COMPASS, Passport to Change

Teenage- Dream

2011-07-11T18:58:00.001-07:00

According to Superintended Trevor Greene, there are a number of ways to describe 17 year-old Gabby Rodriguez, and her "fake it" social experiment. With the approval of both the superintendent and school principal, and the support of her mother, Gabby posed as an expecting mother for six straight months. She pretended to be pregnant to experience "what it would be like", and how she would be treated. The results were not at all pleasant. Like many pregnant teens, she dealt with the alienation that came with being young and pregnant; surfacing rumors, gossip and mal-judgments about both her identity and character.

But Gabby wanted to understand stereotypes and how they affect young women of her generation. It was pure research. After six months of carrying a fake belly, it was time to fill in the entire student body. At a school assembly, she confronted everything and everyone, revealing that "for months some students left her feeling alone and ashamed".

According to Gaby, everybody was shocked. Speechless-to say the least. They cried. They reflected.

I ,for one, cannot imagine how a 17 year old would come up with such a bold idea for an experiment. Not to mention the "cajones" she had to withstand 6 months of feeling alone and misjudged. Have you ever had the "cajones" to deal with something similar to Gabby? Or are you honest enough to admit that you were part of the lynching mob that alienated Gaby for her "indiscretion"? And what is it about teenage pregnancy that pushes people to point fingers instead of lending a hand?

When working with any at-risk populations, similar questions arise. Outside our 9-5 world, there are people with real problems who need real options and solutions. Without them, all they know is how to get by.

Restorative Justice

2011-06-20T22:03:00.000-07:00

Lately Forward Step has begun working with those promoting Restorative Justice. In short, Restorative Justice is a program in which both the perpetrator(s) and the victim(s) of a crime can meet and reconcile within an agreement that mutually heals both sides. The idea nudges me to consider the views of the public on NFL player, Michael Vick, who committed a crime and recently finished serving his time in prison. For those of you who need a refresher of this individual’s previous notoriety, he is the former quarterback of the Atlantic Falcons, who was later convicted of felony charges because of his involvement with a dog- fighting operation. Since then, Mr. Vick has completed his sentence for his crime and reinstated in the NFL as a quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Now that Vick has moved on with his life, I have found differing views and opinions amongst my friends, acquaintances and in the media about how he should be treated. Friends of mine that own four dogs and champion animal rights expressed that they don’t care what sentence he served or reparations he has made (for example, he has set up a fund for care of the dogs injured in the fighting ring). They still think he is an awful human being and always will be, and do not see fit to forgive his actions or his person. However, I have found that the media and many of my other friends have forgiven Vick’s crime, and are even impressed by how he has handled himself post-prison. I myself am of this latter opinion.

Considering Vick’s actions since being released and how people have differing opinions on the issue, I needed to take a moment to meditate on how so many convicted criminals are brought back into society (Mind, I am not talking about capital crimes or crimes of violence). For one thing, if we believe that men and women who have served their time to society cannot become productive and useful citizens, we are concluding that indefinite punishment is the answer. The study of Restorative Justice, however, demonstrates how this stance creates not only social problems but also financial drains in our country.

Vick is an NFL star, and unlike him, many come back from prison without the support system he had that can get them on track to being a productive citizen. Therefore, the ones who do want to get back on track need help from programs like Forward Step’s COMPASS, as well as employment and medical services.

As I learn more about Restorative Justice and its implications and promises for society as a whole, I will make sure to update this blog!

- Holly White

Children’s Minds

2011-03-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

What Schools Don’t Understand About Children’s Minds:

I have a graduate degree, I am well out of school, and I feel like I just grew up over the last few years. I’m not a PHD mind researcher or psychologist but talk about when our minds fully mature rings true for me. When I look back at things I’ve done in the past, I have tons of experiences that I can point to and exclaim, “What was I thinking?”

It is interesting to me whenever I read about the history of children and the development of the concept that they are not little adults but are in an entirely separate developmental state. Depending on the culture and region of the world toys were more or less prevalent. Also, depending on the region of the world, rights of passage where you become an adult vary in terms of the age when they are performed.

