People of Faith Mentoring Children of Promise: A Model Partnership Based on Service and Community

This manual is designed as a guide for those who have chosen to take the incarceration of a child’s parent as a point of intervention, with mentoring as a vehicle. The document uses the Amachi program as a model to show how faith-based organizations, secular nonprofits, and public organizations can work together to provide caring and trusting relationships for these children. The first section outlines the need, highlighting the distressing statistics (an estimated 1.5 to 2 million have at least one parent in prison) and the traumatic and lasting effect on a child’s life when his or her parent is incarcerated. “An Answer” describes responsible mentoring and how it can benefit the children, the mentors, and the entire community. The remainder of the document reviews the Amachi model, taking the reader step-by-step through planning the effort; recruiting the participants (religious leaders, mentors, parents, children, and caregivers); implementing the program; and monitoring the program and evaluating the results. Resources include helpful organizations and publications. Forms used in the Amachi program appear in the appendices.

Starting a Mentoring Porgram - National Mentoring Center

The National Mentoring Center's training curriculum is a 10-module tool for training program staff and mentors in effective program practices. Written by Public/Private Ventures, the curriculum draws on the latest in mentoring research to help programs improve. The first half deals with program development issues such as recruitment and screening, while the last 4 modules focus on training of mentors.

Module 1: Targeted Mentor Recruiting

Module 2: Screening Mentors

Module 3: Making and Supporting the Match

Module 4: Forming and Maintaining Partnerships

Module 5: Measuring Outcomes

Module 6: Marketing and Fundraising

Module 7: Preparing to Facilitate

Module 8: JUMPstarting Your Mentors

Module 9: Connecting and Communicating

Module 10: Keeping the Relationship Going

Marketing for the Recruitment of Mentors - A Workbook for Finding and Attracting Volunteers

This is a good resource from the National Mentoring Center

Big Brothers/Big Sisters Mentoring: The Power of Developmental Relationships

This is a report on some of the benefits of mentoring programs.

A Systems Model of Human Behavior

Community-Based Approaches to Preventing Child Maltreatment

In the past, efforts to prevent child maltreatment have been hampered by a failure to address the structural social forces and the community-level factors that impact on children, families and the propensity for maltreatment. This paper provides a review of the theoretical constructs underpinning recent efforts to prevent child maltreatment holistically, and identifies a current emphasis on health promotion strategies and efforts to develop healthy, resilient communities. Three major interventions, perceived to be key components of any attempt to reduce maltreatment at the societal and community levels, are described: early intervention projects, cross-sectoral collaboration, and 'whole of community' initiatives. Overall, the authors support the adoption of a developmental prevention approach, where effective child abuse prevention requires acknowledgement of the inter-relationship between risk and resiliency, and solutions are developed to address the former and to promote the latter.

Click Here for Full Article

Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence - A New Search Institute Initiative

With major support from the John Templeton Foundation, Search Institute is launching the Center for Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence to advance knowledge, practice, and international interest in the spiritual development of children and adolescents. The Center is designed to become an international hub of theory, research, and practice in this important domain in human development.

FOCUS AREAS

• Advancing the scientific study of spiritual development—Aided by partners in multiple fields and nations, the Center will develop major advances in the theory, definition, and measurement of spiritual development, including an exploratory study on several continents.
• Building an interdisciplinary, international field of scholarship—The Center will cultivate a broad network of scholars, philanthropists, and other partners through symposia, conferences and distinguished advisors. It will also create an online community for scholars as well as a searchable database of available literature on spiritual development around the world.
• Strengthening practice across traditions and sectors—Based on the emerging research, the Center will develop tools, resources, and partnerships to help youth workers, parents, and others more effectively nurture the spiritual lives of children and adolescents.
• Public communications—The Center will utilize print, electronic, and mass media to position spiritual development as an essential aspect of child and adolescent development.
• Developing new partnerships—The Center will actively seek opportunities to collaborate on additional projects that build knowledge and strengthen practice within particular contexts, cultures, and traditions.

Spirituality: Its Role in Child and Youth Development

This is an interesting series of presentations on spirituality and child and youth development that was conducted at Tufts University in November 2003.

There are some interesting powerpoint presentations to review from Peter Benson and others.

