Youth Mentorship Programming
TODAY’S YOUTH ARE TOMORROW’S LEADERS – HOW DO YOU FIT INTO THE EQUATION OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT?
To those who are at the least bit aware of the current state that today’s adolescents and young adults are in, you should know that WE ARE FAILING THEM. There is an old saying when referring to the upbringing of children that goes, “It takes a village to raise a child”. Most of us have forgotten this saying today, or either we just don’t care. We have come to an age where parents are no longer the authority figure in the home. Children today talk to their parents in any manner that they wish, they go and come from the house as they please, and they no longer need permission to do what they want. No, that doesn’t define all parent/child relationship, but it definitely defines many children in many of our inner city communities.
We have way too many children growing up in single parent households without a proper father figure or male role model present, and sometimes without a proper mother figure. How then do we expect these children to grow into the young men and women that they were born to be and have the potential to be? To be honest, we can’t expect anything better from them than that which we see in the generation that produced them. They are simply a product of their environment, and we must ask ourselves, “What type of environment are these children growing up in, why, and what can be done to change it?”
Will you succumb to societal expectations, or will you find a way?
Complete the form to inquire about me working with your organization.
Starting in 2013 I was exposed to this population firsthand during my work as a Child Welfare Professional in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Miami-Dade has some of the most crime-infested and economically disadvantaged communities in all of the nation, but there are similar communities all across the nation and around the world.
Related: Visualizing the Future of South Mississippi Minority Education
I was able to work in these communities and see what life was like for some of these families. It was during this time that I grew a passion to seek out help for these young people. I began speaking at various churches and community events to recruit foster parents that were open-hearted compassionate enough to take in, parent, and mentor these children.
After developing myself as a speaker, polishing my professionalism, and growing a stronger passion to serve our young people in need of guidance, I returned to my previous home in Hattiesburg, MS to pursue a master’s degree in social work emphasizing on administration and empowerment. I wanted to be able to add on a level of influence so that I would be welcome to more tables when it came to making decisions that would impact these young lives. During this time, my career really began to flourish. Within four months I was winning public speaking challenges aimed at the development of programs to address the social needs of economically disadvantaged and underserved communities. Many more events that gave platforms to positively impact the community quickly started to follow (see my additional services for more information).
Some of the projects I’m most proud of include the work I did with Richard Consulting where we developed a Financial Master Plan for the city of Hattiesburg, MS in conjunction with the office of Mayor Johnny Dupree. Later I assisted the University of Southern Mississippi in Developing a mentorship and nutrition program, R.I.S.E. (Raising Inspirational Sons of Excellence) that ran in the Mississippi Delta in partnership with Mississippi Valley State University, The Fannie Lou Hamer Cancer Foundation, The Men in Black & Blue Against Prostate Cancer, MVSU Basketball Team. Also, my work to help create the pilot program #401Rich Youth Mentoring program with the former TheRichWay, LLC that ran in Houston, TX and Hampton, VA in 2019. Currently, I’m partnered with the YFL Foundation where I provide a set of resources and scholarship opportunities to help financially educate and mentor youth across the nation.
Currently, I work with colleges, universities, and banks to deliver programming in the areas of mentorship, mental empowerment, and financial education. I eagerly await new opportunities to motivate, mentor and empower countless young people throughout the local region, nationally, and even internationally with the development and collaboration of mentorship and leadership programs.
Be sure to scroll back up and reach out about any youth-related collaborations.
“…and remember, your only limitations are those that you setup in your own mind or allow others to set up for you”
– Dr. Napoleon Hill