Iowa State University Extension

TRYING ON THE SHOES

Poverty is a serious problem in one of the richest industrialized nations in the world. An educational program offered through Iowa State University Extension provides participants an opportunity to "walk a mile in the shoes" of someone living in poverty. The ROWEL Poverty Simulation was created in 1980 by the Reform Organization of Welfare (ROWEL) Education Association of Missouri. In the simulation, participants assume the roles of families living in poverty. They have four 15-minute periods, each representing a week, to buy food, pay rent, and interact with others in the community, portrayed by "staffers" who have lived in poverty. After the simulation, participants and staffers discuss their experiences.

Participants assume the roles of families living in poverty, including:

• a newly unemployed family,
• a family receiving public assistance,
• an elderly person on limited income, and
• an Iowa farm family.

The Poverty Simulation takes about three hours to complete and includes an introduction,the simulation activity, and a discussion/debriefing. The Simulation can accommodate between 40-121 participants. Simulations need to be scheduled at least two months in advance.

CREATING A NEW PATH
Using the simulation to change lives 

• An Iowa State University Extension study of participants showed that the Poverty Simulation is a powerful program.
• Participants saw themselves as more sensitive to the plight of families living in poverty, more compassionate and concerned for clients, and less judgmental of low-income families.
• The simulation had a ripple effect in a community, and after one year, 50 percent said they had met with others to discuss ways to change programs, services, or business practices.
• The simulation was appropriate for a wide variety of audiences, used in rural as well as urban areas, with youth, and in culturally diverse communities.