BOOTSTRAPS Jr. : youth's help to finish strong

2011-01-15T21:10:00.001-06:00

When did you first know you were a force to be reconed with?

2011-01-15T20:55:00.001-06:00

What song gets you pumping? What gives you instant motivation?

Never stop trying

2010-08-31T20:26:00.001-05:00

My 6 year old son was able to ride a two-wheel bicycle without training wheels. WOW. He is getting old.

While he rode around in circles, he ran into a plastic garbage can and fell. He did what many people do when they are frustrated with something. He screamed, "I quit". I am never going to ride a bike anymore.

I immediately reminded him about the steps he took to get to this point.

He rode the bicycle that was attached to the television, primarily because he couldn't balance on the real bike.
He got on the training wheel bike, but couldn't pedal. Instead, he braked continuously.
He couldn't balance on the training-wheel bike.
I balanced and pushed him on the training wheel bike.
During several trips, we elevated from the driveway, two houses down, to the corner, around the corner and finally around the block on the training wheel bike.
He rode the training-wheel bike while standing on the pedals.
He glided on the two-wheeler bike.
He tried and tried and tried to pedal. And then, he got it.

Once I told him some of the challenges he overcame. My son began to encourage his little brother. During challenges we have to reflect back to the times that we've overcame issues. For me, and my son it worked well.

www.rogerpeden.com

Future of Reading: Boys and Literacy

2010-08-03T21:25:00.000-05:00

Railroad: Kindergarten--Special Ed--Juvenile Jail

2010-07-31T19:30:00.000-05:00

I remember in elementary school, I HATED to read in class. I thought the teacher aimed to embarass me in front of my classmates. In fact, I memorized the next class reading assignment to ensure that I was able to save face. The issue continued until I college. I learned that I processed information visually, rather than the popular auditory fashion. The determination and persistence taught me to be in front of the learning curve at all times. I believe many young people would have lost any hope to advance academically during the times I had the 2nd and 3rd grade reading assignments.

I found out later that many incarcerated young men had learning difficulties in elementary school. In fact, the primary grades seemed to be the determining factor. If they had no academic support system or the determination to find coping strategies, I believe they became focused on sports or class comedians. Unfortunately, some of those class comedians were labeled as emotionally disturbed and were placed in a special education classroom. Once they became disengaged in the special education classroom, they left to become a part of the juvenile justice system. According to this article, many commit suicide.

I am no scientist, but it seems that literacy in the earlier grades, like 1st through 3rd are crucial to a child's academic development.

Here are some of the developmental reading areas for kids.
Here's a free site to help kids read: starfall.com
I always see ladies read. Actually, the first time I saw a man read was when I was 12 yrs old. guysread.com

Job-Trends Report: Black Employment Remains Bleak - DiversityInc.com

2010-07-12T20:40:00.000-05:00

This article is truly on point. The majority of the young black males are having great difficulty in their job search. Unfortunately many have a criminal record, which reduces their choices dramatically. Here are some ways for the challenged teens to secure employment.

-Use a support system to find the "hidden" jobs. Many are hired through networks.
-Some blue collar opportunities in affluent areas seem to be more flexible with some of these rules. It's particularly true if the offense is one of a non-violent nature.
-For the past couple of years, governmental agencies provided "paid internships" for teens and young adults. Use the opportunity to prove oneself to help the teen secure credibility (and direct references) once the internship is over.
-Go to smaller businesses where the teen could prove their work value. The smaller the business, the better.

Those are some ways ex-offenders could get their careers started.

Job-Trends Report: Black Employment Remains Bleak - DiversityInc.com

Summer job classes

2010-07-01T14:47:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I wrote a post. As indicated in earlier posts. I wanted to do as much as I could to reduce the amount of youth violence this summer by helping young adults become employed. I believe that employed people tend not to deal with crazy behavior (at least a lot of it). So far, we've placed about 170 people in summer jobs.

I found out some things this summer.

