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What is Critical Mass Youth Development |
The Critical Mass Concept:
 Built on Connection
The Idea of Critical Mass is to create a group that can influence the culture of youth in our community with an alternative option to gang activity and street life. The entire strategy is based on relationships and collaboration.
By working together we are able to maximize our efforts and effectiveness, With each partner doing what they do best, the kids access to the resources they need to develop into leaders and bring transformation to the community.
Once there is a Critical Mass of young people making positive choices they can drive the transformation with the help of trusted adults who have invested themselves in the lives of the young people. It is all about gravity, creating a force that can change the course of a young persons life.
Holistic Youth Development
It is all about relationships that bring Transformation
The need:
After 30 years of outreach and service, Lighthouse realized that we were not bringing transformation to the lives of the young people in our community. So we set out to learn what our community thought these young people needed.
What we learned:
Young people are not in need of more programs. They are tired of changing programs that come and go and many that they feel are not worth the effort. What they wanted was to feel connected to something or someone. The lack of stable and positive relationships has created a vacuum of positive influences that has been replaced by many negative forces of the street that keep pressing in on our young people. Beyond the relationships, there are five building blocks that make up the core strategy.
The Five Foundational Focuses.
Basic Needs:
In a community that is stretched by the effects of poverty many young people don’t know stability at home, in school, or among their friends. Often times basic items like food, clothing, shelter, and safety are insecure at best. In order for a young person to thrive they need to know that these basic needs are going to be met, imagine trying to focus in school if you have not eaten, and don’t know when you will.
Education:
Cleveland students are projected to graduate at 36% district wide. With a challenging learning environment young people often fall behind with little hope of recovery. Without a solid education, young people get caught in an undertoe of poverty, education is a key.
Social Behaviors:
One of the great tragedies of poverty, is that you are cut off from the world. Isolation keeps young people from seeing the world outside of their own. Without these experiences they are left with only the reality they see day to day. Addressing social roles and expectations will equip young people with the tools they need to interact in various settings.
Economics:
Understanding what is expected in the workplace and how to live within your means is a critical step to seeing young people stand on their own. They must have the tools to manage their own destiny by understanding the value of a dollar and the need for a strong work ethic.
Spiritual Formation:
Living life with a moral compass and a concept of absolute truth begins by answering the questions, who am I, where do I come from, what am I here for, and where am I going. Once a young person answers these questions, they can begin to plot the course of what they want from life and how to get there.
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Holistically restored community with indigenous leadership fully engaged in the process of transformation. Central is the neighborhood where we all want to raise our family.
Equip and empower the kids of Central with the resources and opportunities to reach their potential.
In 1982 a little eight-year old boy named Alexander asked Pastor Phil a difficult question...