As a former Anthropology major in school, it always excited me to look at an accepted cultural norm and then say to myself, what if that is not true and we have it wrong. Well I don’t know if I have enough answers to say that we have anything wrong but I’m pretty sure that I can say there is so much we don’t know and are learning always that how could we possibly say we have anything 100% right.

The implications of this inquiry are profound and if I were a PHD and not a common administrative business professional, I’d love to research them. How we incentive, how we teach, how we punish, when we allow children to be prosecuted as adults, when we allow our citizens to join the army, to vote, how we treat each other, sexual consent laws, alcohol consumption, etc. etc. etc. What if we have it wrong or at least partially wrong . . . ?

I’d love it if we experimented with a few different life stages and ways of guiding our youth to act appropriate to their stage in life and understand the challenges that are confronting them. I’ll leave it up to the geniuses of our society to determine what that would be but what about infant, child, adolesant, teenager, big kid, bigger kid, almost adult, adult in training, etc. I don’t know what I’m saying . . . its Sunday, its kind of nice outside and I wanted to think about possibility and new ways of looking at the world. New ways of looking at each other . . .

These are a few cool blogs that I found on the subject:

http://mindhacks.com/

http://scienceblogs.com/neurophilosophy/

http://www.spring.org.uk/

Precious

2011-03-04T16:38:00.000-08:00

It was Saturday night. I had been contemplating for the past hour of whether or not I should stay in for the night or if I should go out to my friend's party. My thoughts were suddenly disrupted when I saw my older cousin peering at me through the doorway of my bedroom. I was surprised by her visit because I rarely saw her since she works all week. At that moment, I decided to stay in for the night and spend some quality time with my cousin.

We decided to eat a left over box of pizza from the day before as our dinner and watch a DVD from my collection. I had a good number of movies sitting at the end of my book shelf, untouched from my Black Friday DVD shopping splurge at Target and Best Buy. Amongst the group of unopened movies, my cousin chose for us to watch the movie, "Precious." One of the actresses in the film had won an Academy Award for “Best Actress,” so we assumed it had to be a great film.

In a nutshell, the movie depicted a young, 16-year old at-risk high school student, Clarice Precious Jones, who had gotten kicked out of high school for being impregnated for the second time by her own father. She lived in poor, run-down neighborhood in the state of New York, with her psychotic, verbally and physically abusive mother. Precious lived life at home as practically a servant - cooking, cleaning, and living through the everyday physical abuse from her mother. Due to her situation of being pregnant again and seeming troubled, her principal had her removed from high school and placed in an alternative education program, "Each One Teach One.” She told Precious that the program would better suite her and other students with similar backgrounds rather than public school, because it would provide them with the extra help, attention, and care they needed to excel in school.

Surprisingly, throughout the film, I found that no matter how abused and talked down Precious was by her own mother, she secretly always had a positive outlook towards life. Her mother did not support the idea of her getting an education because she believed Precious was too stupid to learn. Instead, her mother wanted Precious to live off of welfare, just like she did, since she was going to have a second child. But Precious did not like the idea of being idle and lazy, like her mother, and living off welfare. She liked going to school and learning.

In one scene of the film, Precious told herself, "Someday I'm going to break through...or someone is going to break through to me." This thought reflected Precious's positivity and faith in herself that there were going to be better things for her in life than what she was currently living through. She just didn't have the right outlet. What more, she was also very prideful, which caused her to be resistant to the help of others, such as her teachers and principal. Why? Mainly her reasons were because she feared her mother, and that she was ashamed of her life and was uncomfortable telling others about it. Thankfully, it was only when her principal sent her to the alternative education program, Precious realized that it was the best thing that ever happened to her.

The education program Precious was placed in, not only was directed in preparing at-risks students for their GEDS, but teaching them important skills needed to help them break away from their unhealthy lifestyles. During her first few days in class, Precious was not as open to participating in class discussions compared to her fellow schoolmates. However, after some time, she eventually learned to feel comfortable to open up in class about her troubled life. She came to realize that her teacher and classmates became like a second family to her because they shared their utmost personal things to each other. Every day in class, Precious and the other students were required to journal about their thoughts for the day. Journaling helped Precious come face to face with the problems she was dealing with in her own life, which gave her the further strength and motivation to want to break away from the destructive life she was living with her mother. Journaling became her outlet to see things clearly about what she needed to change.

