At the 2010 Annual Meeting of the SDC Board of Commission on June 17, 2010, the SDC released a landmark study of poverty in Milwaukee. This study was remarkable for its comprehensive inclusion of many voices and perspectives. The key findings of this research included:
1) The perception is that poverty is a serious and growing problem in Milwaukee County.
2) Employment and education are the major factors related to poverty.
3) Many service needs and gaps exist in Milwaukee County.
4) Lack of employment and education are major barriers that keep people in poverty.
5) More and better employment and educational opportunities are recommended strategies for reducing poverty.
6) CR-SDC is thought to have an important role in reducing poverty in Milwaukee County.
The results from this effort successfully spawned a number of various initiatives including public hearings, a poverty symposium, and a strategic planning process. Not long after the ink was dry, the SDC and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Center for Urban Initiatives & Research (CUIR) began the planning process to develop a research plan to build upon this work. It was written in this space on January 4, 2011 that the SDC was “making plans to conduct another poverty study in 2011.” These plans materialized earlier this year.
Using the 2010 study as a base, the SDC and UWM-CUIR launched an e-mail survey with SDC staff, SDC Commissioners, and key stakeholders in the community. SDC Commissioners represent low-income residents of the county, public offices, and the private sector. A key stakeholder was considered to be someone who has an interest in or direct/indirect involvement with poverty, its causes, effects, and solutions. The various sectors include: business/for-profit, education, faith-based, foundation/philanthropy, government, health, law enforcement, legal/judiciary, media, and non-profit.
The survey focused on four areas:
1) Prioritizing the importance of poverty-related issues in Milwaukee County;
2) Identifying human service needs;
3) Identifying barriers that keep people in poverty; and
4) Rating the effectiveness of poverty-reducing strategies in Milwaukee County.
Over 350 individuals provided responses to both open-ended and closed-ended questions that elicited a wide range of perspectives on poverty.
The SDC and UWM-CUIR are now pleased to announce that the results of this survey will be made available at the next annual meeting of the SDC Board of Commission on June 23, 2011. Preliminary results show that,
1) Milwaukeeneeds strong community leadership with a long-term vision for the future of the city. A bold, comprehensive, collaborative, cross-sector strategic approach will be required to effect serious change for residents living in poverty.
2) Job-related strategies and suggestions of implementing comprehensive, coordinated programs and resources should be the focus of future human service programming.
Tangible copies of the report will be available at the annual meeting and the report will also posted at www.cr-sdc.org/About/PolicyResearch/2011CSBGNeedsAssessment/htm.
The SDC welcomes you to stop by and pick up your copy and to also visit the other displays of SDC offerings. See you on the 23rd!
Steve Schultz
Policy Analyst