Our Circles Program
What is Circles?
Circles is a unique program that is based on the premise that developing meaningful relationships across socio-economic lines can have a dramatic impact on the effort to move families out of poverty. Knowing that relationships and connections matter, the Circles program matches a person in poverty with at least three middle or upper income partners for at least 18 months to build relationships. The goal of these relationships is to break the cycle of generational poverty by creating circles of support and connections with people who are committed to making real change in our community.
More About Circles
We recruit highly motivated, low-income participants who will:
- Enroll in a 12-week Circles Leadership Training Class to build financial, emotional and social resources.
- Partner with 2-3 Allies, middle- or upper-income community volunteers who support a Circle Leader’s efforts through networking, listening, and guidance.
- Attend weekly community meetings for 18 months with peers, Allies, and other interested community members for planning, support and networking opportunities.
Want to find out more about the experience? Check out DeAnna’s journey as a Leader through her Journal Entries.
The primary indicator of progress in Circles in an increase in earned income. Nationally, Circle participants earned:
- 37% more income after 6 months
- 50% more after 1 year
- 62% more in 18 months
Circles Washtenaw County accepted its first cohort of Leaders (low-income heads of households) in the summer of 2017. The Leaders’ first step was to enroll in a 14-week Leadership Training Class to build financial, emotional and social resources, as well as to create an Economic Stability Plan. When they graduated from this training in the fall of 2017, they were partnered or “matched” with trained, middle- to high-income community volunteers (“Allies”) for 18 months, during which time the Allies helped to support the Leaders’ efforts through networking, listening and guidance. Since that time, the Leaders and their families, Allies, staff and other interested community members have met weekly for dinner, followed by programming and networking opportunities.
Why dinner?
Dinner is important because relationships are often cemented around the dinner table, and the whole Circles community, especially the children, need this time to bond. After the meal, when the parents go to their portion of the meeting, the children go to theirs. Included in the children’s programming is character-building curriculum, financial literacy for children, mentoring and FUN. We cannot alleviate poverty for a family if we do not address the needs and potential of the children.
So how is Circles doing so far?
The Leaders and Allies of the first cohort are set to complete the 18-month program on April 16, 2019, when a “Launch” celebration will be held. The Leaders in this cohort have a lot to celebrate as 100% of the Leaders are employed and have increased their income by an average of 204% — an increase in earned income is a primary indicator of progress in the program.
Meanwhile, a second cohort of Leaders and Allies were matched on December 4, 2018 — the two cohorts run concurrently for about six months. We will begin recruiting in March and April for our third cohort to begin this summer.
Learn more about becoming a Leader online, by phone (734-340-9042) or email.
Help us build a robust, multi-talented volunteer support team. Circles volunteers will learn and grow alongside the Circle Leaders and will have an opportunity to share their skills and knowledge. Learn more about volunteer opportunities.
Funding for our Circles program comes from individuals, congregations, organizations and businesses that share the vision of permanently lifting individuals and families out of poverty. Some have supported us with multi-year pledges. If you would like to make a donation, click here. If you would like to join our Fundraising Team contact our Coordinator at: Tracey@friendsindeedmi.org
Circles Cohort 3
Left to Right: Melissa, Dera, Maya, Kiesha, Tanya, Tantinekka, Ylonda
Jobs & Education Team
The Jobs and Education Team (JET) partners with Leaders and their families helping them to define and achieve their career and education goals. We frequently draw upon our volunteers’ experience and networks to meet each Leader’s specific needs. If the group has common needs, our team of volunteers develops targeted workshops or identifies experts to lead training.
JET focuses on:
- Education (ex. scholarship/college application assistance, career training requirement research, exam preparation, after high school planning)
- Jobs & Workforce Readiness (ex. resume and cover letter review, interview preparation, networking guidance, career exploration, marketable skill identification/development, finding local jobs with livable wage & benefits)
- Finance (ex. financial planning as associated to jobs and education, budget creation and advice)
- Business & Start-Up (ex. consultation, liaison to business resources, business plan assistance, advising)
There are two ways to contribute to JET:
- JET Connect Group – assist with individual tasks or workshops based on your availability and interest
- Sharing Expertise – offer a workshop, training, or assessment for our participants
If you’d like to join, fill out a Volunteer Application and indicate your interest or contact us at circleswashtenawjet@gmail.com