|
Communities across the country are concerned. We are watching a troubling trend toward increasing drug and alcohol use by students - college, high school, even middle and elementary schools. And with this, an increase in the incidents of violence and property damage. Citizens' meetings in communities and schools, people are asking themselves: "What can we do?" With budget a concern in virtually every state and university, and no real sense of how to address the deeper psycho-social issues that give rise to this dysfunctional behavior, institutions vacillate between laissez-faire and zero-tolerance. Obviously, neither approach has any significant impact on healing the issues and creating positive behavior. To our knowledge, there is no program like this being offered anywhere in the country. Young men in our culture struggle to create a life with deep meaning and purpose, to develop a sense of healthy masculine identity that includes emotional literacy and social conscience. The psychological and social issues are complex and multi-layered, and the idea of a simple singular solution is naïve at best. Yet we believe that the successful work that we have done with men of all ages over the last 20 years offers a hopeful example of a program that works. We are now choosing to turn our attention to these young men, our very future, for it is in their hands that our collective destiny is held. The overall intention of this training is in direct alignment with the values of integrity, stewardship, civic engagement & responsibility, and diversity & global awareness. The immediate impact upon the university and its community is increased safety, healthier behavior, and greater self-esteem leading to higher rates of progression and retention. The long-term implications are staggering. One need only look at recent events at a growing number of universities, or the violence in professional sports, to realize that men's athletic programs, both at the amateur and professional levels, need an infusion of creative options to offset the growing violence. We believe we have just such a program. |
 |
