Multidimensional coaching for socio-economic advancement of people in poverty

Poverty, especially when experienced over generations, may be deeply disempowering. Its impact may go well beyond the limitations imposed by material deprivation, undermining hope, aspirations, self-confidence.

The effectiveness of poverty reduction interventions may depend on how they also address not only material deprivation and the systemic issues of discrimination and exclusion, but also the inner experience of disempowerment brought about by poverty.

Such a focus on disempowerment is not yet a feature of most mainstream measures. The purpose of this event was to outline ways of integrating this dimension into interventions, highlighting how this could enhance their effectiveness in helping people move out of poverty.

In particular, the seminar focused on multidimensional coaching – that was a systematic, structured and intensive collaboration between the person in poverty and a mentor, addressing multiple areas of life. A recently published JRC report highlights some core elements of this approach, distilled from exchanges with leaders of practices across the world.

Coaching represents a paradigm shift in social assistance design, as it moves away from a top-down relationship between social worker and client towards a more collaborative relationship aimed at empowering the person in poverty. It does not replace support addressing material deprivation, but it may provide an effective complement to measures such as minimum income, by reinforcing agency, decision-making and personal and group empowerment.

The event included a description of core elements of coaching practices, and presentations of programmes that applied them.

Speakers

Irma Borde, DG Employment, European Commission

Laura Cassio, Joint Research Centre, European Commission

Elisabeth Babcock, Babcock Strategy, Boston, USA

Paola Milani, PIPPI, University of Padua, Italy

Nicki de Luzuriaga, EMPath, Boston, USA

Martin Burt, Poverty Stoplight, Paraguay

The event is part of a webinar series on fairness and related issues organised by the Fairness Community of Practice. The aim of the webinars is to bring together researchers and policymakers to share knowledge and foster an informed dialogue to inform policy.

More information on the Community of Practice on Fairness can be found here.