Resilient Children: Literature Review and Evidence from the HOPE VI Panel Study

The HOPE VI program targets the nation's most distressed public housing - impoverished communities with substandard housing and extreme levels of drug trafficking and violent crime. Created by Congress in 1992, the HOPE VI program was designed to address not only the bricks-and-mortar problems in distressed public housing, but also the social and economic needs of the residents and the health of surrounding neighborhoods. The programs major objectives are:

• to improve the living environment for residents of severely distressed public housing by demolishing, rehabitating, reconfiguring, or replacing obsolete projects in part of whole
  
• to revitalize the sites of public housing projects and help improve the surrounding neighborhoods
  
• to provide housing in ways that avoid or decrease the concentration of very low-income families
  
• to build sustainable communities

The HOPE VI program can profoundly affect the lives of children, who are the most vulnerable residents of distressed public housing and particularly likely to suffer from stress of relocation. Children growing up in these distressed developments confront many obstacles, all of which place them at risk for serious consequences including developmental delays, behavior problems, and poor school outcomes.

Click here for more

Emmy Werner - Studying Resilient Children and Youth

Emmy E. Werner and Ruth S. Smith have written a critical piece of literature in the study of resiliency and high risk youth called Vulnerable but Invincible: A Longitudinal Study of Resilient Children and Youth.

Here's a sample quote on the importance of a community working together to help parent a child - an alternative to a more individulatistic model:

When asked what helped them succeed against the odds, resilient children, youth, and adults overwhelmingly and exclusively gave the credit to members of their extended family, to neighbors and teachers, to mentors and voluntary associations and church groups.

Keith Price - Thirsting After God

I have recently been reading a book by Keith Price called Thirsting for God. I met Keith Price when I was a student at Ontario Bible College (now Tyndale College). I was part of a mission conference called Student Mission Advance and Mr. Price would take us through some brilliant passages.

One time I met him just after I had preached for the first time in a preaching lab. I had shown him what I had prepared. He took it from me, looked it over, and then said, "Can you summarize this in one sentence?" That day, I learned to always make sure I stuck to the point when communicating! :)

When I saw that Mr. Price had now written a book with his sermons transformed into meditations, I picked this up and have been working through it for my own quiet time. I highly recommend it!

Here's a prayer by Keith Price:

O Lord,
I have been living
for so long
in the lowlands of mediocrity.
I am disappointed and ded up.
I simply can't keep up the show
any longer.
I want my life to count;
I want to be like Jesus.
Would you show me then
just what I must do?
And also give me the strength
to do it?
Amen.

Also a quote he draws on from Abraham Joshua Heschel:

He who is satisfied has never truly craved,
and he who craves for the light of God neglects his ease for ardor,
his life for love,
knowing that contentment is the shadow,
not the light...

And when the waves of that yearning
swell in our souls,
all the barriers are pushed aside.

Crash - Reflections from the Oscar's 2006 Best Film - Now Available at The Rubicon

I just received word that my paper on the film Crash has been published in The Rubicon.

Check out this link to read it. I would love to hear anyone's thoughts on this piece I wrote.

Steve

Samuel Johnson on the Power of Example

Example is more efficacious than precept.

Samuel Johnson

A Whirlwind Weekend: Graduation, Commissioning and the Future of Project 1:17

Well, this has been a bit of a whirlwind weekend!

This past weekend, we graduated nine students from Project 1:17. It all started last Thursday night with our five year reunion. It's hard to believe that 117 is now entering into its' sixth year!
We had 102 friends and family attended our dinner.

Here's some of the highlights:

• Sharon put together an incredible video of William Booth's actual voice mixed with video and photographic images - challenging people to consider the work the Salvation Army does in reclaiming children and families that live in at-risk communities. This video made plainly clear that what Project 1:17 has been doing is nothing new - it's simply what The Salvation Army has been doing for 141 years! There's very little that's different about what we do - we just need to get back to doing what we've always been doing, but adapting this to the particular challenges of emerging generations.
  
• Commissioner Larry Moretz followed this up with a powerful charge to our students - challenging them to renewal, revelation, and revolution. He emphasized that although the tactics and technologies might have changed, our mission and purpose remains steadfast.
  
• Mhari Smeaton prayed a beautiful prayer - that Scottish accent is so cool!
  
• Supper was incredible - Nyack Seaport is a beautiful restaraunt on the Hudson River. We had a gorgeous view of the famous Tappan Zee Bridge.
  
• Our own professional comedian and P117 graduate Brian Smith performed - the place erupted with laughter as Brian debuted his Project Song poking fun at staff and reminding all the graduates to look for good jobs because there's no money in comedy! We know Dave and Brian have been having a series of great successes in their ministry to comedians. Brian just came back from a tour in California where they received extremely positive reviews.
  
• Paul Dymott challenged the students to always remember to "be there." It was a great reminder that there's no way we're going to be able to effect positive change unless we get out into our communities and be there for when our kids and communities really need us.
  
