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Toolkit for Urban and Inner City Youth Mentoring. The resources you need to make an impact. Presented by Toni E. Washington “Inner City Guru”. Agenda. Developing a successful youth program isn’t like building a shed in your back yard. This is major construction.
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Toolkit for Urban and Inner City Youth Mentoring The resources you need to make an impact Presented by Toni E. Washington “Inner City Guru”
Agenda Developing a successful youth program isn’t like building a shed in your back yard. This is major construction. • Phase 1 of Development: Engaging Youth • Phase 2 of Development: Engaging Parents
Engaging Youth Phase 1
The Design Process • Survey the neighborhood • Review local demographics • Familiarize yourself with existing programs and services • Reach out to them. They will be important for your recruitment process.
The Construction Process • Identify “disconnected” and at-risk youth in your target age range. • Connect them to positive mentoring opportunities. • Re-evaluate their education opportunities. • Create safe places for them to hang out and safe activities for them to engage in. • Develop youth employment opportunities. • Implement career and college planning initiatives.
Preparing for Construction • Develop marketing materials • Saturate the community • Talk to everyone! • Hold a “coming out” party • Develop and deploy an outreach team. • Use familiar faces in the neighborhood to help with initial outreach • Focus on youth first
Laying the Foundation • “It’s Their Space, Their World” • Know their world! • What is their day-to-day life like? • Don’t make assumptions. • Who and what attracts them? • Speak their language • Break down barriers
Laying the Foundation PAUSE FOR AN ARTISTIC SELECTION
Laying the Foundation • Be genuine! • This isn’t a job. It should be a PASSION. • Be REAL. • Possess the 4 Cs: • Care • Concern • Control • Commitment • And wear your hard hat – sometimes things get a bit rough.
Construction Signs Letting people know what’s going on.
Construction Signs • Banners, Fliers, Posters
Construction Signs • T-shirts – make sure they are creative and colorful
Construction Signs • Outreach Mobile – The City Teenz car
Construction Signs • Vehicle Wrap
Structures What to Build and How to Build It
Structures • Safe Events
Structures • Athletic Programs
Structures • New Opportunities • College Tours • Out of Town Trips • Local Field Trips
Structures • Youth Hang-Out or Safe Zones
Construction Hazards • Watch out for these obstacles during the process: • Lack of parental involvement • Lack of trust • Broken Promise Syndrome • Old School vs. New School • Accountability
Engaging Parents Phase 2
Laying the Foundation • Focus on the youth first. But long-term success will depend on parent involvement. • Parents will need to be recruited with incentives and events. • As with the youth, you will need to attract their attention and then develop a real relationship with them.
Safety Rules • Understand the family dynamics. • Know who the family leaders are. • Be genuine and honest. • Don’t judge or lecture. • Don’t interfere with the parent-child relationship. • ALWAYS have an open ear to listen and help in any way you can. • Remember that helping the parents helps the children. • Give them tools. • Help connect them to resources. • When you commit, follow through in a timely manner.
Structure • Parent “PEP” Squad: Partner, Educate, Prevent • Organize and name neighborhood and community parents to crusade the zone, door by door, street by street. • Partner with all organization within a 5 mile radius to include: Neighborhood Associations, Neighborhood Watch Organizations, Churches, Daycares, Non-Profits, Food Banks, Shelters, Businesses, Youth and Afterschool Programs. • Educate the entire community about workshops, special events, rallies, neighborhood • Prevent crime, vandalism, truancy, abuse and neglect
Following Up Toni Washington tws@myrulesmyreality.com www.myrulesmyreality.com 1-321-226-8556 @myrulesmyreality @innercity_guru My Rules My Reality, Inc. Toni E. Washington Need to know where to go from here?