Poverty Alleviation

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Poverty Alleviation Economic Development

• Issues for Rural Southeastern North Carolina
• Rebekah Costin, Stephen Firsing, Brian Johnson

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Summary

• Bladen, Columbus, and Robeson Countiespersistent
  poverty
• Problems with current methods
• Suggested alternatives
• Recommendation Increased Vocational Programs
  (CBA 1.8)

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Definition of Problem

• These counties are growing too slowly when
  compared to similar peer counties and our
  ability to address and pinpoint the specific
  contributing factors to this problem are growing
  not nearly as fast.

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Background Possible Causes

• Loss of traditional job sources
• Educational issues
• Shadow economies/crime
• Lack of redistributional policies

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Low Educational Attainment
Bladen County 70.6 graduation rate,
2000 11.3 bachelors degree or higher,
2000 Columbus County 68.6 graduation rate,
2000 10.1 bachelors degree or higher,
2000 Robeson County 64.9 graduation rate,
2000 11.4 bachelors degree or higher, 2000
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Alternatives

• Option 1 Transporting Workers to Jobs (CBA
  .67114)
• Option 2 Attracting High Value Added Industries
  (CBA .75187)
• Option 3 Increase Vocational Programs (CBA
  1.81)
• Option 4 Economic Gardening
• (CBA 99.69569)

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Technical Analysis
Policy Matrix Key 1 poor 2 fair 3 good
4 excellent
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Results of Analysis
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Recommendation

• Implement vocational (non-college track)
  education and entrepreneurial classes starting at
  elementary level and coupled with job-shadowing
  and internships.

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Future of Vocational Graduates
53 of concentrator graduates credit vocational
programs with their decision to stay in school
(NC DPI)
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Questions/Comments

• Rebekah Costin (rkc3401_at_uncw.edu)
• Stephen Firsing (slf4659_at_uncw.edu)
• Brian Johnson (bmj8380_at_uncw.edu)