Creating Possible Futures

Creating Possible Futures Dreams, Goals, and Aspirations for Harvey County

Harvey County Circle of Hope is a relationship-based poverty-reduction program geared toward individuals working to escape poverty. While the main focus is financial management and goal setting, many conversations steer toward collective resources and information. This focus shifts the narrative away from individual blame or failure and toward a place where people from various backgrounds can work together to solve the systemic barriers that keep families in poverty. This higher-level view of poverty engages a wide audience and each person becomes part of the solution!      Participants recently completed a Possible Selves/Possible Trees activity, which involved tracing their roots to community resources and strengths, identifying trunks of support (beliefs and attitudes), and naming the fruits (dreams and goals) that come as they continue to nurture their tree (themselves and their community). This activity helps promote a new way of thinking about the larger community. Like its inhabitants, a community is not just one thing but a combination of air, water, and environmental factors that shape how we grow. When given a chance to dream of the future, to put ideas into writing, we recognize what each person brings to the table, the many gifts and talents each has, with a unique vision of what our community can be! There is something scientific, or perhaps magical, that happens when we collectively dream and work toward a brighter future. The dissonance between where we are and where we want to be creates possibilities yet unknown!   What dreams or goals do you have for your community?   How will what you are doing today become a part of who you are tomorrow?