• April Griffiths - one of our first graduates - read from the Scripture. It was wonderful to see her commissioned as a Captain this weekend to Corning, New York. She's going to do a fantastic job - we'll be praying for ya!
  
• Major Mark Tillsley sealed the evening off with a challenging message. He spoke from Titus on being spirit-filled subversives - subverting the evil and injustice which exists in our world as a result of sin and rebellion. He reminded us that our rules of engagement are not the same as the world's modus operandi. Rather than using power, we are called to serve and love.
  
• Jewela presented Larry and Janet with a collage of graduation photos of our 45 students. Many a tear was shed - Larry called this evening a six-hankey night!

The next morning was the commencement and graduation of the cadets and P117. There were also some surprises to be announced:

• All the students looked really smart in their white shirts with red shields. We were all so proud of them as they each saluted the Commissioner and received their certificates of completion.
  
• After this was complete, the Commissioner called Sharon and I up to the stage. He announced that Sharon and I would be taking over the directorship of Project 1:17 - and on the spot performed a battlefield commissioning! We were commissioned Lieutenants! I think most of the folk were shocked at this decision, but it's something which we felt the Lord saying we needed to do about a year ago. The Commissioner was OK with us taking directorship of the program without this rank, but we chose to embrace this commissioning because we believe it is what God has been preparing us for and calling us to do. This Commissioner, being a practical man, felt no need to delay and surprised us all with the decision to do this Friday morning. What a blessing - we felt like we were in the old Salvation Army with such a battlefield style of commissioning!!!
  
  We are excited to tackle the challenges of the next five years of Project 1:17. Our hope is that we will be able to build on the tremendous foundation that Larry and Janet have laid. However, we humbly realize that there is no way that we can take on this position without the prayer support of a TON of people. We ask anyone and everyone to be praying for us as we face this daunting new challenge.
  
  It's going to be a busy year, but also an exciting challenge as Sharon, Louise and I face this new epoch. However, we will always miss our good friends and colleagues as they take on their next appointment. (See the tribute I wrote about Larry and Janet). Please also pray for them as they move to Cleveland.
  
• Jenn Colfill gave a nice testimony about the importance of breaking bread together.
  
• Gavin Hayden was the second recipient of the Timothy award.

The rest of the weekend was just as much a whirlwind. Friday night was the kickoff of the 24/7 prayer movement in the Eastern Territory. Saturday was the Hispanic Ministry celebration. Sunday was commissioning and appointment services.

Today is a sad day of farewells as our final student departed, and most of the first year cadets left for summer assignment. Our students gave us a cherished gift of their own words of thanks. Our hearts were warmed by the genuine comments from the students.

George Muller, the great Christian youthworker from the 19th century has said, "A servant of God has but one Master. It ill becomes the servant to seek to be rich, and great, and honored in that world where his Lord was poor, and mean, and despised." As the students depart and take up their new ministry posts; as Larry and Janet take up their new appointment; and as Louise, Sharon and I embrace the challenges of this next year at Project 1:17 - I pray that we all will seek to bring glory to God, lead boys and girls to the hope of salvation, and challenge the injustices that plague our local communities and put children and youth at-risk.

Steve

Circles of Care: Strengthening Community, Local Government and Traditional African Support for Vulnerable Children and Orphans in South Africa

2003 Research Report by Philip Cook & Lesley DuToit

A Project of the Child & Youth Care Agency for Development, South Africa

What's really interesting about this report is that many of the studies are based out of Qwa Qwa - an African village on the border of Lesotho where my brother- and sister-in-law, Captains Colleen and Darren Huke serve with The Salvation Army.

I am amazed that my studies into the work of Reclaiming Youth International would lead me right back to the work that members of my family are involved in! This really is a small world!

Steve

Overcoming Adversity With Children Affected by HIV/AIDS in the Indigenous South African Cultural Context by Philip Cook & Lesley DuToit

Reclaiming Children and Youth: The Journal of Strength-Based Interventions

Today, our library at the School for Officer Training - the site of Project 1:17 - received their order of Reclaiming Children and Youth Journals. We have copies back to 2000. The library is planning on purchasing the rest of the journals back to back to 1992 in August.

I have been so impressed with the writings of editors Larry Brendtro and Nicholas Long; as well as contributors such as Scott Larson, Nicholas Long, Martin Brokenleg, Steve Van Bockern etc. that I have been systematically working through several of their books. However, one of their most impressive resources is this journal. I was amazed to see the people who have written articles in these journals - Laura Bush, Desmond Tutu, Geoffrey Canada etc. etc. Every issue is packed with meaty material - immediately applicable to youthwork!

If you are close to our Training School, I invite you to come and check out a couple of issues. If you are at a distance, I would encourage you to order a subscription. Also, check out their past issues.

