Mentoring Young Men of Color: Incorporating mentoring programs in schools

“That’s what ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ is all about. Helping more of our young people stay on track. Providing the support they need to think more broadly about their future. Building on what works – when it works, in those critical life-changing moments.”

- President Barack Obama, February 27, 2014

The statistics recently released by the Whitehouse makes for stark reading indeed:  

“Data shows that boys and young men of color, regardless of socio-economic background, are disproportionately at risk throughout the journey from their youngest years to college and career. For instance, large disparities remain in reading proficiency, with 86 percent of black boys and 82 percent of Hispanic boys reading below proficiency levels by the fourth grade — compared to 58 percent of white boys reading below proficiency levels.”

For those of us who are blessed with some degree of success in life today, when we cast a quizzical look at how we made it this far, we're bound to acknowledge the part that some "person of influence" may have played in our success. Perhaps it was a parent, a relative, a sibling, a teacher, a coach, or an acquaintance.  Regardless of whom it was, their contribution in putting us on the path to achievement is priceless - and should be recognized. And for that, we should be grateful!

Giving Success a Chance

Sadly, not all of our peers may have been so fortunate as us. In some cases, even many of our siblings too might not have "made it good" the way some of us have. But anyone who encounters one of our less fortunate brothers/sisters along the way, may wonder what we, individually as well as collectively as a society, can do to make sure things get better for the next generation of young boys of color. The answer is: Lots!

For starters, as individuals we can contribute our skills and talents towards mentorship programs within our communities. As mentors, we can play the same role that the "person of influence" once played for us, and help to shape the future of at least one at-risk young boy/man.  That will be our personal contribution to giving success a chance.

But while individual action can be lauded, it is societal action that will really make the difference in the lives of hundreds/thousands of young men of color who find themselves on the fringes of society today. They are lost, and are looking for a sense of belonging, a sense of identity, and a sense of purpose. To successfully bring them back into mainstream society, and make them productive members of communities, there is need for systemic early intervention programs to be put in place. And the best ways to do that are through mentorship programs that are focused on serving the needs of those at-risk individuals.

The objective of such programs should be to take boys at their formative age, pre-schoolers or those in pre-secondary schools, and nurture in them a sense of purpose by offering them the support they need to transition successfully into adulthood. At a very high-level, the formula for success through mentorship is to:

• identify at-risk individuals early on in their lives 
•  coach and counsel them away from their risky lifestyle 
•  offer them strong role models to look up to 
•  help them build a strong academic foundation 
•  offer them a chance to go to college/other higher institutions of learning 
•  provide them career counseling, advice on health and wellness, financial responsibility, leadership, crises management, respect for authority and social responsibility 
•  guide them into the workforce

Schools can come together and collaborate with communities, industry leaders and government agencies to make success for these young men a reality. Some of the roles/responsibilities that each of these groups will need to assume include: 

• help guide a steady stream of deserving mentees into the program 
•  provide rooms/buildings and other logistical support so mentors and mentees can meet regularly 
•  commit (and pay for) the time of successful individuals (within an organization or institution) to act as Mentors 
•  give mentees access to visit businesses and other commercial enterprises to get a firsthand look at what "success" looks like 
•  open up opportunities to mentees to receive (paid or unpaid) work experience 
•  collaborate with various partners to help rehabilitate/re-integrate mentees who may fall afoul of the law 
•  keep track of each mentor, his progress, failures, successes

Schools will initially need to actively reach out to all of these groups in order to put the program together. School administrators will then also need to work hard to oversee the program and keep all other stakeholders apprised of its progress. But mainly, it falls to the schools to continue to keep their partners engaged and interested in the program.

The Building Blocks

The building blocks for a successful mentorship program have already been outlined by a Presidential Task Force that was expressly set up by the Whitehouse to help young, at-risk (including boys of color) individuals carve a path to a successful adulthood. Experts identified a number of predictive milestones that were critical for young men to achieve success as they transition from adolescence into adulthood.  

