Module 2

This assignment is for your own use, and will not be turned in. It is designed to help you understand the challenges of living in poverty, and it is recommended that you take your time with this. If appropriate, this may be a topic of interest to mention in an online or in-person discussion in the future.

Part 1: Copy the chart below onto a piece of paper. Fill in the figures for your own personal budget. You will not be asked to share these figures with anyone else.

Part 2: Now go back to the form and fill it out a second time as if you were the head of household for a family of four living at the poverty line in 2017. Your annual budget is $25100, which comes out to approximately $2091 per month. What would need to change?

Part 3: Play Spent  How much money did you end…

As part of your role as a CASA/GAL volunteer, you will do research both online and in person to find answers and solve problems related to a case. Using resources in your community, find answers to the following questions about poverty and public assistance. Post your answers in the online discussion forum, and provide citations for where you found the information.

• What is the minimum wage in my state?

• Is Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) the most common term for welfare assistance in my state? If not, what is the more common term?

• What are the poverty guidelines for a family of four in my state?

• Are there limits on duration, number of children and or adults in the household, or other requirements to qualify for public assistance for families in my state?

• What online resources are available to families in poverty in my local community?

Part 1: Read the information below about why children in poverty are more likely to be in the system. Consider this material along with the information presented previously.

Part 2: In the online discussion forum below, post your responses to the following questions:

• What effect might living in poverty have on access to education, healthcare and daycare (choose one)?

• What effect might current poverty have on the likelihood of future poverty?

Part 3: Ask a question or make a comment on at least one classmate's posts. Keep in mind that there are many ways to answer each of these questions.

Activity 2.13 - Communication Skills

Part 1: Watch Part 1 of the video in the following link. Write any notes or questions you may have as you watch it. Part 2 of this video will be returned to again in the In-Person/Video-Chat Training, where you will have a large-group discussion.

Part 2: Read the following information, and take notes as you read. This information will become relevant to your work as a volunteer and will be discussed in the in-person training as well.

Part 3:  Read the following information to learn about open-ended and close-ended questions.