The Socially and Economically Disadvantage Youth

Over the last 25 years there has been a phenomenal increase in crime, juvenile delinquency, drug addiction, gangs, suicide, divorce, family disintegration and other social pathologies. In large, the failure to teach our new generations how to live as responsible family members and be lawful, conscientious, and productive citizens has been the primary consequence of this plight.

Terrible schools, absent parents, racism, the decline in blue collar jobs and a subculture that glorifies swagger over work have all been cited as causes of the deepening ruin of black and white youths alike. It is a veritable fact that this subculture emphasizing hip-hop, careless, uneducated speech and a playa lifestyle is also to blame for luring many young adults away from doorways to civil behavior, such as those in the educational system.

The socially and disadvantaged youth join gangs to enhance prestige or status among friends, to provide a chance for excitement, or to sell drugs to make money. Many join gangs for a sense of identity. In some communities, many youths are recruited or coerced into gangs. They seemingly have no choice. A few are born into gangs as a result of neighborhood traditions and their parents' earlier gang participation or involvement in criminal activity.

The most important community risk factor is poverty, absence of parents, and no parental supervision. Another significant risk factor is low expectation for success in school, hanging with the wrong crowd, low self-esteem, depression and easy access to drugs, and those who use drugs and are generally involved in antisocial behavior, particularly violent crime and are more likely to become involved in criminal activity, do poorly in school and display various forms of problem behavior. Antisocial behavior in school, low achievement test scores, the identity of being learning disabled, and low grades all play important factor in the early use of alcohol and marijuana, and early sexual activity.

Many are at a crossroads in their lives and are drowning in mainstream society. With these being the most impressionable years in a young adults’ life, the temptation of using or selling drugs is overwhelming.  Most kids succumb to the pressures only because the opportunity of doing anything else is unavailable. Vocational opportunities are few and far between and programs that would allow them to earn a salary while learning a vocation are seemingly nonexistent. With our government cutting public funding across the board we must have a viable and cost alternative to programs that are already nonexistent. If we do not help these kids today they will either fill our prisons tomorrow, or become part of an already overburdened welfare system.

In response to the worsening situation, a growing number of programs are placing as much emphasis on teaching life skills like parenting, conflict resolution and character building as they are on teaching job skills. 3Genx will concentrate on young adults who are having the most difficulty in obtaining employment by enhancing their long-term employability through career development, mentorship, group and individual counseling, drug education and relapse prevention. Career development, work readiness and on-the-job training will provide the disenfranchised youth the opportunity to learn a trade while earning a salary and ensure their long-term employability through work training assignments.

While the primary focus of the program is career training and related education thru sponsor and mentorship, it will also include drug education, drug awareness and relapse prevention. Young adults would be assessed at program intake in terms of skill level, work history, school status, and any criminal/gang involvement.