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27bIssue No. 27 PART ONE | Research Review index | Emmanuel Gospel Center
The negative impact of a lack of role models is evident in the educational accomplishments and criminal and mortality rates of young black males. Research on the influences of male mentoring with young black males suggests that such programs are effective with this population. As such, I will explore the following two models: (1) the All Stars Program and (2) the Rites of Passage Program. Both models are scientifically based and have been operated by various agencies across the country. Their acceptance as effective programs among governmental agencies and philanthropic organizations increases the likelihood of both private and/or public funding.
The All Stars Program (http://www.allstarsprevention.com/) is a curriculum-based mentoring program developed by Tanglewood Research and designed to prevent alcohol and drug use, violence, and premature sexual activity among youth. The curriculum focuses on five strategies that research indicates will decrease young people’s chances of being involved in these behaviors. The five strategies are as follows: 1) Reinforce the belief that risky behaviors are not normal or acceptable by the adolescent’s peer group; 2) Cultivate the belief that risky behaviors do not fit with the youth’s personal ideals and future aspirations; 3) Create voluntary personal and public commitments to not participate in risky behaviors; 4) Strengthen relationships between the adolescent and positive social institutions; 5) Help parents listen to their children, communicate clear expectations about alcohol and drugs, and support their children as they work towards positive life goals. Dr. William Hansen, Ph.D., who identified the prevention strategies that have the greatest potential to influence whether a young person, especially between the ages of 10 and 15, will start to use drugs, bases these strategies on a scientific review of approaches to prevention. These strategies form the basis of All Stars.
All Stars is designed for middle school aged youth who do not regularly use or have not yet begun to experiment with alcohol or drugs (senior high and elementary curricula are also available). Since early adolescence is the critical period for the onset of substance use and other risky behaviors, it is recommended that All Stars be utilized with youth starting at the middle school level. Studies show that, unless countered with a strong preventive intervention, protective qualities erode during this period. The goal of All Stars is to delay the onset of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. In other words, to keep young people free of alcohol and drug use as long as possible. This is the outcome of the five research strategies that All Stars is based upon.
The All Stars parent component encourages mentoring through mentor/youth interaction built into the curriculum. The curriculum also provides to the mentor or parent of each All Stars participant a booklet and audiocassette tape titled When It Comes From You. The booklet and tape offers mentors or parents practical ways to use effective mentoring practices, identified by research, that prevent substance use and other problem behaviors. The benefits of this model are as follows:
The major concerns I have with the All Stars Program model are 1) the lack of cultural diversity in its curriculum; and 2) proposed prevention methods that conflict with the conservative teachings of our denomination. The curriculum utilizes interactive games and activities that were obviously geared toward a white suburban population and will have little to no relevance to African American males. Major revisions would have to be done to tailor this model to fit our target population. Prevention methods such as practicing safe sex by the use of condoms would not go over well in the Church of God in Christ, which believes abstinence should be taught and that either passing out condoms or promoting their use would be condoning sinful behavior.
The basic foundation for adolescent development or initiation into adulthood often consists of a test and/or challenge. The completion of this test or challenge marks the passage from childhood status to adult status. Rites of Passage are not restricted to the initiation of adolescents, but are practiced by anyone going through a major life change. For many adults today such a rite often involves a career change, a move, divorce, death or loss of a loved one, retirement, etc. Some believe that the absence of this kind of ritual contributes to the societal ills we have come to know either personally or through the media. The need youth have for some kind of initiation is so strong that it happens with or without a healthy blueprint.
The trouble often occurs when youth turn to their peers for their initiation through adolescence. It is the tests and challenges that youth come up with in private, and their disastrous results that make it to the news media. Examples include use of guns, use of alcohol and drugs, displays of toughness, hazing, sexually acting out, or any combination of these behaviors
The Rites of Passage Program as developed by the Ohio Child Care and Family Services Department in 1991, uses the concept of a rites of passage and an Africentric cultural environment to help youth move from adolescence to independence. The goal is to build a positive ethnic identify which enhances the impact of the life skills training, and increases self- esteem and self-sufficiency. The program is grounded in strong ethical concepts known as the Nguzo Sabra, which is Swahili for the Seven Principles. These principles include self-determination, faith, and creativity as well as collective action and mutual aid in service of the community. The Africentric Self Knowledge for Independent Living curriculum developed in 1991 is used.
African American men age 20-50 receive special training and serve as leaders, mentors and role models in the programs, which are offered throughout the state. Specific activities include:
The Rites of Passage Program is a “coming of age” program for adolescent boys who are ready to experience a personal challenge and an initiation into healthy, responsible adulthood. The program provides an opportunity for parents, teachers, and mentors to reintroduce to youth a healthy blueprint for life where they can realize that they are not alone, that they can earn a place of status in their community and that they, too, one day will be called upon to serve youth as mentors and leaders.
The Rites of Passage program is a comprehensive, nine-month program of mentoring, learning sessions, tutoring and field trips involving African-American boys (called initiates) ages 12-17. In many ways, this is the ideal age for young men to enter this program: early enough that negative behaviors have not set in, but late enough that entering manhood is meaningful process. The program is designed to be a community-based effort that promotes the growth and development of black male youth throughout the community. The program is based on traditional African rites of passage that mark the progression from childhood to manhood. This model teaches boys that entering manhood is more than a physical transition. Although these young men have reached physical puberty, many do not have the social maturity and responsibility necessary for becoming responsible and productive adults. One of the guiding principles of Rites of Passage is that discipline; respect, self-confidence and knowledge are obligatory milestones in becoming men. The program is comprehensive as no one component alone would have the desired result. For example, simply being involved with a mentor would likely have little result if other aspects of the boys’ lives (for example, their ability to do well in school) remained the same. While mentors are the foundation of this effort, Rites of Passage is more than a series of activities between mentors and initiates. It is a coordinated effort to transfer values from one generation to the next.
A main concern with this type of program being operated by the church is the perceived conflict some Christians see between Afrocentricity and being Christ-centered. While I personally do not have any major concerns, my church is part of a traditional “Holiness Pentecostal” denomination that has a strong focus on spirituality and “separation from the world.” It is often difficult to reconcile the effectiveness of programs that are based on curricula that is devoid of the biblical language many Church of God in Christ members believe is necessary for them to have credibility. Another potential issue is the intent to use positive male role models from the community that are not church members and may belong to other Christian denominations that have conflicting theological bents on issues of importance to our members, or may not be Christian at all. I am convinced that while the principles of our proposed program will have a biblical basis, it will not be feasible to exclude all non-members or non-Christians from participation and have a successful program.