A plea for Community involvement
We often underestimate the importance of the community and the responsibility that we all have in making sure that our kids do not associate with the wrong crowd. We often say “it takes a village to raise a kid”, but many people only bother to care about their own kids. The family plays an important role in the development of boys, and sometimes parents are not able to be invovled in their kids life becuase of the type of jobs they have. Most of the time this happens within low income communities where parents have to work two jobs to make ends meet, therefore, are not able spend as much time as they would like because they do no have the typical 9–5 job. Low-income communities are often plagued with violence and gangs, and this is the environment they live in everyday once they walk outside their houses.
A strong community, wether low-income or affluent, is able to focus on developing positive relationships and discouraging negative ones, preventing youth from becoming attracted to gangs. The community can be an extension to the family when they are out working to provide for their kids. Boys of ages 12–15 are the most vulnerable, and as they are developing their own identity look for things such as protection, friends, status, respect.
A strong self identity can translate to positive engagement in school which ultimately propels boys to higher education system. A career is important, and the long term economic potential of boys because of an education is important to have access to other resources and prevent a vicious cycle from re-ocurring.
“High school dropouts will earn $300,000, less than a high school graduates, 600,000, less than college attendees without a degree, and 1,300,000 less than a college graduate with a four-year degree”.
We as a community can help our young generation, and prevent them from falling into a vicious cycle. Creating a safe environment and making sure that gangs do not flood our streets is essential in a positive development. Kids should be encourage to associate with programs that will allow them to surround themsevles with others looking to strive for better things.
Something that can improove the positive development of our kids are after school program, sports programs, music, art, dancing or recreational centers. Although kids should be encouraged to do these things it is also important that as a community we fight to get some of these programs established in our neighborshoods. Parents should not have to travel long distances to drop their kids off for these programs.
Discouraging gangs in our neighborhoods would improove the safety, school performance and allow people to live without fear that violence could threaten their lives.
