How Circles® Works

Overview

Establish Lead Organization

One organization assumes responsibility to set up Circles:1. Holds Circles® introductory and Orientation sessions2. Assures there is enough community interest to pursue this new approach3. Establishes an initial leadership team

Build a Guiding Coalition

Teams are set up in this order:1. Resources—functions as leadership team and raises initial funds2. Recruitment—enrolls families and allies3. Community—builds the programming4. Economic Stability—supports individual plans5. Big View—resolves the system-wide barriers

Enroll Circle Leaders

• Interview potential Circle Leaders• Make selection of 15 for the first class• Hold an Orientation to go over the

requirements and formally enroll people

Provide Circle Leader Training

15-week class provides following tools:How to set and achieve realistic goalsHow to make a major life changeHow to make a financial plan out of povertyHow to work with Allies to accelerate your plan

The Circle Leader Training Outcomes

Graduates have:• Long-term financial plan with clear and

measurable goals• Skills to network with middle and upper-

income allies• A new community of peers and weekly

meetings for support to reach goals

Match Allies to Circle Leaders

Allies attend:• 90-minute Orientation• 5-6 week Fundamentals Class• Matched with a Circle Leader

Circles Formed

• Graduates of the Circle Leader Training matched with Allies

• Circle Leader sets monthly meeting with his or her new Allies

• Weekly support meetings offered to both Circle Leaders and Allies

• Staff and volunteer organizers monitor Circles and provide additional support as needed

What makes CIRCLES different ???

• Led by the family in poverty• Transforms us – not just the

disadvantaged• Processes are designed to produce

transformation in the community, too• Addresses systemic issues

Pond Mental Model

Teach to Fish

Betterment of Pond

Understanding the Pond

Owning the Pond

Maintenance of the Watershed

Give a Fish

Individual____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _

Community

Pond Mental Model• Many churches have outreach programming that addresses #1 – Give a Fish

– Food pantries– Clothing closets– Emergency Relief Funds– Others???

• Some churches have outreach programming that addresses #2 – Teach to fish

– Job readiness programs – resume, interviewing– Mentoring programs– Computer skills programs– Others???

• Fewer churches have outreach programming that addresses #3 – Betterment of the Pond

– Community beautification project with persons from the community – Working with families to implement programming in their community– Community Gardens– Others?

Pond Mental ModelVery few churches get to the “community” side of the pond – understanding their community, helping members of the community to build ownership and maintaining the broader community.Understanding the Pond

– Intentionally building relationships with persons in the target neighborhood through joining the Circles Initiative and studying the Bridges Out of Poverty

– Community listening to better understand the resources that are present, the improvements desired and the passion of the residents to enact change

– A new paradigm from doing “to and for” to doing “with”

Owning the Pond– Asset development

• home ownership• small business development within the community• Neighborhood associations that govern the community

– Leadership roles – elected officials• School boards• Non-profit board• Church Trustees

Maintaining the Watershed/Sustaining the Ecosystem• Strategic development and planning at the policy level that allows for neighborhoods to thrive• Policy level involvement

What’s next for Circles of Transformation?

• Pilot Launch in Dothan• Develop Community Interest• Host Community Meetings

• Recruit 100 + Volunteers

Fred and Laurel Blackwellcircles@awfumc.org

www.awfumc.org/circles334.524.3652

www.facebook.com/CirclesofTransformation