People tend to keep jobs longer if they internally want to work. Yeah, that's obvious, huh? I compared that to some young adults that were forced to get a job by their parents.
People that are willing to step our of their environmental comfort zone tend to keep jobs. It's amazing how many young people only want to work in their own neighborhoods.
People can get lost in their own neighborhoods. I need to help them to use maps and their travel time.
Some young people need to be actually PLACED at a job without an interview. Some young people need the actual work experience to perform. After multiple practices, a few couldn't deal with the uncontrollable nerves in a short amount of time.
Some people learn A LOT once they get fired from a job.
Follow up...Follow up...Follow up with the employer and the young adult. Sometimes, their relationships can go south without an intermediary.

The learning continues.

www.rogerpeden.com

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Diversity of thought

2010-05-02T21:32:00.000-05:00

Don't ever underestimate anyone. You can never know about the potential or knowledge a person may have hidden. Don't take anything for granted.

I know an African-American young man that tends to think like a teenager. He comes across with issues that relate to being a sheltered, unchallenged child. The consistent behaviors can lead a person to believe that he has minimal skills.

I listened to this same young man on the phone. His stance was casual and seemed at ease. Of course, I listened closer to eavesdrop. HE SPOKE SPANISH. Not just a word here or there. He spoke spanish fluently.

The young man did not have a spanish-speaking background. Through further conversations, he taught himself to speak the language.

At the very least, the young man went from being a person I thought was "sheltered" to a "worldly" one.

Here's how not to underestimate people:

Always keep an open mind.
Ask for peoples' opinions about subjects. Ask open ended questions most times.
Actively listen when answers come.
Dig deeper to understand the origin of the answers.

You'd be surprised about the hidden knowledge people have about the most complex things. These answer-hoarders could be in the same household, neighborhood, office or elevator.

Never take anyone for granted. Diversity of thought is the key.

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Proper planning promotes proper performance.

2010-04-18T18:01:00.001-05:00

This week, I was in a play...WHAT?

I still can't believe it, I haven't been in a play since grade school...good reason.

I've found out that I need more dress rehearsals to make sure I can deliver on the product. It's the same thought when people look for jobs.

I practiced in my house, on the train to work, at work and back at the house. I practiced a lot. The mission was accomplished, or so I thought. I knew my lines at home very well. During rehearsal, I knew them fairly well. Unfortunately at the actual play, I didn't do as well. Too many other variables interfered with my concentration. I missed a part of my lines.

That wasn't good. I should have practiced more with the fellow actors. I should have gone through the whole play to ensure that I knew the lines in the same mode as I was to deliver them yesterday.

Ugh...but now I know. I plan to do more to ensure proper performance...literally and figuratively.

Proper planning promotes proper performance.

The same process occurs in many workforce development programs. Actual life experience should accompany classroom interview practice. It's never a good thing to stumble over an elevator speech to a possible employer during a job interview. Exposure and practice in the interview process is critical to the quality of your interview process.

Here are some ways to properly plan positive performance during your interviews...See how I put the "4 P's" in there? Ha...that was some extra effort.

Memorize a 30 second script of your work experience.
Practice reciting your script in a mirror. Look directly into your eyes during your practice sessions.
Practice reciting your script with a teacher, classmate, friend or/and relative. Ask for brutally honest feedback.
Video tape and/or record your script. Listen to your tone, rate of speech and facial expressions. Those are all parts of communication.
Practice reciting your script with the person that you've worked with before. Ensure that it sounds natural and unrehearsed.
Conduct an "informational interview" with a company that you're most interested in. Seek to understand the company more. It's a great situation to have a company to know more about you.

Good luck.

I know your performance will be stellar!

www.rogerpeden.com

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"What chu gonna do?"

2010-03-29T08:30:00.000-05:00

"What chu gonna do?" He puts his chest millimeters away from the other person's chest.
"Well, what CHU gonna do?" He sets his frowned eyes to the first person's face.
"If you swing, I'm gonna beat you down". The first person slams his coat to the grown and resumes his chest-forward stance.
"I'll light you up, if YOU swing". He spreads his arms apart, seeming to welcome the first person's attack.

