"P.R.I.D.E. - A sense of one's own proper dignity, value, or self-respect”

“Broken Spirits Need Healing” Wellness, Values Clarification and Life Skills Coaching

Presented by: Dr. Ervin V. Griffin, Sr., President & CEO, Halifax Community College

Daniel J. Lovett, Director Title III & The PRIDE Male Leadership & Mentoring Program

Presentation Information

• Halifax Community College • Factors Affecting African American Males

Negotiating Manhood • HCC PRIDE Program • M.O.R.E (Minimizing

Obstacles that Reduce Empowerment) • Wellness Program Findings

Halifax Community College

Factors Affecting African American Males Negotiating Manhood

John Head, author of Standing in the Shadows: Understanding and Overcoming Depression in Black men (2004) argues that:

True or False?“From time to time African American males (young

boys, college age students, etc.) are under pressure to adhere to a concept of masculinity that requires a silence about feelings, a withholding of emotions, an ability to bear burdens alone, and a refusal to appear weak”?

True or False?“Adolescent African American male and others are forced to

negotiate manhood in less than ideal circumstances”?

Factors Affecting African American Males Negotiating Manhood

Educational Stressors 1. Funding-2007 equality index states dollars spent

on black students was only 82% of that spent on white students.

2. School environments may be culturally insensitive to African American boys/men within the educational system.

3. AA males are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with conduct disorder than white males. Thus, alienation starts in the elementary school. The Secret Epidemic: Exploring the Mental Health Crisis Affecting Adolescent African American Males by Clare Xanthos, Ph.D.

Factors Affecting African American Males Negotiating Manhood

Family Stressors1. Dysfunctional families 2. Exposure to racism and poverty3. Parents exposing their stressors on their children (i.e.,

irritability, authoritarian, & rejecting)4. Absence of a male role may put adolescents at risk for

psychological distress5. AA boys often turn to their peers to form their male

identity which often diminishes chances of success in education and employment

The Secret Epidemic: Exploring the Mental Health Crisis Affecting Adolescent African American Males by Clare Xanthos, Ph.D.

Factors Affecting African American Males Negotiating Manhood

1. Financial Barriers a. Nearly 25% of African American males are uninsured as compared to 16% of the US population

2. Access to mental and other health servicesa. Fragmented mental health services leave these men with a confusing maze to get treatment

3. Lack of cultural competency 4. Living in deprived neighborhoods

The Secret Epidemic: Exploring the Mental Health Crisis Affecting Adolescent African American Males by Clare Xanthos, Ph.D.

Our Men Are Not Broken!

But Many Systems are:• Education• Community Resources • Judicial Systems • Criminal Justice Systems • Mental Health • Political

P.R.I.D.E. Program (PReparing men for Intellectual, acaDemic, & Educational success)

• College success, leadership, & professional development program designed to enhance student satisfaction, retention, graduation, and 4-year college transfer rates.

• Partnerships between students, learning coaches (success coaches trained in mentoring, counseling, developmental advising, career exploration, financial planning, etc.), faculty, staff, professional mentors, and the community.

P.R.I.D.E. Offers

M.O.R.E._____________________

Minimizing Obstacles

That

Reduce Empowerment

Release Any Pressures (RAP) Sessions

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Traditional Models

TutoringEarly Alert

AdvisingCareer

Exploration

Counseling

Personal and Environmental stressors

Low Self Concept

Unemployment

Living Expenses

Single Parent Homes

Father Absent From Home

First Generation

Health

Transportation

Peer Pressure

P.R.I.D.E. Offers

M.O.R.E._____________________

Minimizing Obstacles

That

Reduce Empowerment

Release Any Pressures (RAP) Sessions

What’s On “YOUR” mind?

PRIDE R.A.P. Sessions

Release Any Pressures

MEN discussing Men Issues

Goals of the R.A.P. Sessions (Release Any Pressures)

• Focus on common struggles men experience daily

• Safe confidential setting to be heard, understood,

• Give voice to their struggles • Release & move past stressors • How to live life with more clarity, focus, and

determination STILL, SOME MEN NEEDED MORE!

Wellness, Life Skills & Values Clarification

Traditional Wellness Coaching

Goals of the M.O.R.E. Project (Minimizing Obstacles that Reduce Empowerment)

• Deeper-rooted personal concerns• Enhance wellness, values clarification & life skills• Safe, confidential setting to be heard/understood• Move past personal challenges to a life with more

clarity, self-direction, and personal focus• Focus on awareness stages leading to behavior

change • Conscientious, goal-oriented, disciplined, and self-

directed approach to succeeding in college and life

Wellness Coaches

1. Dr. Bruce Bridges (the Know Bookstore, & Professor @ NC State/NCCU African American male education, social development, history, survival and wellness

2. Wes Johnson – Wellness Coach 3. Marcus Lewis PRIDE Learning Coach 4. Michael Earl – PRIDE Learning Coach - Social Work

Therapy, Therapeutic Group experience, HS Principal – Single point of contact – Hi touch services – Trained in all campus and many community resources – Access to academic & student support resources

Wellness Coaching

• Research links low minority male performance to un-wellness (deep rooted, emotional, social, and environmental stressors)

• Address stressors that serve as precursors to low academic performance, high dropout, and declining retention and graduation rates

• A teaching or training process where individuals learn to achieve personal or professional goals

• Offers advice and guidance through a learning processThe Secret Epidemic: Exploring the Mental Health Crisis Affecting Adolescent African American Males by Clare Xanthos, Ph.D.

