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The African American Male Transition
Program
The African American Male Transition Program
(AAMTP) is a group-mentoring program employed by The Mentoring
Center (TMC) since 1994 in the California Youth Authority
(CYA). The AAMTP serves groups of 25 to 35 youth, ages 15-25,
during the 24-week sessions. Upon their release from CYA,
TMC continues to serve those who have graduated from our program;
helping them find housing, employment, and further their education.
The AAMTP curriculum addresses aspects of
the personal, social and psychological state of the African
American male experience and condition. TMC’s transition
program curriculum consists of eight foci or topics, which
are:
1) Why Do We Act the Way We Act
2) Who Are We Really: The Foundation of Human Culture, Conduct
& Purpose
3) Life’s Developmental Process: Manhood, Responsibility,
Perseverance
4) African & African American History and Cultural Precepts
5) The World of Work and Personal Industry
6) Character Development and Life’s Purpose
7) Transitioning Back Into Society
8) Practical Application
This curriculum is designed to simultaneously
inspire the youth’s “limitless potential”
and to guide their participation in their own and their community’s
“collective well-being.” The youth’s developmental
transitioning process consists of four stages or phases. In the
Recognition phase, through cognitive restructuring and cultural
realignment, the young people are able to see their own natural
goodness. In the Declaration phase, again, through cognitive
restructuring and cultural realignment, the young person announces
to the objective world their new character. The Activation
phase signifies the conscious attempt by the young person
to think and behave in ways that are consistent with their
new meaning. The final phase is the Realization phase, here
the young person engages in self-reflection and is able to
determine that they are in deed as they claim themselves to
be. They have concrete evidence for verifying their own new
meaning.
This mentoring model, its curriculum, and
program services have proved successful in effectively addressing
our core goals of reducing violence and recidivism and; helping
youth who come from troubled backgrounds to discover and develop
their limitless potential.
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