What? That is a wild situation that could easily escalate into a bloody brawl. Even more, both combatants had easy access to firearms, which could have become deadly. This situation is indicative of what usually happens with two "fired up" young men. In this situation, they are both African-American. In this situation, it is obvious that neither would-be combatants do not actually want to fight, but are unwilling to let the situation pass. Neither wants to be seen as soft or a "punk". Neither wants to allow the other to have bragging rights for the next century.

There was an interesting thing that occurred in this situation.
"You coming to me like that makes me want to beat you down". He lowered his voice a little.
"YOU didn't want to leave my property after I asked a couple of times". He responded with an equally lower voice.
"Yeah, but you came at me with the mean mug, like you were about to do something". His chest-stance backed up a few inches.
"YEAH, after asked you to leave a couple of times". His arms stopped flaring.
"...okay, I was wrong. But YOU STILL came at me wrong". He stepped back more inches, now at two feed.
"I've been where you are. I've been shot, so I don't care". His voice reduced to a conversational tone.

The conversation continued about each of their perspectives. The first person was on the defensive because of the second person's nonverbal expressions and tone. The situation escalated when the second person's request went unanswered, possibly due to the way he asked.

Here's how they resolved the issue.

Listen intensely to the message. Try to separate the way that it was delivered.
Watch your body language. Aggressive postures tend to be answered with a more aggressive posture.
Communicate in a calmer way of how the situation affected you. If possible, lower your voice to force the other person to listen to your comments.

I'm happy that the police was turned away because the two would-be combatants resolved their issue without incident.

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Age 19 --No kid n'more

2010-03-28T12:48:00.000-05:00

"19"--An 1980s song indicated the age of a soldier's age.
"19"-- The average age of a client in Jobs For Youth's teen employment agency.
"19"--The age when Cheryl Hyman, the current City Colleges Chancellor graduated from Orr High school. This happened after she dropped out, left home to live at a friend's home and worked at Kentucky Fried Chicken. The same age where Hyman realized she wanted more out of her life.

According to wikipedia, 19 is the age that one cannot consider themselves as a minor. Unfortunately, many are ill-prepared for the status. In fact, many young adults acquire the "adult" status symbol by the age on 17 in the criminal justice system. Fortunately, Ms. Hyman saw the internal need to take her life in a different direction and completed her high school diploma. Once done, she completed her Associates degree at the Olive-Harvey Community College (where she is now the Chancellor), IIT and finally Northwestern University. She literally took her "majority" status and set a different path for her career.

I am using the following steps to similarly situated young people to aspire more for their careers.

Expose young people to a variety of different careers, with defined paths to get achieve them.
Facilitate conversations with diverse career professionals that traveled the same routes our low-income youth travel. Ensure they engage in real, candid conversations.
Expose them to different colleges and universities, all within a couple of bus rides.
Ensure that young people have multiple opportunities to be involved in several occupation insight sessions to broaden their horizons.
Provide non-confrontational, supplement classes for high school graduates like English, Algebra and Computer Software programs. They tend to know their weak spots and desire free (or near free) ways to address them.

Most of all, disconnected young people (like most people) need stability to make conscious, progressive decisions for their life paths. Cheryl Hyman friend's mother was the caring adult that provided stability that allowed her finish the high school education.

Others could have the same results if provided the opportunity.

www.rogerpeden.com

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No H.S. diploma? You're changed $7,000!

2010-03-21T20:09:00.001-05:00

People with high school diplomas earn $7,000 more than those that don't. That's approximately $146 a week. That could make a difference in where a person lives. The money could change they type of food they eat, as well as clothes they wear.

According to the Civic Enterprises report, almost half of the survey respondents (48%) said they weren't prepared for the work in high school. Let's put it together...Some parents aren't involved in their kids education makes it more difficult for them as they transition to the upper grades. I must say, my mother couldn't help much with my homework. She gained support from other people to help with some of the challenging spots. Many young people aren't as lucky.

