blairkd@niagara.edu http://sites.niagara.edu/dr-kevin-d-blair/

1. Teaching Undergraduates about PovertyEverybody’s Business and Nobody’s BusinessKevin D. Blair, Ph.D., ACSWAssociate professor of Social WorkNiagara University blairkd@niagara.edu http://sites.niagara.edu/dr-kevin-d-blair/

2. Introduction: Poverty and Undergraduates • Introduction • Without a specific and integrated approach to teaching students about poverty “because of its complexity, it can be addressed throughout the curriculum ( e.g., policy, practice, theory, research, diversity, and/or specialization courses) or nowhere in the curriculum, that is, ‘everybody’s business becomes nobody’s business (Austin, 2007, p. 1).” • Very few undergraduates have more than a basic understanding of this global crisis, and very few college courses deal adequately with that knowledge gap. The issue can seem very abstract to college students, particularly those in the developed world who are surrounded by all you-can-eat dining options and an endless array of fast-food delivery services. To help bridge the gap between the reality of poverty, inequality, and hunger, and that of the average college student, innovative pedagogical techniques must be used (Krian and Shadle, 2006, p. 52).

3. Explanations of Poverty • Poverty as a result of capitalism; • Poverty as a consequence of individual behaviors; • Poverty as a consequence of structural conditions; • Poverty due to a lack of social empathy. • Psychology and Social Work textbooks tend to focus on individual explanations; • Recent approaches also emphasize resiliency and human capabilities, but the focus remains on the individual more than the structural.

4. Undergraduate Poverty Programs/Minors • Washington and Lee Shepherd Program • Begun in 1997 • “focusing on fostering human development to alleviate poverty” • Amarata Sinn • Baylor University Interdisciplinary Poverty Initiative • Directly modeled on Washington and Lee Program • Rice University Program in Poverty, Social Justice and Human Capabilities • Recent program, focus remains on human capabilities • Significant focus on women’s issues and economics of poverty for women with a global perspective • Acknowledges that what one can do is dependent on one’s resources and opportunities • Global Poverty and Practice Minor at The Blum Center for Developing Economies • UC Berkley • More global focus than other three • Global Citizen • Humbling experiences

5. Niagara University Poverty Study • Develop an accurate and reliable assessment tool • Survey • Atherton et al (1993) • Silas, J.C., Del Rincón, A., Prieto, S., Pliego, S. & Cortés, A.C. (2007) • Establish baseline of undergraduates’ attitudes, factual knowledge, and level of social empathy for the poor • Validity and Reliability • Pedagogical Approach: • increase student knowledge and social empathy • Poverty course, volunteer service, poverty simulation • Empirical evaluation of impact of these approaches • Desire to track changes long term

6. Research Design • Experimental Group • Pre test completion of survey instrument, then participate in Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) • Post test completion of survey instrument • Control Group • Pre and post test completion of survey instrument • Survey Validation used combined experimental and control group pre-test for a sample size 177

7. Sample

10. Original 37 Questions • A person receiving welfare should not have a nicer car than I do • Poor people will remain poor regardless of what's done for them • Welfare makes people lazy • Any person can get ahead in this country • Poor people are satisfied receiving welfare • Welfare recipients should be able to spend their money as they choose. • An able-bodied person using food stamps is ripping off the system • Poor people are dishonest I • f poor people worked harder, they could escape poverty • Most people are members of a minority group • People are poor due to circumstances beyond their control. • Society has the responsibility to help poor people. • People in welfare should be made to work for their benefits • Unemployed poor people could find jobs if they tried harder • Poor people are different from the rest of society • Being poor is a choice • Most poor people are satisfied with their standard of living • Poor people think they deserve to be supported • Welfare mothers have babies to get more money • Children raised on welfare will never amount to anything • Poor people act differently • Poor people are discriminated against. • Most poor people are dirty • People who are poor should not be blamed for their misfortune. • If I were poor, I would accept welfare benefits. • Out-of-work people ought to have to take the first job that is offered • The government spends too much money on poverty programs • Some "poor" people live better than I do, considering all their benefits • There is a lot of fraud among welfare recipients • Benefits for poor people consume a major part of the federal budget • Poor people use food stamps wisely. • Poor people generally have lower intelligence than non-poor people • Poor people should be more closely supervised • I believe poor people have a different set of values than do other people. • I believe poor people create their own difficulties • I believe I could trust a poor person whom I employ. • I would support a program that resulted in higher taxes to support • social programs for poor people.

11. 21 New Questions • Everyone, regardless of circumstances, should have enough food • Everyone, regardless of circumstances, should have health care • Everyone, regardless of circumstances, should have a place to live • Most people who are poor waste a lot of their time • The poor are treated the same as everyone else • The poor have the same opportunity for success as everyone else • The poor face challenges that are the same as everyone else • Governments should do more to help the poor • Charities should do more to help the poor • Businesses should do more to help the poor • Individuals should do more to help the poor • Lack of transportation is a major challenge for the poor • Lack of social support (family, friends, church) is a major challenge for the poor • Lack of education is a major challenge for the poor • Lack of child care is a major challenge for the poor • Lack of self-control is a major challenge for the poor • It upsets me to know that many people are poor • I feel that I know what it is like to be poor • I feel that I understand why someone may be poor • I feel that I have enough direct experience with the poor • I feel that I could personally make more of a difference in the lives of the poor

12. Tracking Tool: 58 items reduced via Exploratory Factor Analysis

13. Factors: Page Two

14. Discussion Lower score on remaining 29 items indicates more positive view of poor and more willingness to help. Higher score shows less positive view and more belief in character flaws as underlying reason for poverty. • Result of EFA are quite promising • Second round of data collection including focus groups is underway • Questions related empathy reduced to three • Showed no significant correlation with other 7 factors; most disappointing • Need to expanded sample

15. Conclusion Questions