Aug 31, 2011 3 min read

The Fayette County Human Service Council’s Professional Development Committee, in conjunction with Fayette County Behavioral Health Administration, will hold poverty simulation training on Sept. 23.

The training will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s School Auditorium, 17 Gilmore St., Uniontown.

Rita Masi, Fayette County Human Service Council Professional Development Committee chairwoman and housing project manager for Fayette County Community Action Agency Inc., said a poverty simulation is a guided experience that exposes participants to the realities of poverty.

During the simulation, Masi said participants assume the roles of as many as 26 different families facing poverty. The task for each family is to provide basic necessities and shelter during four 15-minute segments while balancing the requirements of various service providers with the realities of daily life.

“This training is geared to give human service and other workers a view of poverty from the eyes of a consumer,” Masi said. “This unique opportunity allows them the chance to experience poverty from the point of the consumer by simulating a month through four 15-minute segments.”

Masi said the poverty simulation is an excellent way to allow any employee “an eye-opening experience into the challenges faced by our consumers on a daily basis.”

The purpose of the poverty simulation is to allow human service employees and anyone who deals with consumers needing services to “advocate from a place of knowledge as well as compassion,” Masi said.

Masi said the training is open to human service providers as well as employees from businesses, hospitals, churches and other organizations who deal with consumers needing additional services.

The registration deadline is Monday, Sept. 19. The cost is $25 for Human Service Council (HSC) members and $35 for non members, which includes HSC membership for the remainder of 2011. Any agency that sends two HSC members will get one person trained free of charge.

A full refund is available if cancellation is made prior to Sept. 12. After that date as a courtesy to the planning team, it is suggested that agencies send an alternate at no extra charge as all registration funds are subject to a $10 cancellation fee.

Cancellations must be received in writing by e-mail (fayettehsc@gmail.com), fax at 724-425-1819 attention: Cheryl DeCarlo or mail at Fayette County Human Service Council Inc., P.O. Box 1112, Uniontown, PA 15401.

Refunds will be issued in the same form payment was made. Allow two weeks for processing.

Registrants who cancel will not receive seminar materials.

For more information, call Masi at 724-437-6447 or DeCarlo at 724-425-1818, extension 10.