At the church, some young people indicated to me that they were interested in specific careers. The wild thing about the conversations was that people in their immediate working/living area were able to provide the vocational guidance needed for the next occupational step. They were afraid to address the adults.

The situation is sad, but very true.

Here are some ways to keep the conversational door open to a young person that's interested in the vocational next step.

Talk to him or her. Go a step beyond, "Good morning". Actually be interested in their week.
Uhh, SMILE! Nonverbal expressions effectively open or close doors, particularly to those that are shy to speak with an adult.
Ask questions. Find out their interests. See what they are curious about. Once you find out, relate it to a career. See if they are interested in exploring the area. Check your network to provide insight for the young person.
Follow up with their school progress. If you know they are having challenges with school work, provide study suggestions. If a tutor is needed, talk to the parent about suggestions.
Help the young person approach an interested adult. Help him or her with an elevator speech to concisely ask for the vocational information. Help the person practice.

In these times, the community MUST help the young people reach desired levels by using our networks. I know I couldn't have made it this far alone. As we move forward, others will need more assistance from the community.

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10 steps for teens to ace interviews

2010-03-15T09:08:00.001-05:00

Last week, many of my young people earned second level interviews with several companies last week. Most of you scheduled the interviews this week. It's time to shine.

Practice saying a summary of your skills and experience in 30 seconds. That's your "elevator speech".
Practice the main interview questions in the mirror before your interview.
Google your companies' names. Click on the "News" tab and see what happened recently.
Look at the companies' websites. What makes them different than their competitors.
Pick out three things you like about their treatment of their employees. Talk about it during the interview.
Take 3 copies of your resume and references to the interview.
Make sure you arrive 15 minutes before your interview.
Don't forget to ask for the interviewer's card before you leave the interview.
As soon as you get to a computer (within 24 hours), send a "thank you" note to the interviewers separately.
Follow up with the interviewer 3 days after the interview, unless they told you differently.

Let us know when you get hired.

www.rogerpeden.com

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Skilled? Don't care...Can I get "nice people"?

2010-02-09T08:44:00.001-06:00

I talk to companies of all types...big, small, hospitals, restaurants, etc. They usually tell me different things about requirements for different jobs.

Lately, that has changed.

For the last couple of days, I've spoken to multiple companies that have hired many young adults in the past. They all have said the same thing. "I can train a person to do the job. I just want them to be friendly all the time at work." The employer partners want customers to return.

In the movie, "School Dayz", Lawrence Fishburne's chararcter, "Dap" wen to a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant with his friends. The slouched, monotone and obviously disinterested cashier said, "May I help you?"

Ugh. In this economy, she would be un...emm..ployed.

Is "friendly" trainable? I'm not sure yet. I believe people may need to understand the behaviors they reflect. I believe people would change their behaviors if they understand their frowns push people away. They would also consciously slow down if they knew their speech tone makes people feel rushed. Conscious nonverbal communication is more important than ever to become competitive in this work environment.

We may be to the point that the nearby fast food restaurant will actually care if "You want fries with that?"

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My niece...ready for work...OMG?

2010-01-31T19:19:00.000-06:00

My niece is now 16 yrs old. I've just realized that I have to train her to be a professional. That realization hit me in a different way. She has to function in different places.
Here are my initial thoughts.
...hang with me at some community meetings as my notetaker.
...videotape interviews and use the as teachable moments.
...make sure she gets a summer job for youth.
...identify career interests and introduce her with people in those fields.
...integrate school work in job related tasks to make them more relevant.
I know that the track between education and work is a wild one.
I want it to be a seamless one.

Youth programs--a support or a crutch

2010-01-25T21:12:00.001-06:00

I come across several different types of people during my work. Some young adults were forced to attend a youth workshop under the threat of an external party, including parents, child welfare organizations and the courts. Halfway through the workshop, many see the information's value. Fortunately, the follow up extends for two years. But unfortunately much of the job search information hasn't been digested; therefore some become discouraged.