P.R.I.D.E. Offers

M.O.R.E._____________________

Minimizing Obstacles

That

Reduce Empowerment

Release Any Pressures (RAP) Sessions

Project Implementation

• Bi-weekly group sessions lasting 2 hours each• Personal appointments for one-on-one interactions• Administered for six weeks • Began with PRIDE Credo & confidentiality vow• Ended with joining hands & spiritual statements • Circular classroom setting • Passive and aggressive discussions • Maintained office hours for one on one talks & assessment

reviews/discussions • Evaluation • Refreshments • Ended with awards and recognition ceremony

Assessment Tools

Personal Problem Solving Inventory

• Effective self-management– Evaluates ways individuals deal with personal problems and life

stresses – Identifies practices which shift or avoid responsibility for problem

solving– Identifies predominant approaches to problem solving, – Tracks degree to which you use thoughts/behaviors to deal with

problems

• Includes a “Tool Kit” with self management strategies.

Brain Injury Resource Center, 1998. WWW. brain@headinjury.com

Assessment Tools

Internal Locus of Control • Degree to which individuals perceive outcomes

result from their own behaviors, or forces that are external to themselves.

• Produces a continuum with external control at one end and internal control at the other.

Measures of Locus of Control, Julian Rotter (1966).

Wellness Sessions

Session topics based on inventory outcomes & needs assessment:

1. Perils of a lack of knowledge2. What is knowledge3. Self Awareness4. Formula for success5. The journey from male to man6. Recognizing and erasing negative self

images7. The law of reciprocity8. Establishing and Reshaping Your character9. Self analysis and Reflection

PROGRAM FINDINGS

Problem Solving Inventory • 38% needed practice with self management and self-advocacy even

though they did apply critical thinking skills to problem solving• 61% showed deficits in the area of essential skills needed before

moving along to self-management• More than 50% would let someone else to handle their problems• 38% revealed they would talk to someone who could do something

concrete about the issue (indicate a deficit of knowledge and self-advocacy), both were addressed in the counseling sessions

Aggregate:• Completed 77% of semester hours attempted• Average GPA was 2.46

PROGRAM FINDINGS

1. Improved body language from (closed to open)2. Developed self-confidence exemplified by increased

willingness to express and share personal information3. Group became more harmonious as members improved their

verbal and non-verbal communication skills4. Student's scores showed need for resolution of locus of control

conflicting beliefs: – 53% believed job success is a matter of luck not hard work– 85% discredit planning ahead because they believe luck

usually prevails

These cognitive distortions and pessimistic explanatory style, impedes the student's chances of reaching their goals

(Bridges, 2011)

Participant Self Evaluation(general)

Participants reported:• Feeling more confident, self-assured, resourceful,

handling personal challenges and achieving academic goals.

• They also reported a higher likelihood of joining clubs, organizations, interacting with faculty/staff, and earning a degree.

• They needed more time to work through personal challenges

82% believed the wellness coaches achieved all five goals evaluated in the RAP session

Coping strategies

Identify appropriate coping strategies needed to overcome daily challenges.

With wellness counseling being one of the most critical unmet needs of African American Male college students;

Wellness "Coach Wes" counseled on 'the inability to fully attain your goals stem from not having the information or knowledge to do so.

PROGRAM STRENGTHS

1. Participants varied in age, life experiences2. HCC staff cooperation and current facilitators3. Therapeutic environment4. Opportunity to develop and utilize skills to

combat social, personal and environmental stressors

5. Opportunity for mentoring by older participants to younger ones (Bridges, 2011)

PROGRAM STRENGTHS

6. Outline of topics to be worked through based on inventory outcomes and existing needs

7. Opportunity to engage in therapeutic techniques of role play and shared experiences

8. Maintenance of continuous contact through social media9. Reinforcement of academic, social and environmental

self management skills as tools leading to success in the work place, at school, and in personal relationships

10. Opportunity to demonstrate and imitate positive group communication skills, both verbal and

non-verbal (Bridges, 2011)

The M.O.R.E. wellness program annual awards and recognition ceremony. The program helps men evaluate and overcome personal, academic, social and environmental stressors that inhibit accomplishment.

PRIDE College, HS, & GED Induction

PRIDE Recognition & Certificates

P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. Induction

P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. Officer Swearing

P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. Induction

P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. Induction

P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. Induction

P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. Induction

P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. Induction

Contact Us

Halifax Community College 200 College Drive | P.O. Drawer 809 Weldon, NC 27890Phone: (252) 536-HCC1Fax: (252) 536-4144

• http://www.halifaxcc.edu/

PRIDE of Halifax Community College• http://halifaxcc.edu/flinew/

Q&A

Dr. Ervin V. Griffin, Sr. & Daniel J. Lovett

thank you for attending this session

on behalf of Halifax Community College…

P.R.I.D.E. & M.O.R.E. GraduatesIt’s Not how you start… Its How You Finish!

"P.R.I.D.E. - A sense of one's own proper dignity, value, or self-respect”

“Broken Spirits Need Healing” Wellness, Values Clarification and Life Skills Coaching

Presented by: Dr. Ervin V. Griffin, Sr., President & CEO, Halifax Community College

Daniel J. Lovett, Director Title III & The PRIDE Male Leadership & Mentoring Program