ATD Fourth World New York Goals for 2019
People with a direct experience of poverty becoming more empowered
The Fourth World People’s University(FWPU) will continue to develop the capacity of people with direct experience of poverty, so that they can build on and share their expertise and enable professionals to recognize this expertise in ways that improve their approach and practice. Our main challenge and goal is to expand our network of potential guests in order to respond better to the questions prepared by participants, and maintain the connections with the guests afterwards.
Open space for creativity
The Fourth World House will host a monthly creative workshop to celebrate and share our various talents and skills in a peaceful environment! Stay tuned for up-coming dates and bring your ideas.
Reclaim space for friendship, peace, and learning
Through the weekly presence of the Story Garden in the Brownsville Public Housing Development, our goal is to expand our connections and engage community members. We aim to do so by giving young adults the opportunity to facilitate, reaching out to the schools, developing a deeper understanding of the life and strength of the community, organizing an exhibit in the neighborhood so that the creativity of the children can be seen by all, and exploring the possibility of an additional venue in the same area (e.g. family shelter).The Festivals of Arts and Learning will be organized again this year in summer and will be financially supported by our second Open Mic Fundraiser: Music for the Children.
Contribute to shifting the narrative on poverty
The national report of the MultidimensionalAspects of Poverty (MAP) research will be launched in March, engaging people living in poverty and partners (academics, social justice organizations, and social workers) to expand the understanding of poverty beyond the monetary approach and solutions.
Develop Co-Training: What can we learn together from the experience of poverty?
The project seeks to develop a series of teaching modules that reflect the needs and concerns of those providing social services while finding new ways of addressing the issues that service users wish to tackle. The teaching modules will examine how poverty affects families and social work practice. The teaching modules will include the active participation of families with experience of social services.
Engage more participation in the UN advocacy
Participation is at the core again this year. Through the side events at the United Nations Commissions and High Level Forums, we create spaces that bring together activists, ambassadors, UN officials, and leaders of non-government organizations. Activists enable the United Nations to understand the life and the concerns of people on the ground. By sharing their own struggles and efforts to live a dignified life even in difficult conditions, activists bring a message of courage, inspiration, and peace for all.
Build sustainability
We aim to focus on recruiting new members, especially Volunteer Corps members, and becoming financially more independent. Recruitment and development are an integral part of our priorities.