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Men on a Mission Help Youth Thrive Despite Negative Stereotypes |
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From Ascribe Newsfeed: Desperately needed as youth mentors, some men are answering the call despite negative publicity about male transgressions that can keep them at arm's length from children and teenagers, says a University of Florida researcher and author of a new book. Today's high rates of divorce, single parenting and working mothers place a greater premium on men in the community to nurture the next generation, but frequent media accounts about male pedophiles, pornographers and child abusers cast suspicion over well-intentioned efforts at helping, said William Marsiglio, a UF sociology professor and expert on men's and family issues. "Despite the challenges, there are men who develop a passion for working with kids - sometimes to the point of thinking of youth work as a 'mission' or 'calling,' -- and they do make a difference in kids' lives," he said. The number of at-risk youth in American society has increased over the last few decades, but even those with supportive fathers and grandfathers can benefit from having other male models in public settings, Marsiglio said. The men in Marsiglio's study found creative ways to relate to youth despite society's taboos, including instituting a "hug day" at an alternative school; "circle of trust" talk sessions where at-risk teenagers sat on the floor to share their personal struggles with issues such as drugs, alcohol, violence and sex; and a freestyle rap exercise as an ice breaker for a sexual abstinence program. One 4-H director encouraged a group of boys and girls to take on the images of clowns -- selecting their own personality, costume and makeup -- and practice sharing various performance techniques, which they used before audiences in nursing homes, hospitals and parades, he said. AScribe Newswire distributes news from nonprofit and public sector organizations.
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