How can such a person be helped?

From my end, it depends on the amount of effort the young person put forth after the "a-ha" moment. I would use every possible teachable moment that's available in efforts to re-teach the work readiness workshop. All that to say... I would help the young person secure employment.

Those "teachable moments" are why I do the job that I do.

The young adults' responsiveness to the teachable moment will tell much information. It will let the mentor know if he or she is earnest about their progression. I understand that every person goes through their adult transition in different ways. Thank God I was in college where I could be immature to an extent. Unfortunately, many of the young people that I help do not have that luxury. That's why we guide them as much as we can, until they can do well on their own...particularly if the earnest effort is there.

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Teens scared to succeed?

2010-01-21T20:55:00.001-06:00

I help mold young adults into professionals through workshops and interactive discussions. On several days, they are required to attend sessions in shirts and ties. This particular person always complied. He wore shirts, ties and suits. We had mock interviews, he wore the appropriate attire. Today, I had an employer present for actual interviews and he arrived with a striped shirt and no tie. When confronted about the young man's attire, he provided multiple excuses. First, the young man said that he didn't know that he needed a tie. The young man also said that he didn't know that the interactive discussions were to prepare him for today's interview. He even tried to intellectualize the situation by indicating that "a tie doesn't define" his professionalism.

What?!?

I listened to his comments intensely. I thought that we weren't clear during his workshops and interactive discussions until he began to snicker and act silly as he attempted to intellectualize the situation. After I talked about the tie situation, he went out and bought 2 ties---after his interview. Now, I wonder if he has a fear of success. Today was a situation where a company prepared to hire dozens of people. The restrictions were minimal. There was a huge opportunity to succeed at this position, but he decided to under-perform.

As I move forward with this young man, as well as others like him, I will examine closely the possibility of this self-sabotage behavior. It could be the reason why some young men from different neighborhoods resist to thrive in different surroundings with different people. It could be the reason why some people aim for a lower grade to feel relevant to their friends and classmates.

The examination goes on.

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3 ways to be exposed to other worlds

2010-01-20T20:18:00.001-06:00

I must say, I love helping those who desire to do more for their lives. These people have already tried to search for jobs on their own in ways they thought as being effective. They are willing to try something that's outside of their comfort zones and venture to a different, unknown area like downtown Chicago to attack their employment goal. They are willing to talk to people that don't look or sound like them. They are willing to accept being uncomfortable for a minimum amount of time to get more answers.

It's great to be in the naive skin. I was there. Actually, when I don't feel that sense of nativity, I search for a new challenge.

I am scared of those that allow the fear of the unknown paralyze them into inaction. I've spoken to multiple people that have extended families in the same apartment complex for generations, without venturing outside of the immediate area. Many have not traveled to different parts of the city because of the sheer fear of the unknown. That fear can be passed down from generation to generation, like a negative inheritance.

I believe that many low income adults need exposure to different worlds simply to know they exist. They need the courage to venture out their comfort zones.

1. Take the bus that extends from one side of the city to the other. Take notice of the neighborhood differences. Take notice of the way people talk, dress, cars, stores and overall culture.

2. If you trust a person that takes public transportation to work in a different area, volunteer to tag along to see other people travel.

3. Read the newspaper or internet news daily. See what is going on in other areas. If there are free events, be curious and check them out.

Don't cheat yourself out of a life you've never thought possible.

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Four ways to find strengths in teens

2010-01-19T21:12:00.001-06:00

This week, I hired an intern. This early-20 something black male was placed in a couple of internships within the past year. He's intelligent and polite, but wasn't hired to become a permanent employee. Through the internship evaluations, it seemed that he wasn't a bad employee. I was confused, so I took him on. Within the first week, I understood the issue. Like the intern evaluations indicated, he wasn't a "bad" employee, but he wasn't extraordinary also. The young man completed assignments given to him, but it was obvious that he didn't look to become an asset also. The observation became apparent when I had an issue with my sub-par computer. The young man took the device, turned it upside-down, right-side up. Once he plugged it into the computer, he virus-scanned and researched the issue. Within minutes, he fixed the problem.