Towards the end of the film, Precious reported to welfare of the abuse she’s been experiencing at home for a long time, so they stopped funding her mother. She was also able to finally leave her mother with the
help of her teacher from her program, so she can start living a much healthier life for her sake and for her young daughter and newborn son. She was later awarded a literacy award from the mayor for her stupendous progress at her program and was also given a check to help her and her children survive financially.

I would have to say, watching this film really touched me because it opened my eyes to a part of reality I was blind to. Even though it was just a movie, it is a reflection of reality today. What I mean by this is that, for me being able to live such a cushy life, it has led me to easily forget about those at-risk, like Precious. Since I've been around friends and family, all who loved and supported me throughout my entire life, I forgot that the “ghetto” even existed because I wasn't raised in an environment where I saw troubled individuals everyday. I had forgotten about those who aren’t able to live a comfortable and somewhat easy life like me. There are actually youths out there who live like Precious, whether we see or hear about them or not. Those abused physically, sexually, and verbally and those who are involved with gang and drugs – this is their everyday life. When you are happy, you can be easily blind to everything else that doesn't affect you directly.

As I watched this film, I couldn't help but feel thankful for the alternative education programs offered out there to help at-risk individuals. This film immediately reminded me of my internship, which I had been volunteering at for about a year now – Forward Step. It serves similar to the same purpose as Each One Teach One in the movie Precious, except it serves at-risk adults as well. Forward Step is aimed at teaching the highest at-risk adults and students the necessary soft skills needed to overcome their dysfunctional and unhealthy behaviors to lead better lives; that being for students - to excel in school; and for adults - to help them gain and keep employment. I feel thankful for being able to volunteer in an organization like Forward Step because it feels inspiring and extremely fulfilling to be part of something that serves the community for the better.

Before volunteering at Forward Step, I never really brought myself to think and realize that this whole other part of reality filled with at-risk individuals existed. I live in a world where people I know live pretty normal lives, but really, just on the other part of my town, even a couple of blocks away, there are people living at-risk.

I’ve always believed that organizations and youth programs, like Forward Step, really put faith back into people's lives; making them aware that there are still good people out there and that there is still hope for a better tomorrow, regardless of where they come from. There are still people who care for others and for the success of our future generations…because who are we kidding? We all live in the same world and are all affected in the same way.

If there wasn't anyone with the will and heart to do something for our at-risk individuals, what will become of each and every one of them? Will they just stay lost and troubled forever? Individuals like Precious, who want a change, but can't find the proper outlet, would just be trapped in their destructive lifestyle for good.

I believe that for anyone living in these types of situations or lifestyle, deserve a second chance to live better, especially those who just happen to be born into a troubled background because of the lifestyle their parents raised them into. In Precious' case, her children would have been considered another generation of at-risk youths, if Precious never left home or received the help and support she needed from her program.

People living at-risk just need to have someone there to help them; to give them that boost to take that first crucial and life-changing step towards a better future.

-Genevieve Palo-Dy

Millenials: Two Sides

2011-02-27T10:58:00.000-08:00

According to Melissa S. Bristow, a contributor to Yahoo Finance, my fellow 77 million millennials and I, will be the backbone behind a promising job market in decades to come. She adds that already a large percentage of my generation is making its way to the workforce, and making its presence felt in other venues such as political elections, military service and even the global market (just ask the creator and founder of FACEBOOK- Mark Zuckerberg). In fact, she credits the advances of technology, our diverse population, and shift in both values and attitudes as the reasons for her auspicious views of the future.

On the other hand, she also contends that my generation lacks in personal relationships and personal development. Thanks to technology, the media, and perhaps our parents, manners and civility are a thing of the past. So when it comes to the workplace she claims “young workers nowadays are clueless about traditional workplace etiquette (e.g. texting, Facebook, personal calls, hygiene, dress code, and being on time), and as a result may require a lesson in communicating clearly and appropriately with customers, colleagues and bosses.”

