What did the Hopeworks staff do after the group relations conference in California?  Go to the beach?  Surf?  Hit Rodeo Drive for major shopping?  Soak up some sun?  None of the above.  Sean, Tarren, Steve and Patrick headed to Los Angeles to visit Homeboy Industries and then to Long Beach to connect with the YMCA’s Youth Institute.  Both of these youth development programs provided the staff members with valuable insight and new and innovative ideas for working with our youth.

Homeboy Industries employs gang member recently released from prison and provides them with opportunities to work in their six businesses, learning new skills and establishing a reputable work history.  Beyond that, they offer case management, a life skills curriculum, employment counselors, legal services, mental health counselors and tattoo removal services.  While there, our staff experienced a tremendous energy that comes from those pursuing new lives.  Unfortunately, so often, former gang members and those formerly incarcerated find more barriers than opportunities; Homeboy Industries is on the forefront of combating this trend.

A youth’s involvement with the Long Beach YMCA’s Youth Institute mainly begins in their intensive summer program during their freshmen or sophomore year of high school, during which the youth engage an outdoor leadership survival experience, make a movie, and design and create a magazine that addresses issues pertinent to youth.  The highest expectations of quality and good work are set by the program’s staff and the youth are held to creating the best product possible.  These rigorous standards push youth to excellence.  Youth, then, become alumni of the program and throughout the year have opportunities to do technology training for educators and present their work at conferences, while receiving academic support and having access to high-end technology and computer equipment.

Each of these site visits allowed us to reflect on the work we do here in Camden and validated our work with building youth leaders and youth in business.  We are very proud of our program and glad to see that we are part of a progressive movement to expand the opportunities available to underserved populations.