That was it.

The young man indicated that he wanted to work in an office setting, like a clerk. It seemed that he would thrive in an information technology environment. The earlier internships were in a housing agency, which weren't good fits. I now know that we need to get him in an I.T. firm.

1. Talk to young people and listen to their answers. They will tell you what they like and dislike...verbally and nonverbally...action and inaction. If they are interested in a subject, they will go well above the call of duty to do it well.

2. Try them in different situations. After each experience, search for teachable moments to determine their likes and dislikes about the work, the office environment, supervisors and their career paths.

3. If they are in the work environment already, try to give them stretch assignments to determine undiscovered skills. They need to feel like they are a part of a team.

4. Above all, don't give up on the young people.

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Unity, also known as Umoja...My Plans...What are your's?

2009-12-27T10:32:00.001-06:00

I've just placed a status post on a friend's Facebook page regarding Kwanza. I am not an advocate of doing things that have no real meaning at the end of the day. I believe Christmas is about my faith, family, friends and fun. Presents are almost an afterthought. That brings me to the principles of Kwanza. In these days each business, family and individuals were forced to examine their core beliefs to ensure they will survive. Through the examination, each entity may refocus and readjust their sails to positions.

Here are my thoughts of ways to implement the first principle of Kwanza, which is Umoja (Unity) to ensure we become individually stronger. Our communities will profit from our strengths.

Unity of mind

My relationship with God is always an area I should develop. I develop plans with God's counsel for my life. At times, it isn't easy because the earthly financial benefits may not be congruent. I've been obedient this past year. To ensure that I remain so, will be more consistent with Sunday school classes and have multi-leveled biblical information in my living areas. Like food, I need to have biblical seasoning around me.

Personally, I cannot focus on several activities at the exact same time. I need to know what I want to achieve. Where do I want my life to go? How do I see myself in the next 5 years? Are they financial, educational, career focused? Family focused? They aren't mutually exclusive. I've come to realize that the different roles in my life should be as compartmentalized as possible to get the results I need. They will overlap occasionally, but that tends to be the exception and not the rule.

Financial related goals:

Personally, I am looking at the next 2 promotions to understand the skill sets I'm lacking. Once I identify them, they will be addressed.

What do you need to do to prosper?

What do you have now?

See the gap and fill it through answers.com, youtube.com or actual classes. Get a mentor or three.

Physical related goals:

I'm getting closer to 40 years old. I've seen some older brothers fall off at the transitional age. I plan not to be one of them. I want to ensure that I am as healthy as possible. That means, continue to workout at least 3 days a week. The goal-plus is to workout 6 days a week. This summer, I said that I wanted run a marathon. Unfortunately, the kids require direct involvement in my unsuccessful attempts to train. So possibly, I may aim for the half-marathon or 5, 10K runs.

How can you be healthier? Instead of eating Popeyes 5 days a week, eat there 2 days. Instead of a big bag of Doritos, eat the single serving one. Instead of driving to the corner store, actually walk there.

Unity of family:

It seems that my sons are truly developing their own personalities. I want to make sure that the family's current traditions focus on continuous improvement and knowing each other deeply. To that effect, we need to have frequent quality interactions. Homework, game night and church are some of those activities.

What is your husband/ wife's favorite food? Who do they actually like at work? Where do they want to go in a couple of years?

What is your kids' favorite subject? What did they do at recess? Can you tell which subject they like during your interactions?

Unity of community:

We are inter-connected. We have specialties. We also have needs in the community. Unfortunately, many places operate in silos in our unsuccessful efforts to be the best in every arena. The communities profit from the collaboration of our specialty areas. This year, I will develop activities that will require the strengths of different groups to make them happen for the betterment of the communities.