If only there was an organization that could help in that area? One that has a program specializing in personal development and social competencies which could benefit a whole generation of “Wuz up’s” and the “Like…”, one that has experience in getting you ready not only for the job interview but the work environment.

Observing the interactions and outcomes at Pacific Gateway, I couldn’t help but think that my generation could use a heavy doze of Forward Step, and the Compass program. Maybe this world, or at least the workplace, would be a better experience for all of us?

Anger Management 101

2011-01-04T17:20:00.000-08:00

Is it me or was 2010 the year of anger? I noticed it from my daily commute to and from work to the moment I turned on the television and saw it on the news. It seemed people were out of control and overwhelmed with the tough times of 2010.

So when Bibi asked me to look into free or low cost anger management classes, I couldn't help but to think of the state of the country in 2010. Specifically, the rise of animosity and the fall of civility. I mean, whatever happened to “Good Morning”, “Please” and “Thank You”,or "lets agree to disagree"?

Incidentally, I came across a piece from the Los Angeles Times, written by Valerie Ulene, addressing the clinical questions of anger and anger management, and whether or not anger could be diagnosed and treated as an illness.

According to Ms. Ulene, what is most important in dealing/coping with anger and anger management issues is distinguishing anger that is healthy from anger that is not. Depending on the circumstances, it is healthy for angry feelings to either resolve relatively quickly or go on for days, weeks, months, and even years. However, if that anger starts taking over your life in a negative light then it can be unhealthy. For example, if anger starts to interfere with your job or your relationships with other people, or if it starts to affect your health, then it is time to seek treatment. But it is only when people do acknowledge the problem that treatment is possible. And of course, that is not always easy.

I, for one, am guilty of the occasional (perhaps frequent) honk on the road. Of course, I honk when people do not use their signal lights or follow the basic rules of the road. It’s a HUGE PET PEEVE of mine. But I do it to CAUTION other drivers who are not paying attention and who are putting my life on the line because A) a car is a weapon and B) driving is a privilege not a right. But for me, this irritation goes away by the end of the day. But if you’re not like me and you find yourself still dwelling after more than one day on some issue that has triggered your anger, then perhaps it is time to ask yourself, “Do I need help?”

AB 12 & Foster Youth

2010-10-11T16:18:00.000-07:00

Bibi (Executive Director of Forward Step) sent me an article she heard on KPCC public radio: “The power of 3 extra years: AB12 to the rescue of California’s foster youth”. According to the article, “foster kids at 18 are more likely to be homeless, incarcerated, or addicted to drugs than the average teen.” So AB12, the California Fostering Connections Success Act, is an amended bill revised to address those concerns. It will allow foster youth to be eligible for extended benefits until the age of 21 as long as they continue their education or job training and work at least part time.

Now that sounds great and a wonderful opportunity for those foster youth who are pushing themselves along that path, but what about those who are not complying by those conditions? What makes them “ineligible” of our help if the system has already failed them? If it is true foster kids are more likely to be homeless, incarcerated or addicted to drugs than other teens, then what more or other can the foster care system do to minimize those chances before they reach 18? Foster kids should be well equipped for the real world once they have reached the legal age. Like a parent, we, as a collective, have a social responsibility to make sure we have given these kids the same tools and opportunities that all kids should be entitled to. In the end, it will cost us more if we do not do our best. Every parent, teacher, and social worker out there knows the “good kids” are not the only ones that need our time, care, and attention; we must also nurture the kids that might be rough around the edges.

So yes, AB12 is a victory for the foster care youth. But what else can we do? What else could our foster care system pay attention to? Any ideas?

DREARY RAINS and WARM SMILES

2010-04-11T15:38:00.000-07:00

On January 19, 2010, I was granted the opportunity to observe the Compass program in action. This time, the lessons behind COMPASS would be directed for a group of unemployed workers who want a job in the construction industry. They were enrolled in Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network's (http://www.pacificgatewayworkforce.com/)
Construction Apprenticeship Pathways program (http://www.longbeach.gov/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=24180) , the first part of which is the Compass soft skills training. The theme was "Progress and Advancement". Participants made it clear they were ready to be in demand. Thus the presumption that they showed up because they wanted something they currently don't have was on target. But how exactly they would achieve it through COMPASS is a question, I imagine, they asked themselves?

