"P.R.I.D.E. - A sense of one's own proper dignity, value, or self-respect”

1. "P.R.I.D.E. - A sense of one's own proper dignity, value, or self-respect”

2. Presentation Information • Halifax Community College • Factors Affecting African American Males Negotiating Manhood • HCC PRIDE Program • M.O.R.E (Minimizing Obstacles that Reduce Empowerment) • Wellness Program Findings

3. Halifax Community College

4. Factors Affecting African American Males Negotiating Manhood John Head, author of Standing in the Shadows: Understanding and Overcoming Depression in Black men (2004) argues that: True or False? “From time to time African American males (young boys, college age students, etc.) are under pressure to adhere to a concept of masculinity that requires a silence about feelings, a withholding of emotions, an ability to bear burdens alone, and a refusal to appear weak”? True or False? “Adolescent African American male and others are forced to negotiate manhood in less than ideal circumstances”?

5. Factors Affecting African American Males Negotiating Manhood Educational Stressors • Funding-2007 equality index states dollars spent on black students was only 82% of that spent on white students. • School environments may be culturally insensitive to African American boys/men within the educational system. • AA males are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with conduct disorder than white males. Thus, alienation starts in the elementary school. The Secret Epidemic: Exploring the Mental Health Crisis Affecting Adolescent African American Males by Clare Xanthos, Ph.D.

6. Factors Affecting African American Males Negotiating Manhood Family Stressors • Dysfunctional families • Exposure to racism and poverty • Parents exposing their stressors on their children (i.e., irritability, authoritarian, & rejecting) • Absence of a male role may put adolescents at risk for psychological distress • AA boys often turn to their peers to form their male identity which often diminishes chances of success in education and employment The Secret Epidemic: Exploring the Mental Health Crisis Affecting Adolescent African American Males by Clare Xanthos, Ph.D.

7. Factors Affecting African American Males Negotiating Manhood • Financial Barriers a. Nearly 25% of African American males are uninsured as compared to 16% of the US population • Access to mental and other health services a. Fragmented mental health services leave these men with a confusing maze to get treatment • Lack of cultural competency • Living in deprived neighborhoods The Secret Epidemic: Exploring the Mental Health Crisis Affecting Adolescent African American Males by Clare Xanthos, Ph.D.

8. Our Men Are Not Broken! But Many Systems are: Education Community Resources Judicial Systems Criminal Justice Systems Mental Health Political

9. P.R.I.D.E. Program (PReparing men for Intellectual, acaDemic, & Educational success) • College success, leadership, & professional development program designed to enhance student satisfaction, retention, graduation, and 4-year college transfer rates.  • Partnerships between students, learning coaches (success coaches trained in mentoring, counseling, developmental advising, career exploration, financial planning, etc.), faculty, staff, professional mentors, and the community.

10. P.R.I.D.E. Offers M.O.R.E. _____________________ Minimizing Obstacles That Reduce Empowerment Release Any Pressures (RAP) Sessions

11. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

12. Traditional Models

13. Personal and Environmental stressors

14. P.R.I.D.E. Offers M.O.R.E. _____________________ Minimizing Obstacles That Reduce Empowerment Release Any Pressures (RAP) Sessions

15. What’s On “YOUR” mind? PRIDE R.A.P. Sessions Release Any Pressures MEN discussing Men Issues

16. Goals of the R.A.P. Sessions (Release Any Pressures) • Focus on common struggles men experience daily • Safe confidential setting to be heard, understood, • Give voice to their struggles • Release & move past stressors • How to live life with more clarity, focus, and determination STILL, SOME MEN NEEDED MORE!

17. Wellness, Life Skills & Values Clarification

18. Goals of the M.O.R.E. Project (Minimizing Obstacles that Reduce Empowerment) • Deeper-rooted personal concerns • Enhance wellness, values clarification & life skills • Safe, confidential setting to be heard/understood • Move past personal challenges to a life with more clarity, self-direction, and personal focus • Focus on awareness stages leading to behavior change • Conscientious, goal-oriented, disciplined, and self-directed approach to succeeding in college and life

19. Wellness Coaches • Dr. Bruce Bridges (the Know Bookstore, & Professor @ NC State/NCCU African American male education, social development, history, survival and wellness • Wes Johnson – Wellness Coach • Marcus Lewis PRIDE Learning Coach • Michael Earl – PRIDE Learning Coach - Social Work Therapy, Therapeutic Group experience, HS Principal • Single point of contact • Hi touch services • Trained in all campus and many community resources • Access to academic & student support resources

20. Wellness Coaching • Research links low minority male performance to un-wellness (deep rooted, emotional, social, and environmental stressors) • Address stressors that serve as precursors to low academic performance, high dropout, and declining retention and graduation rates • A teaching or training process where individuals learn to achieve personal or professional goals • Offers advice and guidance through a learning process The Secret Epidemic: Exploring the Mental Health Crisis Affecting Adolescent African American Males by Clare Xanthos, Ph.D.