Here's their description of the journal:

Whether you are a seasoned educator, youth professional, mentor, parent, or university student, this journal is for you! From the very beginning, this quarterly publication was described as "practical," "powerful," and "positive." Now in it's 13th year, the journal continues to provide readers with concise, informative articles from leading educators and youth workers.

Reclaiming Children and Youth offers a vast array of strategies and solutions to many of the pressing problems of youth work today. Using tried and tested models, it presents techniques to reclaim even the most challenging children and youth.

Youth Today has called Reclaiming Children and Youth "one of the best publications in the field." With a world-class editorial board, this journal puts readers on the leading edge of positive youth development.

Helping Youth Succeed Through Out-of-School Time

This report reviews the current research and literature on out-of-school time (OST) programs especially with regard to their effectiveness; explores the range of OST programs and activities as employed by the various youth-serving sectors; considers the untapped possibilities of OST programs to meet the needs of young people.

Making a Difference: An Impact Study of Big Brothers Big Sisters

This is a re-issue of P/PV's 1995 impact study of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Making a Difference, which proved that high-quality mentoring can have tangible and significant effects on the lives of youth. Researchers examined the lives of 1,000 10- to 16-year-olds who applied to Big Brothers Big Sisters for mentors. More than 60 percent of them were boys; more than half were members of minority groups, mostly African American. Over 80 percent came from impoverished families, approximately 40 percent were from homes with a history of drug or alcohol abuse, and almost all were being raised by a single parent. Half of these young people were matched with a mentor, while the rest stayed on the waiting list. Eighteen months later, the differences between the two groups were surprising. Weekly meetings with a mentor for (on average) a year had reduced first-time drug use by almost half and first-time alcohol use by a third, had cut school absenteeism by half, improved parental and peer relationships, and gave the youth confidence in doing their school work. The youth's grades even started getting a bit better.

Targeted Outreach: Boys & Girls Club of America's Approach to Gang Prevention and Intervention by Amy J.A. Arbreton & Wendy S. McClanahan

This report examines two initiatives developed by Boys & Girls Clubs of America, in cooperation with local clubs, to address the problem of youth gangs in their communities. One strategy is designed to help youth stay out of the gang lifestyle—Gang Prevention through Targeted Outreach. The second helps youth get out of gangs and away from their associated behaviors and values—Gang Intervention through Targeted Outreach. The findings indicate the initiatives are able to reach and retain hard-to-reach youth and have positive effects on those involved, including reduction in several delinquent and gang-associated behaviors and more positive school experiences.

Forum for Youth Investment - Moving Ideas to Impact

The Forum for Youth Investment is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to helping communities and the nation make sure all young people are Ready by 21™: ready for college, work and life. This goal requires that young people have the supports, opportunities and services needed to prosper and contribute where they live, learn, work, play and make a difference. The Forum provides youth and adult leaders with the information, technical assistance, training, network support and partnership opportunities needed to increase the quality and quantity of youth investment and youth involvement.

The Forum believes that all young people need and deserve intentional investments and opportunities for involvement through at least the first two decades of life. These investments must move beyond solving problems and promoting academic achievement to supporting a full range of positive outcomes — helping young people grow physically, socially, emotionally, personally, ethically, civically, vocationally and intellectually. Further, youth need more than just programs — they need a full range of basic services, formal and informal supports, and challenging opportunities. The various policies, systems, professionals and volunteers working for and with young people in the allied youth fields need support and encouragement in working together to improve the lives of the nation’s young people. The Forum uses the term "allied youth fields" to refer to the complex space where people such as child welfare advocates, service/learning researchers, after-school practitioners, prevention specialists, youth development funders and education administrators intersect.

Kaboom - A Great Place to Play Within Walking Distance of Every Child in America

KaBOOM! is a national nonprofit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. Celebrating ten years of service in 2006, we rally communities to achieve better public policy, funding and public awareness for increased play opportunities nationwide; provide resources, including trainings, challenge grants, and publications for communities that wish to plan a new playspace on their own; and bring together children, business and community interests for a select number of community playspace builds each year. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., KaBOOM! also has offices in Chicago, Atlanta and San Mateo, Calif.

Youth Development: Issues, Challenges, and Directions

These past couple of days, I have been working through this massive document on Youth Development. It's a fantastic, and critical piece put together by Public/Private Ventures.