If you're a financial planner and most of your church members are bankrupt, how can you help them?

If you're a personal trainer and your coworkers all have diabetes, how can you help them?

Unity of mind, family and community has their different cores, but are interrelated. I am sure that I have a good foundation for the family and community to build from; I must be focused on the next steps. This day, I will focus on Umoja.

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Young minority men-- A Lost cause?

2009-11-12T09:25:00.001-06:00

When I have an injury, they look to find a way to relieve it. If I have a cut, I find a band aid. Even if I have some unknown symptom, I look on webmd to find some type of understanding of the issue before I call a doctor. In this economic time where people lose jobs or experience a reduction in hours frequently, people MUST find ways to increase their skills and network more to relieve the pain of unemployment or underemployment.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, "good jobs" for men are reducing significantly. Keep in mind that a "good job" pays approximately $15 an hour or $30K a year. Since 1979, Hispanic and Black men experienced a reduction of these type of jobs. Also, as I help young adults get their careers started, it seems that the majority of entry-level jobs in Chicago are in Retail and Customer Service arenas. These jobs were characterized as "female jobs" by many of my male participants.

It has become clear to me that extra effort needs to be used to provide males, particularly minority males avenues into the workforce. Additionally according to the Chicago Sun Times, 18 to 22 year old Hispanic and Black males are victims of most violent crimes in 2008. Over 90% of these crimes are done by people with arrest records. I didn't realize this before, but now I see it to be true. Collaborative efforts must be done by the Youth Development and Workforce Development worlds to address expose these young men to economic opportunities outside of their daily worlds.

At the very least, I will have to do the following to address these issues:

1. Increase work-related activities to keep people exposed the a variety of nontraditional careers.
2, Engage young men in activities slightly outside of their comfort zones, not necessarily related to work to show different life experiences (i.e. college football games and basketball games).
3. Start a work group to keep them engaged in their job search. Also, it will expose me to their individual employment barriers. This will also give the young men ways to interact with similar-minded peers.
4. Include active and self-directed learning through the internet, project-based work and work related activities. These activities will be geared to expose them to skill-related activities in Information Technology, Supply Chain/ Logistics and Security/ Law Enforcement related careers.
5. Provide longer, multi-tiered follow up support for the participants.

Amazingly, I've begun this type of work while in high school. Only by God, I was able to survive my original neighborhoods. The integration between the Youth Development and Economic Development worlds are required to address the impact that is needed to help this generation and save the next one. If there is a way to provide a light at the end of the tunnel, I will find it.

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Young adults job fair tips

2009-10-05T15:56:00.001-05:00

Through the course of the year, many employers and community partners provide direct "brutally honest" feedback about young adult job hunters. This form of tough love provides the young people with mission-critical feedback in a loving way. Today, we've completed a mock hiring event to help young people become more confident while at job fairs. The employers and community partners saw trends of issues and provided the following suggestions to increase their job search effectiveness.

Don't carry many items with you into a job fair. If there's a coat check available, use it.
Develop more confidence. Many young people spoke with their heads down and in low speaking voices. Most did not maintain eye contact during the conversation. It almost seemed as if a parent "pushed" them to speak with an unknown person.
Quickly build rapport with the employer. The young adults' aim is to become personable, but remain professional through the 20-30 second conversation with the employer. People remember personalities as well as some qualifications.
Prioritize companies that the young adult is interested in. They should warm up with companies they were least interested in. Once they've warmed up, go for the promising prospects.
Young adults should do their homework before attending a job fair. Job seekers should know about the companies business before engaging them.
hygiene...Hygiene...Could I say again HYGIENE!?! If a young adult smokes, use tooth paste, mouth wash and gum to clear the mouth of residual smoke smell.

