By Steve Yingling

A national workshop that trains people to assist families living in poverty in becoming self-supporting will be hosted by Capital City Circles Tuesday-Friday, Oct. 22-25 at Western Nevada College in Carson City.

The National Circles Campaign Hands-On Training workshop will include education for coordinators and coaches from around the country. They will meet in small training groups, and there will be a poverty simulation workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

“The National Circles Campaign Hands-On Training is an excellent opportunity for Carson City to showcase the Capital City Circles program and gain national recognition,” said WNC counselor J.W. Lazzari, who has been on the Capital City Circles Board of Directors since 2009. “The event will also allow the initiative to better inform lawmakers and local businesses about the value of our initiative, both locally and throughout the state. This event will emphasize Carson City’s ability to eventually become a regional training center for the National Circles Initiative.”

The initiative is to help families living in poverty reach the goal of financial independence through education and supportive friendships with middle-class members of the community. This is achieved through a 20-week Getting Ahead Workshop and an alignment with three to five allies (or volunteers). The group meets once or twice a month to help develop the dreams, plans and goals for achieving economic self-sufficiency.

“The program has been a great resource for many Carson families and really has been the springboard to help families to self-sufficiency,” Lazzari said.

He pointed to success stories of a nearly homeless mother of seven children who became a certified nurse assistant, and a single mother of two who has improved her budgeting and money management skills to better care for her family.

Lazzari said WNC has been associated with Capital City Circles on a variety of levels.

“It closely aligns with Western Nevada College’s institutional theme of ‘One College Serving Many Communities’,” he said. “Similar to Western Nevada College, the Capital City Circles Initiative promotes education, strives for personal and community enrichment, and creates community connections.

Lazzari said some of the circle leaders have become students at WNC.

“The Circles program has helped give some of these individuals the courage to go to college and the support to become successful,” he said.