issues. The purpose of the study circles is to develop a clear community action plan that will help address the issue of poverty. All types of volunteers from all areas of the county are needed to make the process successful. The goal is to establish 8-12 study circles with two facilitators each.
Study circles encourage community members from all walks of life to share their voices around a set of topics with the goal of improving the quality of life in our communities. The process itself fosters civic-minded communities that encourage people to take an active role in solving local problems.
In order for the program to be successful, WCPCL hopes to recruit and train good facilitators to manage the circles and keep them on track and focus. The facilitator’s main objective is to maintain productive discussion in each circle of participants.
If you are interested in serving as a facilitator of if you would like to participate in a study circle, contact Frank Cooper at 662-736-2547, Rita Tanksley at the Winston County Extension Office at 662-773-5531or message Winston County Partners for Community Living on their Facebook page. The success of the program depends on the quality of the study circles that are organized and the quality of the circles depends upon involved and motivated facilitators.
WCPCL will meet on August 15th at 6:00 pm at the Extension Office on Vance Street. If you are interested in participating or just want to learn more about “Turning the Tide on Poverty”, you are welcome to attend. Facilitators must participate in a training session(s) prior to the program launch in January 2012.
W. McCully