Building strong youth and establishing a new norm for leaders in the community.
This is…
PROVIDENCE ROAD
“Look at the world around you. It may seem like an immovable, implacable place. It is not. With the slightest push—in just the right place—it can be tipped.”
Trends can move in either direction, good or bad, which means that the supporting elements around a specific trend can result in the widespread restoration or widespread destruction of a community.
One of Providence Road’s primary goals is identifying and capturing the attention of trendsetters because they have the unique ability to initiate cultural shifts in their community in ways that we cannot.
The very act of being involved with Providence Road requires a trendsetters disposition. For our youth, it’s an opportunity to be found strong, but it also goes a long way to mending broken trust in the community.
“Tough is for yourself; strong is for others. Strong wakes you up!”
Setting aside the comfort of what is familiar and stepping into the struggle requires an exceptional effort. This is why Providence Road has made the hard choice not to pursue better performance as our primary objective. We desire to win the hearts of these young men so they can recognize and value strong by establishing a safe environment to practice strength for their community.
One of our youngest trendsetters is Kevin. Kevin is 11 years old and represents Providence Road’s best to his friends and the neighborhood. The day he approached Coach J’s truck and said he wanted to join was memorable.
One of our high school leaders objected to letting Kevin join, saying, “don’t let him in Providence Road; it’s his people who throw all the trash in the street and the lot across the street.”
“He is exactly who we want in Providence Road!” said Coach J’ with a smile.
Coach J’ took note of Kevin and his efforts, knowing this kid was unique, but he had no idea just how Kevin would step into strong.
Kevin has become a Providence Road regular, showing up for every opportunity.
Kevin has made great progress and has begun to respond to life’s struggles by using his words, getting a second opinion, and finding his identity not in being the “tough guy” but as one who takes big steps, steps towards being strong for others. He now represents way beyond his years and, out of respect for Kevin’s efforts, there is far ‘less’ trash being left in the street by family members.
“He (Kevin) is the example of small choices adding up to huge and inviting others to join him.”
During the ice storms in February, Kevin had his worst service day in months. Instead of being number one (and pulling others along), cold hands got the best of Kevin, and he struggled to pull his weight.
Young “D,” on the other hand, who often fluctuates in his consistency, brought his “A” game in the struggle during the service project and had one of his best service projects ever!
Providence Road starts with service. We want our young guys to realize that they can receive far more from their community than they can ever take.
So when our guys show up and serve well, we reinforce this core concept by rewarding them with a “seat in the truck” and opportunities to earn an allowance, but you have to be in the top five of the group that week.
Being in the top five opens the door to all the other opportunities we offer throughout the week, and each week is a new chance to represent well. This ensures that the guys who are leading are truly demonstrating strength, not just ‘loud’ toughness, which is the type of behavior the street rewards and what serves as the primary social currency in the neighborhoods.
Following the service projects, we hold a meeting with the guys to celebrate their efforts with pizza and practice stepping into the structure of meetings.
During the meeting that night, something happened that has never happened in Providence Road before. Kevin, with no prompting, turned to Young D, and affirmed his effort with,
“D, you did your business during the service project; you can have the front seat in the truck.”
It was a remarkable moment for Kevin and the group.
This is the real goal of Providence Road. To unlock each youth’s potential by initiating change in their attitude, mindset, which leads to a change in how they do relationships, serve the community, and their trajectory in life.
Kevin held loosely to the prize he had obtained for great performance and having the best track record. That is a radical shift in character that enables Providence Road guys to be game-changers in their community.
If we are only encouraging acceptable behavior, which has its benefits in society, we as a program could say, “Our guys follow the rules; they are respectful and don’t get into fights.” But we want more for these young men. We want to affirm their strength, their individual voice, and their trendsetter tendencies.
Coach J could have suggested that Kevin give up his seat, but it was Kevin’s idea. He owned it and raised the bar for the entire group establishing a new cultural norm. This is how cultural shifts start. Strong follows strong. Kevin isn’t the toughest or the loudest, but he is often remarkable and leads Providence Road. He’s a “front seat guy” at eleven years old.
As these guys step into remarkable, our community’s future finally has a chance to take the small steps that amount to significant change—tipping the balance toward greatness.
-Jump Team Staff
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Impact in 2021:
Youth Service Hours
1250 Hours
Trash Collected
16.8 Tons
City Costs Saved
$34,006
Youth Meals Provided
466 Meals
