Presentation at the Alleviating Poverty through Entreprenuership Summit on February 5, 2010 sponsored by the Fisher School of Business at The Ohio State Universty

1. Robert L. Caldwell Director-Institute for Urban Public Policy The National Center for Urban Solutions www.ncusoultions.org SocialEntrepreneurship in Urban America

2. Institute for Urban Public Policy To connect Research, Policy andPractice in ways that work to empower people mired in the cycle of generational poverty to transform their lives and their communities Change

3. Institute for Urban Public Policy The Problem The “Charity” Assumption For decades well intended programs of public and private social service institutions have had a mixed impact on the poor living in urban communities While some have had a positive impact, most (programs) have had a devastating negative impact, often consigning families to remain mired in the cycle of poverty for generations

4. Institute for Urban Public Policy The Problem The “Charity” Assumption Programs with positive impacts operate with an “asset”assumption that people can do for themselves, and offer support/resources while requiring personal investment and personal responsibility Programs with negative impacts operate from a “charity” (or deficit) assumption that people cannot do for themselves, and offer support without requiring personal investment and personal responsibility

5. Institute for Urban Public Policy The Problem The “Charity” Assumption While there is a place for charity, (particularly when people truly cannot do for themselves), the “charity” assumption does not empower. It strips people of dignity and negatively impacts self-efficacy Additionally its effect demands that an unsustainable amount of resources continue to be invested in programs/services that do not empower people to liberate themselves from the cycle of poverty

6. Institute for Urban Public Policy The Problem The “Charity” Assumption Work to alleviate poverty in urban communities must transition from the social services and the “charity” assumption To economic development, and the assumption that people can liberate themselves from the cycle of poverty when empowered to do so

7. Institute for Urban Public Policy Policy Agenda To move the work to alleviate poverty in urban communities from social services to economic development Poverty is not a social problem… Poverty is an economic problem… with social consequences

8. Institute for Urban Public Policy Policy Agenda To move the work to alleviate poverty in urban communities from social services to economic development Through economic development we can provide low/no income families real opportunities for economic self-sufficiency This is not charity, this is a strategic investment in people that is both the solution to the problem of poverty in urban America, and a way to grow a productive local (and national) economy.

9. SocialEntrepreneurship in Urban America My Story… Apollo 13 The Movie…

10. SocialEntrepreneurship in Urban America Understanding the Poverty Problem in Urban America The Dominant Culture effect…

11. Community Engagement & Service Delivery What people see & react to… What people do not see or understand… People mired in generational poverty … Program & Service Staffing Program & Service Development Corporate/Government/Institutional Values, Polices, & Procedures Socio-Economic System Dominant Culture Values

12. SocialEntrepreneurship in Urban America Dominant Culture Privilege Exercise # 1: Understanding Dominant Culture effect…

13. Community Engagement & Service Delivery What people see & react to… What people do not see or understand… People mired in generational poverty… Program & Service Staffing Program & Service Development Corporate/Government/Institutional Values, Polices, & Procedures Socio-Economic System Dominant Culture Values

14. Problem Community Impacts What people see & react to… What people do not see or understand… Society at large… Individual & Family Reaction Public/Private Behavior No Living Wage Employment Opportunities / Sub Standard Housing Low/No Academic or Vocational Training Low /No Economic Literacy Low sense of Personal/Spiritual Value

16. Alleviating Poverty through “Social-Entrepreneurship” There is a formula that must be embedded in any poverty alleviating enterprise to assure the greatest opportunity for people to achieve Economic Self Sufficiency… What is it?

17. PD + PI +TCS = PT Robert L. Caldwell Director – Institute for Urban Public Policy VP, Professional Training & Development The National Center for Urban Solutions (614) 857-1811 RCaldwell@NCUSolutions.org www.NCUSolutions.org