Programs should emphasize the strengths, skills, and potential of survivors

Successful economic empowerment programs require a strengths-based approach that recognizes the inherent skills, talents, and potential within each survivor. Often, advocates focus on mitigating barriers or feel challenged when “survivors don’t have experience in a certain career,” which focuses on deficits and can limit creativity and imagination in supporting survivors in accomplishing their career goals. Social factors well beyond the control of survivors –such as poverty and abuse – may have impacted their ability to define their interests and goals. Programs should recognize that their role is to support survivors in a challenging point in time in the survivor’s life.

By helping survivors identify and enhance existing skills, nurturing self-confidence, and investing in career exploration and financial planning opportunities, program staff can build relationships with survivors that foster empowerment. By individualizing programs and plans, program staff can encourage survivors to take ownership of their financial plans and career paths. This ownership returns agency to survivors, fostering meaningful and long-term opportunities for career development, exploration, and economic advancement they may have never experienced or have been limited from pursuing.