Here's a description:

During the past decade there has been considerable concern and discussion about what Americans can do to improve the lives and life prospects of our youth. The changing economy, the stress on family and community life that changing economy brings, concern about the adequacy of public education, the highly publicized incidents of gun violence in schools and the very large cohort of teenagers that this decade brings have only heightened the legitimacy, and the rhetoric, of that concern. In this volume of nine essays, leading researchers and practitioners in the field of youth development share what they have learned over the past decade about the potential challenges of the "youth development approach" and offer some suggestions about how to proceed in the coming decade.

Here's a list of the chapters:

1. Introduction

The Context for Moving Forward
2. Unfinished Business: Further Reflections on a Decade of Promoting Youth Development
(Karen Pittman, Merita Irby, Thaddeus Ferber)

3. The Policy Climate for Early Adolescent Initiatives
(Gary Walker)

4. The Cost of Financing of Youth Development
(Robert P. Newman, Stephanie M. Smith, Richard Murphy)

What We Know and Don't
5. The Scientific Foundations of Youth Development
(Peter L. Benson, Rebecca N. Saito)

6. Measuring Deficits and Assets: How We Track Youth Development Now, and How We Should Track It
(Gary B. MacDonald, Rafael Valdvieso)

Institutional Challenges
7. History, Ideology and Structure Shape the Organizatios that Shape Youth
(Joan Costello, Mark Toles, Julie Spielberger, Joan Wynn)

8. Juvenile Justice and Positive Youth Development
(Robert G. Schwartz)

9. Youth Development in Community Settings: Challenges to Our Field and Our Approach
(James P. Connell, Michelle Alberti Gambone, Thomas J. Smith)

10. The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same: The Evolution and Devolution of Youth Employment Programs
(Alan Zuckerman)

Mediasnackers and Phatgnat

Earlier this year, I received an e-mail from a fellow youthworker/media specialist named DK. He is the director of a company known as Phatgnat. He is really interested in bridging the gap between big business and community-based youth initiatives that utilize media/the arts.

It's great to have been able to find a kindred spirit across the ocean interested in issues of media literacy, social entrepreneurship, arts-based programming, youthwork etc. - particularly with how this works out in the UK context.

DK has just created a new initiative called Mediasnackers. This is a site/weblog/ project/call to action for people interested in how young people consume and create media.

Here's a blurb on the project:

Young people are the new ‘WWW’ generation—snacking whenever, wherever and whatever they like through the multi-channeled and many technological avenues available. Creating as much as they consume— constantly hungry, always ‘on’ and totally self-serving!
Please take the time to have a look at the site, especially the 'report' page which is the weblog, and let me have your views on how to develop and improve.

For those who would like to get involved and want to know more about the opportunities available, then there is a downloadable .pdf available - would love to explore the possibility of interviewing someone from your organisation?

Please feel free to forward this email to any individuals or organisations who you think would be interested in MediaSnackers and I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

DK - thanks for being willing to collaborate with us, and for being willing to share these awesome resources.

Steve

Faith-Based Institutions and High-Risk Youth by Harold Dean Trulear

Many of the highest-risk youth in poor communities are not reached by traditional youth programs, but are served by churches and other faith-based institutions that are both well-established and seriously concerned about the welfare of these vulnerable youth and their families. This report, the first in a series from P/PV's National Faith-Based Initiative for High-Risk Youth, provides an initial overview of strategies employed by faith-based institutions in 11 cities, including lessons learned about the distinct contributions of faith-based institutions to the work of civil society, and the challenges of building partnerships between faith-based groups and other institutions--law enforcement and juvenile justice agencies, foundations and philanthropy, local government and community organizations.

Moving Beyond the Walls: Faith and Justice Partnerships Working for High-Risk Youth by Tracy A. Hartmann

This report examines the development of partnerships among faith-based institutions and juvenile justice agencies in a national demonstration intended to provide mentoring, education and employment services to young people at high risk of future criminal behavior. Given the range of services–and the needs of the young people–collaborations are critical to the communities' efforts. The report addresses the following questions: Can small faith-based organizations work together effectively? Can they develop effective partnerships with juvenile justice institutions? What are the benefits and challenges of both types of partnerships?

Reclaiming Our Prodigal Sons and Daughters Chapter Ten: Redeeming - Cultivating Commitment

Project 1:17 - Please post comments here...

References & Resources:
1. M. Scott Peck - Further Along the Road Less Travelled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values, and Spiritual Growth
2. Robert Coles - PBS Interview on Moral Life of Children
3. Robert Coles - The Spiritual Life of Children

In this chapter, Brendtro & Larson are emphasizing "...the importance of integrating the spiritual dimension into a holistic approach to positive youth development" (p.174).

Reclaiming Our Prodigal Sons and Daughters Chapter Nine: Reconciling - Cultivating Responsibility

Please post comments here

Photos from SWONEKY'S YOUTH COUNCILS