Hope for Manhood
The Hope for Manhood program is specifically designed to address the needs of young men in grades 6-12. Statistically it has never been harder for young inner-city men to reach adulthood. In some cases this is partly due to weakened parental leadership and less exposure to positive role models and environments. In other cases a lack of economic stability may make it difficult for a young man's parents to provide the leadership and guidance needed. Hope for Manhood helps young men achieve a positive outlook on life, expose them to new experiences and give them the strength to take responsibility for their actions.
The Components of Hope for Manhood
Self-Image
Their present perceptions will be exposed as we get the young men to consider who they are and how they see themselves. We work to improve overall self image through activities and discussions with a focus on self acceptance and self confidence.
Self-Worth
We help young men see that their lives have purpose and that they are important to people in their lives as well as to the society at large. When young men see that they are worthy and important, they are more apt to respect themselves and others.
Dealing with Feelings
It is a common misconception that real men are not allowed to express emotion. Hope for Manhood addresses the need for positive outlets for all emotions ranging from fear and anger to joy and love.
Boundaries
We want to help the young men who participate in Hope for Manhood to understand the importance of having healthy boundaries and respect for the personal space and property of others.
Dealing with Addiction
We want to raise awareness and knowledge of addictions of all types. Some of our young men may have firsthand experience with addiction either through their home life or they may be prone to addiction themselves. We will approach the subject of addiction with a focus on prevention and recovery.
Identity
Our overall goal through all of the above mention components is to help the young men in the Hope for Manhood program discover themselves and respect who they are in addition to respecting the rights and ideas of others. With a strong sense of identity, a young man has the tools he needs to develop into a strong and healthy adult and achieve unlimited success.
