Youth Development Programs

Print
PDF

E

very youth enrolled in Brotherhood Crusade’s year-round youth development programs is comprehensively assessed academically, socio-behaviorally, and physically prior to enrollment. An individual plan is prepared for all participants that outline their needs in each of these areas. Participants then receive free remedial education, academic assistance, educational enrichment, mental health, and comprehensive health (for them and their families regardless of financial or legal status) services. As a result, program participants have increased their academic proficiency by 132% on average and reduced their incidents of tardiness, truancy, crime, delinquency, and inappropriate behavior. These fee-free programs include GRYD, Mentor and Me, Brother to Brother, SES, and March to 1000.

Brotherhood Crusade’s gang reduction efforts under the Youth Development Program have been so successful that the program was nominated for the National Criminal Justice Association 2009 Outstanding Criminal Justice Program Award by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services California Gang Reduction and Intervention Program (CalGRIP).

GRYD: The Gang Reduction and Youth Development Program targets 10-15 year old youth residing or dwelling in the Southwest (Exposition Park) area of South Los Angeles whose academic proficiency level is three or more grade levels below their current enrollment grade and whose socio-behavioral beliefs are accepting of delinquency. The median academic proficiency of our GRYD program youth is third grade level (n = 108) despite the fact that the majority of our participants are 8th, 9th, and 10th grade students. Moreover, all GRYD program youth exhibit greater than 75% of the risk factors that contribute most to youth joining gangs, engaging in delinquency, or dropping out of school. GRYD program sites include Manual Arts High School, Foshay Learning Center, Menlo Elementary School, the EXPO Center, and the African American Unity Center.

Mentor and Me: Housed at Horace Mann Junior High School, Mentor and Me provides mentorship opportunities to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. Academic, socio-behavioral, and pro-social mentoring are featured.

Read more...

Financial Literacy Programs

Print
PDF

Taking Financial Control Money Management Program: This innovative program teaches 15 - 19 year old youth to save 50% or more of every dollar they earn or obtain and features an Individual Development Account element that allows them to receive a 2 to 1 match on every dollar they save ($1,000 saved is matched with $2,000; bringing their total savings to $3,000.00). As a requisite part of their program, youth must attend financial literacy training and investment club meetings on a monthly basis.

Community Financial Education Program: teaches the basics of personal finance and helps traditionally underserved individuals develop habits and attitudes about money that will influence them for the rest of their lives. In this sense, the program is based on the philosophy that learning about money is as important as earning it—and that effective money management results from a disciplined behavior. Additionally, the program instills positive new attitudes and behaviors into traditionally low-income individuals and puts them on a path to take control of their financial life by getting out of debt, developing their net worth, and accumulating wealth. It also encourages savings, instills prudent money management, introduces investment vehicles, and promotes good work ethics.

Business Enrichment

Print
PDF

Vocational Training and Career-Path Program: A fee-free vocational training program that features basic skills (academic, life, and social), case management, career-specific training, practicum, internships, job placement, and ongoing support services. The program is completely free and available to all low- and moderate income individuals in South Los Angeles. It is designed to provide a career path for unemployed individuals, under-employed adult workers, and individuals seeking a career change to improve their economic condition, stabilize their financial situation, and facilitate their dreams and goals

Business Computer Training Program: conducted in partnership with the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Partnership program, this opportunity serves both to increase access to technology and simultaneously seamlessly transition hard-to-serve populations into good-paying information technology (IT) careers. The latter purpose is an extension of the Vocational Training and Career-Path Program. The IT curriculum involves instruction in hardware and software provided by a certificated, bilingual instructor.

Read more...

Sports

Print
PDF

Brotherhood Crusade Jim Cleamons Books and Basketball Camp:One of the most anticipated weeks of the year, the Books and Basketball Camp features a week of instruction in math and science (California Science Center), financial literacy (Wells Fargo and Washington Mutual), social development, personal development, health and nutrition, and, of course, basketball. Los Angeles Lakers Assistant Coach Jim Cleamons and ABA/NBA legend James Jones are joined by a host of former and current NBA players in bringing this fee-free camp to life. The 2009 camp provided services to youth of varying backgrounds including some sent from the Los Angeles County Probation Department.

Brotherhood Crusade Pasadena Youth Sports League: More than 1,100 youth participate in the Youth Sports League, a unique after school experience that helps youth build self-confidence and self-esteem, develop interpersonal skills, learn the principles and importance of teamwork, learn to appreciate diversity, practice conflict resolution and anger management skills, and grow to be physically fit. Youth are exposed to a variety of sporting events and physical activities; giving them an opportunity to discover and build upon their interests while developing healthy behaviors and skills of agility that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

Soccer for Success: An after-school program for youths 5-18 offers soccer instruction with an emphasis on social skills, health and nutrition education, and mentoring. The program aims at engaging children in a minimum of 200 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week. There are no eligibility restrictions or fee; Soccer for Success has a no-cut policy and is inclusive of high‐risk youth and those with mild disabilities. All equipment needed to play, along with nutritional snacks, is provided.

Community Events

Print
PDF

Annual Back to School Event and Health Festival: Each year Brotherhood Crusade anticipates serving more than 10,000 youth; providing them with dental screening and care products (Colgate-Palmolive), free haircuts, health and nutrition education, health screenings, resource and referral services, and school supplies (Avery-Denison and Wal-Mart).

Friends Serving Friends Homeless Feed and Health Festival: Each year, Brotherhood Crusade serves more than 4,500 children and adults at the homeless feed. More importantly, upwards to 1000 homeless individuals were screened for possible health ailments that otherwise would not have had an opportunity to be screened.

Thanksgiving and Christmas Giveaway and Health Festivals: As an organization of giving, it is only natural that Brotherhood Crusade hosts holiday events to ensure that children and youth in underserved families are well fed and blessed with toys during these special times of the year. Brotherhood serves more than 300 families each year. Additionally, Brotherhood screens residents for minority-relevant diseases year round. Annual Back to School Event and Health Festival

logo

Programs & Services

Quick Links

Legals