Hosting a poverty simulation can be an interactive way to inform participants of the harsh reality of living in poverty in BC. The MEM Poverty Simulation has been carefully designed by the IRSJ lab to mimic the feel of poverty by tasking each fictional family unit to fulfil their basic needs while up against systemic barriers, bureaucracy and limited incomes.
How does the simulation mimic the experience of poverty?
Researchers at the IRSJ lab understand that the experience of poverty can never be fully represented in a simulation. Great amounts of sensitivity and consideration are used when orienting future participants on what to expect from the MEM Poverty Simulation.
The MEM Poverty Simulation was born out of extensive research and consultation with those who have lived experience in poverty, to design a simulation that closely represents poverty in BC. The time break down, family profiles, simulation materials, daily tasks and systemic barriers have been strategically incorporated into the simulation to present a realistic poverty experience in BC.
How it works
The MEM Poverty Simulation is expected to last 3 hours, with 2 hours dedicated to an orientation, fact check on poverty in BC and Canada, and a post-simulation debrief. Participants are first sorted into 26 diverse fictional family units, each with their own situations that have resulted in serious economic challenges.
The hour-long simulation is broken down into 4, 13-minute hypothetical weeks. Within each week, participants are tasked with completing their daily and weekly activities. Weekly activities will depend on the role of the participant within their family, and may consist of going to school or work, or maintaining the family household. The “goal” of families in the simulation is to simply survive in the face of barriers to success.
Barriers to success in trying to escape poverty are represented through events, costs and systemic barriers. Examples include expensive prescription medications, illegal evictions, complicated disability income forms etc. Participants will notice that these barriers tend to pile on as they do in real life.
At the end of the simulation, participants gather to discuss the reality of poverty in BC and Canada, and are given the opportunity to share their thoughts about what they experienced. Participants are taken through a facilitated debrief with a trained research assistant and are supported with any distress resulting from the simulation. Finally, participants will evaluate the experience by completing a short survey.
Making Ends Meet 