These include: 

1.    Getting a healthy start and entering school ready to learn: The recommendation includes ending the practice of expelling and suspending preschoolers, while also focusing on their health and developmental needs

2.    Reading at grade level by third grade: Which can be achieved by reducing the word gap that now exists between boys of color and other racial groups, through encouraging greater participation by teachers, students and volunteers in reading programs, both in schools and at homes

3.    Graduating from high school ready for college and career: This involves focusing on "problem schools/districts" with high dropout rates, as well as taking a fresh look at disciplinary practices so that we can help boys of color stay within the schooling system for longer, so they don't drop out prematurely

4.    Completing post-secondary education or training: The focus of which is to increase college completion rates by supporting students with tools such as dual enrolment in high-schools, as well as access to Advance Placement programs

5.    Successfully entering the workforce: This can easily be accomplished by making summer employment opportunities more accessible to young men of color, while also giving them access to pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs

6.    Keeping kids on track and giving them second chances: The main focus of which should be to reduce violence amongst youngsters, promote racial and ethnic bias within our judicial system, and helping young men more easily re-integrate into society once they do have a "brush" with the criminal justice system.

While these are broad and far-reaching goals, the steps outlined above could easily be used as a starting point by schools and local communities to create their own unique mentorship programs. Organizations keen on seeing the next generation of young boys of color enter adulthood successfully, can use these guiding principles as a blue print around which to build programs that deliver counseling, role modeling and mentorship for these young boys. 

Get It Right!

When planning to put mentorship programs in place, it is extremely important to keep one fact front and center: The building blocks discussed above are just that - Building Blocks. This not the plan in its entirety. They are like a few lines on a blank page, which must now be fleshed out in order to complete the plan.

Every school district, every community and every school and educational institution is unique. They each have different socio-economic challenges. Each has its unique mix of young men of color (African-American, Latino, Hispanic, Asian and other racial groups), which gives rise to a unique set of socio-cultural challenges for a mentorship program. 

Although ideally mentees should be groomed and prepared to embrace their futures anywhere across the country, because of the local environment in which the mentorship program is established, that might not always be possible. Mentorship programs should therefore not work completely in isolation to the environment in which they function. Taking what works in an environment where opportunities for young men in the high-tech sector abounds, might not work well for a program that's mentoring young boys who live inside a predominantly industrial or agricultural setting. The building blocks must be tailored to fit the environment.

It is extremely important for the mentorship program to be staffed and supported by individuals who are culturally sensitive, and motivated to getting it right. Mentors must be trained, preferably (but not necessarily) certified to act as Role Models and Mentors. At minimum however, a core team of Mentors should be drawn from a cadre of seasoned/qualified mentors that have had several years setting up, running and managing similar programs.  

The choice of mentors is extremely important if the program is to achieve its stated objectives. Clearly, mentorship is about being able to relate to the mentee, and having the mentee relate to his mentor. While every effort should be made to have men of color act as mentors to young boys/men of color, be open to the fact that this "ideal match" may not always be possible. In some cases, well respected figures (Community Leaders, Sports Figures, and Celebrities) can also mentor across racial groups.

As indicated earlier, the mentorship building blocks discussed encompass some really lofty goals and ideals. And to accomplish them will take a lot of resources - including time, effort, funding, and opportunities.  No single school board, community or educational institution can provide those resources by themselves. The only way to achieve success is through public/private partnerships. The Presidential Task Force recognized this, and has called for strong cooperation between a cross section of society - including government, business, non-profit, philanthropic, faith and community partners - to pitch in to ensure success.

Making a start

Schools can make modest beginnings to their mentorship programs by initially focusing on mentoring young at-risk boys of color on a small scale. Small groups of boys could be put under mentorship of a popular teacher or a well-liked coach, who can act as role models for the boys.

Reaching out to community and industry leaders, to visit the school occasionally to speak with students and socialize with them, could also be a good start.

Businesses and other institutions (government agencies, not-for-profit groups) could be approached to provide any assistance they can (after school events, uniforms and equipment, transportation etc) offer to achieve program goals.

Schools can also reach out to and work with existing mentorship programs, including:

100 Black Men of America, Inc

The Black Star Project

The Steve Harvey Mentoring Program for Young Men

to learn from them, and implement best practices that these programs might share.