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Positive
Minds Group
The Positive
Minds Group (PMG) is a group-mentoring program employed by The
Mentoring Center (TMC) since 1995. PMG works with highly at-risk
youth ages 14-25 to correct the mentality that gives rise to
destructive behavior. Meetings are held every Wednesday evening
from 5:30 to 7:30pm at 1204 Preservation Parkway in Oakland in
the Robinson Classrooms, across from TMC offices.
PMG was founded
by three young men who graduated from TMC's Transition Program
in California Youth Authority (CYA) and wanted to give back to
their community. PMG continues to employ four youth coordinators
who have graduated from PMG and are doing well. The youth
coordinators serve as peer mentors and co-facilitators of the
program.
PMG utilizes a
“Transformative Mentoring” approach to serve highly at-risk
youth. Transformative Mentoring/Intervention is an intentional,
structured, systemic and corrective intervention focused on
personally transforming the attitude and mental framework of a
disrupted human development cycle.
TMC’s
Transformative Curriculum is designed for Character Development,
Cognitive Restructuring, Spiritual Development, Life Skills
training, Anger Management, and Employability skills
Beginning in June
2004, PMG will change the way it processes youth into the
program. While TMC has always focused its programs for highly
at-risk youth and youth offenders, over the past year PMG, which
was broader, has narrowed its focus on youth primarily on
probation or CYA parole. To better serve this population and
better accommodate the reporting requirements of probation
officers, courts, and other referring agencies, PMG is
increasing the structure and accountability of the program.
All new
participants must come to TMC’s offices on Mondays at 5:30
p.m. to sign up for the program and receive a brief orientation.
New participants can only join the group on the first Wednesday
of the month. To receive credit for attending a meeting the
youth must be in attendance for the majority of the meeting.
Once a youth has been consistently participating from 3-4 weeks,
PMG case managers will help the youth work on a basic life plan.
Once a youth has graduated, TMC will make available the full
range of after care services and conduct an extensive life plan.
The PMG program is eight months.
It would be best
if any agency making a referral to PMG would call ahead. Please
contact either Baayan Bakari or William McCoy. |
