UCA’s Division of Outreach & Community Engagement offers both in-person and virtual poverty simulations, and is in need of volunteers to assist with each.
While simulation participants play the roles of families in a variety of situations living in or on the verge of poverty, volunteers fulfill roles of community “vendors” in the simulation, such as an employer, teacher, banker, pawn shop owner, social services agency worker, and other roles. Volunteers for both in-person and virtual events will receive detailed instructions and training in their roles and the simulation overall prior to each scheduled simulation event.
Volunteers for in-person simulations will need to be available to attend a 3-hour event in the location where the simulation is scheduled. Volunteers for virtual simulations may participate from anywhere, and will need to have access to a computer, stable internet connection, and Google Suite.
When you sign up below, you’ll be added to a list of potential volunteers. When we schedule a poverty simulation, we will contact all potential volunteers and invite you to sign up for the event if you are available. Joining the list of potential volunteers will place you under no obligation to volunteer until you confirm your availability for a specific, scheduled poverty simulation.