The objection of the three day Compass soft skills workshop, facilitated by Bibi Caspari of Forward Step, is to support the development of cognitive, social, and emotional capabilities for greater success on the job, teaching soft skills as goal setting, communication and conflict resolution. According to a study by Daniel Goldman, emotional competencies are twice as important for professional success as IQ plus technical skills combined. Therefore, intelligence and technical skills are only good enough to qualify for a job, not necessarily enough get it and keep it.

The Best way I can describe the first day of the Network workshop is exactly as my title reads, Dreary Rain and Warm Smiles, because the energy was warm despite the early call (7:30am) and dreary rains of Southern California. I was honestly thrown back by the sincerity of the participants and their determination to be present to participate, pay close attention to Bibi's questions and the dialogue that followed. Nowadays, who is willing to have the energy or the time to share one's thoughts, views, and opinions of personal and work problems? Well, about twenty people from all walks of life took the time and energy to figure out what they can do to not only land a job, but to keep it and progress in it.

The group seemed puzzled but at the same time curious to figure out what in the world they are doing wrong. As it turns out, the outcomes of our problems at home and at work are a direct result of our thoughts, emotions, and behavior or attitude. Our thoughts, emotions, and behavior or attitude will ultimately determine our ability to land a job, face our personal demons, or accomplish goals. This formula makes a lot of sense to me:

Thoughts lead to

Emotions lead to

Behaviors/Attitudes lead to

Outcomes

Don't be fooled by the simple calculation. The three day workshop requires you to dig deep. Each factor is covered by layers of ignorance and denial. To keep an open mind, the group was then encouraged to be honest to make it through the next three days if they wanted results. Only through self-awareness do we have to power and the ability to change. Where there is a feeling of failure, there is a less likely chance that you will take a risk, but not taking a risk is a risk in itself since there are also costs involved with not taking chances.

As a recent college graduate who is figuring out what exactly is the right career for me, and therefore, what is the next step, this is a message that really hits home. In fact, my concerns are no different from those of the group. I, too, am in need of direction, guidance, and a set of skills to assure security. But what I really need is a heavy doze of clarity, and that's exactly what Compass has to offer. By the end of the day, it was clear the group was awestruck by Bibi and so was I. Who would have known that a class focused on soft skills could provide answers for 20 individuals, from all walks of life, including myself?

Welcome to Forward Step's True Compass Blog!

2010-04-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

I, Jane Soto, am here to showcase the innovative work of the Forward Step team through my observations, thoughts, and experiences. At the same time, I want to share the personal stories of folks who are giving themselves the opportunity to change their lives in ways you would not imagine.

Forward Step, a non-profit organization committed to supporting the opportunities and prospects to personal development, devotes its time and effort to create learning environments. Whether by teaching folks to recognize the best in each other as well as in themselves, or by encouraging the full development of each individuals talents, abilities, and genius, I sincerely believe Forward Step will help revolutionize human interaction and in the end, world action.

Founded by Ms. Bibi Caspari in 1997, Forward Step is a direct result of an observation that something needed to change. By studying the limitations of and problems in traditional forms of education and organizations, Ms. Caspari became inspired to create a non-profit organization that could positively affect change by encouraging the development of each individuals potential. Thanks to the Compass program, Forward Step's character development and life skills curriculum program, the organization is set and ready to make personal growth, and human development accessible to all.

"I believe the Key to solving the world's problems is education, a very special kind of education: personal development education. This kind of education needs to be made available to everyone so that we can reach critical mass in personal transformation, and create social change of a kind that will bring us the world peace and prosperity that is possible. If a sufficient number of people became able to think clearly and creatively, become skilled at problem solving, compassionate communication, conflict resolution, collaboration, and other soft skills, many of today's problems would get solved."

Bibi Caspari, Founder

And so, Forward Step moves ahead with the help of dedicated volunteers and the support of the community at large. And,I,too, will move ahead to compose a picture of a different reality we too often dismiss. I can also guarantee that what I have to share is universal and surprisingly relevant to current events.