Today's activities from concerned and invested professionals proved to increase the young peoples' confidence, as well as specific ways to increase their effectiveness. At the very least, many will succeed with that information. I wonder what would happen if more professionals will provide their "brutally honest" feedback in a loving way.

www.rogerpeden.com

Emmit Till and Derrion Albert: Strong images require strong action

2009-09-30T18:29:00.001-05:00

After Emmit Till died, his mother made a conscious decision to have an open casket funeral. The graphic display of violence helped set off the civil rights movement. I hope that Derrion Albert's tragic death brings the same type of vigor and life to the community peace. Derrion's video showed dozens of young people in the midst of a brawl. Most had the same type of uniform, indicating they were from the same school. Most people scattered back and forth with 2 by 4's and threw fists. During the scatter, I saw a few people that tried to get through the crowd towards predetermined destinations. It seems that Derrion and his friend unsuccessfully attempted to go through the crowd. Unfortunately, they were caught in the physical crossfire.

To combat this issue, I believe the community should do the following:

Professional and fraternal groups should adopt community service organzations that serve the young adult population. They can provide consisent, project-based, educational, economic as well as mentoring activities to them. I believe it would work particularly well if the professionals are of the same ethnic background of the focused community.
Parents should simply know where their kids are ALL THE TIME. Enough said on this item.
I remember I bought a $500 car to avoid most of the neighborhood warfare. Being on the bus seemed to be the most dangerous place when rival groups engage. Innocent bystanders, like Derrion could have easily be mistaken for the opposite group.

As indicated earlier, I hope Derrion's video has the same impact as Emmit's open cast funeral. I pray it sparks a tsunami of community action in the most challenging neighborhoods. I believe that older professionals, particularly from the same neighborhood have the best chance of diverting these situations into productive ones. We need to actively and methodically address the issues before we lose another generation.

www.rogerpeden.com

Kids' job follow up tips

2009-09-27T19:04:00.001-05:00

This afternoon, I picked up some items from Target. On the outside door, they had a HUGE red, poster-sized sign that said "Now Hiring". Some of my young people last year indicated that they've unsuccessfully applied for jobs at Target. I was curious, so I applied for a sales associate position. The questionnaire part of the application was about 90 minutes long. I completed it, but patience was required. Knowing some of my young adults, I doubt if they completed it. I interviewed the cashier after I grabbed my items. The young girl told me that she completed the online application AND visited Target about 6 times within 6 weeks in order to gain their attention.

I know the online and kiosk applications are effective ways to screen out applicants. Most retails use the practice now. It seems that old-school follow up (commonly called "the hustle") separates the workers and others.

Here are some ways to keep motivated during your job search that I've thought about on the fly:

1. Keep a journal of when you've applied to different places.

2. Follow up via phone with the manager 2 business days after you've turned in an application. Print your online application, attach it to a resume and submit it to the store manager within 5 business days.

3. List a script or talking points to stay focused during follow up calls.

4. Review and spell-check your tools often (resume, cover letter and follow up letters).

5. Continually follow up with your networks...inside tracks are better than the front door.

www.rogerpeden.com

Rebrand to stay employable

2009-09-12T19:31:00.001-05:00

These are the times where one has to be confident about their strengths as well as known areas to develop. If one is confident about their ability to be a great worker, even at a young age they can progress in the work world. The economic landscape, as well as the labor market is changing almost on a daily basis. Rebranding yourself could make the difference in your employment. For instance, an investigator use many of the same skills as an insurance claims adjust, as well as a computer programmer. Those are different fields, but with some prep work, they share many transferable skills.

I understand that some people, particularly young adults have no idea about their professional strengths. I personally recommend www.beehive.org as a place to secure relatively quick employment guidance. It will put you through a 15 minute questionnaire. Once done, it will provide you with career options that require minimal preparation to substantial prepatory work. It's not a magic wand, but it will get your thoughts going. They will also link you to several sources to get more specific information about those indicated careers.

I hear the economy is coming around. Unfortunately, that's not the time to slow down your self-improvment. It's actually time to increase your diligence to do better.

www.rogerpeden.com