HOPE for Children in Poverty: Profiles and Possibilities

This is the book I have been waiting for somebody to publish for years...

HOPE for Children in Poverty: Profiles and Possibilities is one of the most essential tools that I would recommend as a must read for anyone involved in youth work in the United States. Edited by Ron Sider and Heidi Unruh, they take us deep into the world of children and youth who are suffering the ravaging abuse of poverty.

The first section deals with the lives of children in poverty. They are not merely presenting quantitative evidence of poverty, but are also amplifying the voices of these children that qualitatively support why poverty is an issue that desperately needs to be addressed in this nation.

The second section explores the special concerns of children in poverty - addressing the difficulties of family life, and need for reform in education-, health care-, and welfare-systems. However, this book is not simply a rant complaining about the problems - it also looks at the possibilities that exist - profiling (in particular) faith-based initiatives that are responding to the cries of today's youth.

In the third section, they explore Biblical reflection on children in poverty. As an evangelical, I appreciate their reminder that our commitment to reclaim children and youth is rooted at the core of our faith tradition. This is not something to be a sidebar of our faith - it is at the core of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

The Appendices are worth their weight in gold - loading the reader with a ton of recommended resources that help us understand child poverty and mobilize the church to respond to poverty. I was especially encouraged when they quote Railton School's theme verse: Isaiah 1:17 - stating, "God is inviting you to 'learn to do good.' ...Just as the needs are great, the possibilities for ministry are endless. No one can do everything... but we are all called to do something" (p.164). I challenge you to READ THIS BOOK - it is a manifesto truly on reclaiming children and youth.

As I read these articles from youth work giants like Marian Wright Edelman, Jonathon Kozol, and Amy Sherman; I find myself encouraged, challenged, and fueled to continue to do my utmost to be like Jesus. I pray that you, too will experience the fire in the belly I felt after reading this.

Click here to access the study guide that Judson Press has put out to accompany this book.

The Asset-Based Community Development Institute

At the School for Officer Training, we have been focusing on Asset-Based Community Development. This website will provide all that you need to know about this group. It provides an introduction to these ideas - as well as a host of resources that are an incredible asset (no pun intended!) for youthworkers.

Bonnie Bernard, the author of "Resiliency: What We Have Learned" acknowledges the invaluable contribution of this group.

Anyone involved in faith-based community youth initiatives will want to look at this group. There are multiple case-studies to illustrate different ways in which these forms of community organization can occur. Youthworkers - these are great tools which can easily be applied to what we do.

Here's a description:

The Asset-Based Community Development Institute (ABCD) is co-directed by John L. McKnight, director of community studies at IPR, and his long-time collaborator in community research, John P. Kretzmann , an IPR senior research associate. Challenging the traditional approach to solving urban problems, which focuses service providers and funding agencies on the needs and deficiencies of neighborhoods, Kretzmann and McKnight have demonstrated that community assets are key building blocks in sustainable urban and rural community revitalization efforts. These community assets include:

• the skills of local residents
• the power of local associations
• the resources of public, private and non-profit institutions
• the physical and economic resources of local places.

For more information, please click here...

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.