Poor for the Poor

Project owner: Regional Social Welfare Resource Centre Budapest

Responsible person: Gosztonyi Géza

2013

1,000 Euro Prize

HU

Civil Society / Social Economy

What is it about?

Paradigm shift in the helping profession! We introduce a new profession called ‘Expert by Experience’ (= EE). The clients' practical life experience and their problem assessment may infiltrate into the specialists' common knowledge-treasure. EEs are poor people, who receive new skills at a special peer-group interest representation training. The user involvement may come true.

Appreciation of the Jury

People who know poverty because they have lived in poverty are given a chance to get out of it with this experience and at the same time help others. ‘Poor for the Poor’ recognizes that this 'experience of poverty' is similar to professional experience as a skill and introduces it in a professional context, i.e. as paid expertise, among other measures being used to reduce poverty. Personal experience with poverty is seen as expertise and capitalized as such, to the benefit of the participants and society.