Pathways to Prosperity Program

Presented by United Indians of All Tribes Foundation

Initial funding providedby the Northwest Area Foundation

Principle Partners

United Indians of All Tribes Foundation and the Native American Community of Seattle

Northwest Area Foundation

United Indians of All Tribes Foundation

Founded by Bernie Whitebear and supporters in 1972

30+ year history of serving the social, economic, educational and cultural needs of Native Americans in the Puget Sound region

Project implementer and convener of coalition

Northwest Area Foundation

A grant-making Foundation founded in 1934 Focused on long-term poverty reduction in the

Northwest Launched an Urban Native American poverty

reduction initiative Awarded United Indians of All Tribes

Foundation a two-year initial grant

To assist our Native Community in the journey from

poverty to well-being

Program Goal

First Steps: Shelangen Coalition

• “Shelangen” (means “together” in Coast Salish)

• 300 Native Americans participated

• Analyzed root causes of poverty and searched for solutions

• 2,000 Native American individuals and many families surveyed and interviewed

Critical Challenges facing the Seattle Native

American Community

30% live below the poverty line Highest level of homelessness of

any group Real unemployment levels are

near 25%

Critical Challenges facing the Seattle Native

American Community

Highest levels of: infant mortality rate diabetes, heart disease and cancer addictions and chronic mental health

issues disabilities

The Pathway to Prosperity Program is based on 40 years of field

experimentation and consultation with Indigenous communities and development thinkers across North

America and beyond.

Origins of the Model

Origins of the Model

In Seattle through the work of United Indians beginning in 1974 Community Input Process 100 Families Project Continuous experimentation

in community program development

Origins of the Model

Across North America and worldwide through the work of Four Worlds International

Hundreds of Indigenous communities engaged since 1982

Models and principles developed and synthesized through continuous cycles of action and reflection

Many Indigenous Elders, spiritual and community leaders consulted

Numerous research studies and publications produced

What is poverty?Poverty is not simply “a lack of jobs or

income”, but rather “a web of interwoven

problems—poor schooling, bad health,

family troubles, racism, crime and

unemployment—that can lock families out of

opportunity, permanently”.

Joan Walsh “Stories of Community Building

and the Future of Urban America”

The Tree of Poverty has many roots

What Determines Poverty?

1. Poor health2. Weak cultural and spiritual

identity3. Unmet basic needs4. Lack of basic safety and

security5. Fractured social networks

What Determines Poverty?

6. Poor education7. Unemployment/low wages8. Poor access to social

services9. Racism and discrimination

in society10. Ineffective public policy

Summary of Determinants of Poverty

Determinants of Poverty

Weakened Cultural & Spiritual Identity

Unmet

Basic Needs

Lack of Personal Safety & Security

Fractured Social

Cohesion

Low Levels of Education &

Training

Low Income & Lack of Access

to Economic

Development Opportunities

Racism & Discriminatory

Public Practices

Ineffective Public Policy &

Programmatic Initiatives

Lack of access to Appropriate & Adequate

Social Services

Poor Physical,Mental &

Emotional Health

Our Primary Strategy

Transform the

Determinants of Poverty

into the

Determinants of Well-being

Determinants of Well-being

Poor health

Vibrant health

Weak cultural and spiritual identity

Strong cultural and spiritual identity

Unmet basic needs

Basic needs fulfilled

Lack of basic safety and security

Personal safety and security

Fractured social networks

Strong social networks

Determinants of Well-being

Poor education

Appropriate education and training

Unemployment/low wages

Adequate income opportunities

Poor access to social services

Appropriate and adequate social services

Racism and discrimination in society

A societal climate that appreciates diversity and fosters inclusion

Ineffective public policy

Effective public policy

Pathway to ProsperityFour Strategic Elements

1. Address the Determinants of Poverty

2. Use a wholistic, systems approach

3. Working from principle

4. Start small before scaling up

Pathways to Prosperity Pathways to Prosperity ProgramProgram

A comprehensive web of opportunities that form a pathway

The Journey

What do people need to make the journey from chronic poverty and dependency to sustainable well-being and prosperity?

Poverty

Prosperity

jobsskills

culture

help

healing

connect?

support

Nine Lines of Action

for Promoting

Prosperity and

Wellbeing

– 1 –

Education and Training

United IndiansHeadstart and

Early HeadstartLiteracy

Family Strengthening

Early childhood development

Community Development

Wellness

Employment skills

LeadershipDevelopment

CulturalFoundations

EntrepreneurialDevelopment

Job Readiness

StrengtheningCommunity Institutions

And Programs

ParentingEducation

Life Skills

GED

– 2 –

Health and Wellness

Healing and recovery from the impacts of trauma

Addiction recovery Personal growth Access to health

services Community action for

health Influencing public policy

– 3 –

Cultural and Spiritual Revitalization

Elders Council

Drawing on Cultural Leaders

Cultural Research

Culturally based education and training Applying Cultural

Knowledge to Development Problems

Cultural events and gatherings

Cultural based

enterprises

Culture

– 4 –

Community Building

Community involvement in program governance

Community Learning andPlanning

Community basedResearch and

Evaluation

Community Engagement in Strategic Action

– 4 –

Community Building

Specifically:1. Bernie Whitebear Center for

Human and Community Development

2. Quarterly gatherings for evaluation, learning and planning

3. Community core groups4. Community learning processes5. Community based enterprises

– 5 – Offering a “hand-up” and

“bridge-building” Targeted small scale help to

families already engaged in the journey• Eg., a bus pass, help with

groceries until month end, child care emergencies

Access to micro-loans Access to affordable housing One stop shopping and connection

to support and opportunities

Goal: establish a Native American Community EconomicDevelopment Corporation

– 6 – Community Economic

Development

Building individual and community capacity for economic success

Job placement and support Small business incubation and support Social enterprise initiative

• Teepee Camp• Salmon Bake Center• Northwest Canoe House

Capitalization of Native community business development

– 7 –

Partnership Building

Circle of partners to be established to ensure all needed services are available

Special focus on partnerships with other minorities, organizations and groups working on poverty issues

– 8 – Strategic Communication

1. Using media for education and community development

2. Community participation to ensure strong community voice

3. Strategic dialogue between partners

4. Communicate lessons learned to wider world, funders, and other communities

– 9 –

Public Policy Engagement

Policy research relevant to poverty alleviation

Systematic outreach to public policy makers

Focus on influence through constructive dialogue

Pathway to Prosperity Program

More than a 2 year project, it’s a 10 to 20 year journey

All the component strategies linked to the Determinants of Poverty. All are necessary. It won’t work to do some parts but not others.

Pathway to Prosperity Program

The heart and soul of the Pathways to Prosperity Program is building capacity for sustainable well-being and prosperity

Individual Families Organizations Networks and partners Decision makers Funders Allies

d

Pathway to Prosperity Program

More than a technical project,

also a spiritual journey.

No unity, no development

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.unitedindians.org

email: prosperity@unitedindians.org

206.285.4425

P.O. Box 99100Seattle, WA 98139

www.fwii.net