This, ancient, delve into what worked in US inner cities always sticks in my mind. What I seem to recall as the central insight is, that young people, for whom the prognosis was either death or jail by the age of 18, survived by having what she calls a 'Wizard' in their lives. Pre Harry Potter, what she means is an adult with a real cogent sense of purpose and authority; regardless of their particular 'specialism', basket ball, Scouts, dance, whatever.
This also reminds me of that book 'Performance in the Place of War' which refers to a project I worked with in Sri Lanka during the war, the Butterfly Peace Garden. This idea of 'wizard' is very relevant in that instance. Father Paul Satkunanayagam was such a man.
Yes I remember reading that. For all our study into what *doesn't* work we fail to look at what does. It is that personal attention though. Family in the absence of family? That dedicated individual who is going to be interested and vested. One of 'my boys' contacted me via the magic of facebook several years ago. I was delighted he was alive. He was rare with two parents and a father who was fierce keeping him on the right path and out of gang life. A boxer. The boy (now man) messaged to say how much he enjoyed the sessions and it had stayed in his mind so much he found me. He is a tradesman now. I cared deeply for those kids. It hurts me to see so much devastation. And bad political choices.
This, ancient, delve into what worked in US inner cities always sticks in my mind. What I seem to recall as the central insight is, that young people, for whom the prognosis was either death or jail by the age of 18, survived by having what she calls a 'Wizard' in their lives. Pre Harry Potter, what she means is an adult with a real cogent sense of purpose and authority; regardless of their particular 'specialism', basket ball, Scouts, dance, whatever.
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED371056
This also reminds me of that book 'Performance in the Place of War' which refers to a project I worked with in Sri Lanka during the war, the Butterfly Peace Garden. This idea of 'wizard' is very relevant in that instance. Father Paul Satkunanayagam was such a man.
Yes I remember reading that. For all our study into what *doesn't* work we fail to look at what does. It is that personal attention though. Family in the absence of family? That dedicated individual who is going to be interested and vested. One of 'my boys' contacted me via the magic of facebook several years ago. I was delighted he was alive. He was rare with two parents and a father who was fierce keeping him on the right path and out of gang life. A boxer. The boy (now man) messaged to say how much he enjoyed the sessions and it had stayed in his mind so much he found me. He is a tradesman now. I cared deeply for those kids. It hurts me to see so much devastation. And bad political choices.