Atd Fourth World Movement

Training and public information in Atd Fourth World programs, children and adults, including but not limited to our partners and experts with first-hand experience of poverty, gain new tools, skills, and opportunities to advocate individually and collectively for themselves and their communities and to contribute to creating systemic solutions. The international tapori children's network represents the children's branch of Atd Fourth World. Two second-grade classes at the gregory jackson school in brownsville in brooklyn, nyc, are part of this global friendship network bringing together children from different socio-economic backgrounds to learn from children whose everyday lives are impacted by poverty and injustices. At tapori, children learn about social injustice, community, friendship, and solidarity. They develop active listening, critical thinking, creative expression, and collaboration skills. The Fourth World people's university (fwpu) is an adult program for our partners and experts with lived experience of poverty and discrimination and people standing in solidarity with them to learn together and to co- build solutions to problems directly affecting their lives and society. The 2023 theme of the people's university in new york was "dignified work for all." In new mexico, Atd Fourth World builds from individual experience of poverty to a collective knowledge and voice. Atd Fourth World learns from and with individual families through accompaniment as they navigate major life events. In 2023, we carried out this work through our family accompaniment process and the launching of the stronger together advocacy group. The expertise of people with lived experience of poverty influences their communities, professional practices, and government policies. Atd Fourth World's programs change the narrative on poverty by bringing a new narrator: people with first-hand experience of poverty. Changing the narrative means bringing the voices and expertise of people directly experiencing poverty and social exclusion to decision-making spaces, such as the united nations. Since 1991, Atd Fourth World has had consultative status at the united nations and actively participates in un forums to ensure that equity and participation are at the center of discussions. In 2023, Atd Fourth World brought the expertise of firsthand experience of poverty to the un commission for social development, the un high-level political forum, and the commemoration of the international day for the eradication of poverty. We also change the narrative through our national social media presence, monthly national email newsletters, quarterly paper newsletter-appeals, letters to donors, and our website. In 2023, our newsletter-appeals covered the themes "places to learn and teach," "un advocacy," "dignified work,- and "story garden." Our communications put the voices of people with experience of poverty forward, which evolved into a more dignified and empowered language - such as "people with experience of poverty,- having "expertise" about poverty, rather than "poor people" being "interviewed."

Activities with children and families Atd Fourth World's first step is to reach out and build relationships with people whose lives are most impacted by the injustices of poverty and with them form an active community. With a solid local grounding and community partnerships through programs such as story garden and festivals of arts and learning, we regularly engage with people experiencing poverty and support their aspirations for their children. Story gardens in new mexico and new york provide spaces for learning, outreach, and relationship- building, using art to cultivate relationships with families, organizations, and schools. Festivals of arts and learning, held in story garden locations in new york, are annual celebrations that foster creativity, talent, collaborative learning, and encounters between people of different backgrounds and cultures. Relationships between Atd Fourth World staff and members with direct experience of poverty are not limited to interactions during our programs: Atd Fourth World team members are engaged daily in building friendships and relationships of trust with people who persistently experience poverty. Whether visiting individuals in their homes or spending time with them on the phone, our local teams keep close contact with members experiencing poverty and difficulties. Atd Fourth World activists who are long-time participants and partners collaborate to reach out to and build relationships with others deeply impacted by poverty, beginning a new cycle and creating new programs. The thoughts and expertise of Atd Fourth World members with experiences of poverty and injustice help design or inspire our programs. In new york city, a member with direct experiences of poverty serves on the facilitation team of various participatory programs such as the Atd Fourth World nyc evaluation planning work or the Fourth World people's university. In new mexico, the new stronger together advocacy group was directly inspired by two long-term Atd Fourth World activists with experience of poverty who wanted to see a space for adults to come together to share their experiences and difficulties, encourage each other, and build a collective voice. Their vision is to advocate directly for the community changes that would make the biggest positive difference for families impacted by poverty and exclusion.