In this episode, Jaclyn Silbernagel sits down with Salimah Kassam, leader of Rise Calgary, to explore what it means to move from a scarcity to strength mindset, the concept of designing systems that create slack for people, and what some of the roadblocks are to shifting perspectives on poverty.
Podcast
Episode 17: Shifting Mindsets – Scarcity to Strength
30 November 2022
Published 30 November 2022
Updated 10 May 2023
This episode of Let's Talk Poverty discusses behavioural economics, why collaboration is necessary for solving poverty, and how innovations like mobility coaching are building the capacity for people to create new futures.
In this episode
- Learn more about how Rise Calgary is working with people to move from a scarcity to strength mindset.
- Discussion about behavioural economics and how there are many factors in the context of our lives that inform the choices in front of us, positive or negative.
- Why collaboration is the path to solving a complex challenge like poverty.
Three key takeaways
- The concept of slack – understanding how if you ask someone to carry a load beyond their capacity they likely won’t do very well. However, if programs and services provide incentives, are flexible, and allow people to participate in ways that work for them, then there is space (or slack) for people to skill-build and learn new ways to strategize.
- How a pilot mobility coaching program creates an environment for people to set goals that build toward a future with a deeper sense of confidence, identity, and possibility.
- Moving from a place of fear to a place of abundance – understanding how a shift in perspective can fundamentally change people’s lives.
About Salimah Kassam
Salimah Kassam is an empathetic and driven leader who is determined to make meaningful impacts on the people and systems in Calgary. Salimah is always happy to connect with other folks working on the complex problem of undesigning poverty in our city. Reach out at Salimah.Kassam@RiseCalgary.ca.
About Rise Calgary
At Rise Calgary they’re ending poverty by increasing social and economic mobility. Together with their clients, they fight scarcity and strategize on building new strengths for a better quality of life. Their stabilization services help people meet their basic monthly safety needs like food, technology, utilities, and shelter. Their empowerment programs partner with people living on low incomes to build new capacities in financial and social wellness. They’re obsessed with behavioural economics, solution-focused coaching, and extreme compassion. They're committed to moving people permanently out of poverty. They know this job is not simple and they know they don't have all the answers, but they want to connect with you to figure it out together.
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