Pilot Program Offers Hope to Struggling Young Men

Currently, 406 young men from New Jersey ages 13 to 19 are incarcerated for criminal offenses, according to a report from the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission.

Many of these youths, somewhere between 50 and 70 percent, are or will be repeat offenders, reentering correctional facilities within two to three years after leaving, as per a 2009 report by the Justice Policy Institute.

 “It was so depressing to see so many young–especially African American or Hispanic–males incarcerated,” said Randolph D. Sconiers, a state licensed clinical social worker who worked briefly at a correctional facility for boys in Jamesburg, N.J.

But Sconiers has a plan for breaking the cycle. Beginning in late July, he will offer a pilot program, Project EmpowerMENt, to troubled young men from the New Brunswick area.

“I said, ‘you know what, I’m going to take the chance and leave this position–my first position out of grad school–and try to do as much as I can on the outside to stop the recidivism rate,’” Sconiers said. “It was a cycle of kids that went out and was just coming back in, and that’s what sparked this program.”

Sconiers has geared his pilot program towards adolescent males between 14 and 18 years old who are experiencing difficulty in the areas of impulsivity, conduct, social skills, educational difficulties, and decision making.

Project EmpowerMENt is aimed at encouraging these youths to learn the importance of self-empowerment, empathy, and self-confidence and to become successful leaders within their communities in spite of whatever statistics, circumstances, or obstacles stand in their way, he said.

 “A lot of the kids feel like they can’t ever get out of those situations because a lot of it is intergenerational­–it’s been this way so long,” Sconiers said. “So just trying to teach them, in spite of your issues, in spite of what your parents did or what your family background is or your community is, things you can do to work your way through it, to empower them to work their way out.”

This will be accomplished through open-discussions, worksheets, media, role-play, and creative activities, he said.

The pilot program will take place on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Middlesex County Youth Advocacy Program office at 94 Church St., with transportation and breakfast provided.

Through requiring a 13-week commitment from these young men, Sconiers believes the program will empower youths to accomplish their goals and actualize their dreams.

“A lot of these kids, their dreams are what’s going to keep them going,” he said.

Each of the 13 weeks is represented by a letter in the “EMPOWERMENT” acronym. For example, the first “M” stands for “Motion.”

During the “Motion” week, the young men will learn about the importance of staying active and in motion by participating in positive activities.

“We’re trying to get kids to realize you need to plan your activities out. If you don’t, you’re more likely to find yourself in situations you don’t want to be in,” Sconiers said.

“There’s more to life than just hanging out and waiting for something to occur,” he continued.

Activities could include discovering new interests, exploring free public spaces such as a library, or perusing a book shop for literature about their interests or hobbies.

“We’re trying to raise the bar, but at the same time allow kids to be who they are,” Sconiers said. “They don’t have to lose themselves to be a person of integrity and excellence.”

During the 13 weeks, the young men will be required to keep in contact with Sconiers and his team at least twice a week between sessions.

 “A lot of times kids will come to a group and you don’t talk to them for a whole 'nother week, and in between so many things go wrong,” he said.

Trouble prevention is one reason sessions will take place on Saturday mornings. Sconiers said weekend nights are when youths get into the most trouble. The benefits of attending weekly sessions, however, should far outweigh youths’ desires to be disorderly the night before, he said.

In addition, the program would lend itself to preventing dangerous behavior by instructing the young men in how to practically resolve conflict.

“Instead of trying to solve problems by using negative words–and in a lot of cases, it has become the norm to use violence to resolve problems for a lot of these kids–it’s just getting them to understand you can resolve an issue with your words,” Sconiers said.

While the program is currently open to local young men interested in self-development, Sconiers hopes his program will expand to being part of the discharge and rehabilitation plan for liberated young men.

The program is currently structured to educate six to eight young men in a supportive group setting.

“I don’t want to be one of those programs that get lost in quantity versus quality,” Sconiers said.

The pilot program will cost $30 for each session. Included in the cost are rewards for participation and attendance, breakfast, materials, certificates, and a graduation dinner.

“I want people to look at this as an investment–especially parents and guardians–to look at it as an investment in their kids' lives,” he said. “Why a $125 pair of sneakers and not a class to empower their kids to achieve more?”

Anyone interested in the program may contact Randolph D. Sconiers at randysconiers@newstepscounselingllc.com, (848) 391-3704, or through Facebook or Twitter.