21. P.R.I.D.E. Offers M.O.R.E. _____________________ Minimizing Obstacles That Reduce Empowerment Release Any Pressures (RAP) Sessions

22. Project Implementation • Bi-weekly group sessions lasting 2 hours each • Personal appointments for one-on-one interactions • Administered for six weeks • Began with PRIDE Credo & confidentiality vow • Ended with joining hands & spiritual statements • Circular classroom setting • Passive and aggressive discussions • Maintained office hours for one on one talks & assessment reviews/discussions • Evaluation • Refreshments • Ended with awards and recognition ceremony

23. Assessment Tools Personal Problem Solving Inventory • Effective self-management • Evaluates ways individuals deal with personal problems and life stresses • Identifies practices which shift or avoid responsibility for problem solving • Identifies predominant approaches to problem solving, • Tracks degree to which you use thoughts/behaviors to deal with problems • Includes a “Tool Kit” with self management strategies. Brain Injury Resource Center, 1998. WWW. brain@headinjury.com

24. Assessment Tools Internal Locus of Control • Degree to which individuals perceive outcomes result from their own behaviors, or forces that are external to themselves. • Produces a continuum with external control at one end and internal control at the other. Measures of Locus of Control, Julian Rotter (1966).

25. Wellness Sessions Session topics based on inventory outcomes & needs assessment: • Perils of a lack of knowledge • What is knowledge • Self Awareness • Formula for success • The journey from male to man • Recognizing and erasing negative self images • The law of reciprocity • Establishing and Reshaping Your character • Self analysis and Reflection

26. PROGRAM FINDINGS Problem Solving Inventory • 38% needed practice with self management and self-advocacy even though they did apply critical thinking skills to problem solving • 61% showed deficits in the area of essential skills needed before moving along to self-management • More than 50% would let someone else to handle their problems • 38% revealed they would talk to someone who could do something concrete about the issue (indicate a deficit of knowledge and self-advocacy), both were addressed in the counseling sessions Aggregate: • Completed 77% of semester hours attempted • Average GPA was 2.46

27. PROGRAM FINDINGS 1. Improved body language from (closed to open) 2. Developed self-confidence exemplified by increased willingness to express and share personal information 3. Group became more harmonious as members improved their verbal and non-verbal communication skills 4. Student's scores showed need for resolution of locus of control conflicting beliefs: • 53% believed job success is a matter of luck not hard work • 85% discredit planning ahead because they believe luck usually prevails These cognitive distortions and pessimistic explanatory style, impedes the student's chances of reaching their goals (Bridges, 2011)

28. Participant Self Evaluation(general) Participants reported: • Feeling more confident, self-assured, resourceful, handling personal challenges and achieving academic goals. • They also reported a higher likelihood of joining clubs, organizations, interacting with faculty/staff, and earning a degree. • They needed more time to work through personal challenges 82% believed the wellness coaches achieved all five goals evaluated in the RAP session

29. Coping strategies Identify appropriate coping strategies needed to overcome daily challenges. With wellness counseling being one of the most critical unmet needs of African American Male college students; Wellness "Coach Wes" counseled on 'the inability to fully attain your goals stem from not having the information or knowledge to do so.

30. PROGRAM STRENGTHS 1. Participants varied in age, life experiences 2. HCC staff cooperation and current facilitators 3. Therapeutic environment 4. Opportunity to develop and utilize skills to combat social, personal and environmental stressors 5. Opportunity for mentoring by older participants to younger ones (Bridges, 2011)

31. PROGRAM STRENGTHS 6. Outline of topics to be worked through based on inventory outcomes and existing needs 7. Opportunity to engage in therapeutic techniques of role play and shared experiences 8. Maintenance of continuous contact through social media 9. Reinforcement of academic, social and environmental self management skills as tools leading to success in the work place, at school, and in personal relationships 10. Opportunity to demonstrate and imitate positive group communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal (Bridges, 2011)

32. The M.O.R.E.wellness program annual awards and recognition ceremony. The program helps men evaluate and overcome personal, academic, social and environmental stressors that inhibit accomplishment.

33. PRIDE College, HS, & GED Induction

34. PRIDE Recognition & Certificates

35. P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. Induction

36. P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. Officer Swearing

37. P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. Induction

38. P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. Induction

39. P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. Induction

40. P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. Induction

41. P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. Induction

42. Contact Us Halifax Community College 200 College Drive | P.O. Drawer 809 Weldon, NC 27890 Phone: (252) 536-HCC1 Fax: (252) 536-4144 • http://www.halifaxcc.edu/ PRIDE of Halifax Community College • http://halifaxcc.edu/flinew/

43. Q&A Dr. Ervin V. Griffin, Sr. & Daniel J. Lovett thank you for attending this session on behalf of Halifax Community College…

44. P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. GraduatesIt’s Not how you start… Its How You Finish!

45. "P.R.I.D.E. - A sense of one's own proper dignity, value, or self-respect”