The “Take Back Our Children” Fellowship For Change
Program Description:
One of the core goals of CLBF’s mission and vision is to ensure that we take back as many of our youths and families who are impacted by gun violence as possible, by providing them with the resources and support they need to reclaim their futures. The Fellowship For Change (FFC) aims to provide community involvement and leadership opportunities for youths between the ages of 15 and 24 over the course of a school year (September to June). Each youth who successfully completes the 10-month Fellowship will receive a Certificate of Completion and a $500 stipend.
Up to 20 youths will be screened and interviewed by a panel of professionals and CLBF Board members. Once chosen, they will spend the school year participating in community outreach and volunteering activities in local schools, businesses, churches, and community centers. They will also be able to attend a number of personal development training sessions led by FFC alumni on topics such as:
Team Building
How to Be Empowered to Use Your Own Voice
How to Believe in Yourself
Anger Management
Leadership in Action
Communication and Active Listening
How to Be a Global Citizen-Caring for Your Community
Being a Positive influence in Your Community
Service Learning
Conflict Resolution
In addition, the Fellows For Change will have the opportunity to take group trips to visit famous historical and cultural sites like the New York State Capitol building in Albany, the National Museum of African American History in Washington D.C., and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, among many others. Fellows will also have the chance to visit local politicians’ offices, where they will discuss issues important to today’s youth, and Workforce 1 offices where they will learn about job openings and how to apply for jobs.
The Fellowship For Change aims to teach youths the importance of working on a team, which includes being positive members of their family units, immediate communities, and being Global Citizens. Each youth will be given the tools to explore the strength of their own voice and feel empowered to express themselves in a productive and impactful way. They will develop a strong sense of self and self-esteem, which is essential to developing a healthy belief in themselves and their ability to accomplish their hopes and dreams.They will also learn healthy ways of coping with stress and conflict, including learning to de-escalate conflict among their peers. As the FFC follows a “Train the Trainer” model, each youth who completes the Fellowship will also be invited back to become a trainer for the next year’s Fellowship activities.
THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY, WE’VE PARTNERED WITH A VARIETY OF SCHOOLS INCLUDING:
Academy of Urban Planning Brooklyn
Albert E. Morris/Morris Educational Campus Bronx
Eagle Academy Brooklyn
Northside Chartered HS Brooklyn
IMLCS (Imagine ME Leadership Chartered Schools) Brooklyn
Park East HS Manhattan
May Pen Infant Basic School & Rock Ministries Basic School, Jamaica
The Carlton Locksley Bennett Foundation, Inc. Partnership Affecting Change in Teens Program (PACT)
Program Description:
Since March 2009, the Carlton Locksley Bennett Foundation, Inc. (CLBF) has served many of Brooklyn’s adolescents impacted by violence or who reside in areas with high rates of violent crime. In 2011, CLBF formed the PACT mentorship program, which links at-risk students with responsible adults willing to support a student throughout the academic year. The main goal of the PACT Program is to help students strengthen their academic performance and build valuable life skills.
We believe that a mentor is a person who provides support, counseling, friendship, and nurturing by offering not only academic and career guidance, but also effective leadership, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
The PACT Program especially targets students who are at risk of dropping out of school, or who are being prevented from fully engaging in school by a challenging personal situation. Research shows that mentoring relationships can be effective and positive, especially if the relationship is long-lasting and the mentors are nurturing and involved in their students’ lives. Typically, students who are disadvantaged or who may not already have a reliable adult figure in their lives stand to gain the most from mentoring.
How it Works:
Students will complete a profile form and submit it to the CLBF Selection Committee. Once the Committee receives the application packet, the information will be reviewed and if chosen, the student will be matched with a significant adult. Both the student and the adult will be provided with clear guidelines on how to develop a productive and nurturing relationship, and will work together to set specific achievement goals. The mentorship will be assessed on a monthly basis to track the progress of the relationship, the progress of the student, and whether or not the goals agreed upon are being met or need revising. Our intention is to have the program run the length of the school year, until the young person graduates from high school or transitions into a successful situation.
CLBF PACT Program Contact:
Deborah Washington Program Advisor
347-446-9040
Let Us Walk Into Healing: A Guide to Bereavement
Program Description:
Bereavement is something we are all too familiar with and is an unavoidable part of life. Using our experience with grief, the Carlton Locksley Bennett Foundation has put together a program to support those struggling to deal with bereavement.