The Power of Caring Adults
By Milton J. Little, Jr. and David Shapiro
The summer weather predictably has heated up the rhetoric about preventing youth violence. And while the ensuing call for more funding for more police presence and more summer jobs for youth was necessary and is worthy of support, it is not the only solution.
Adolescence is a challenging time. We commonly accept that toddlers and preschoolers develop by testing the limits of their independence – and the patience of those who care for them. Youth development is also marked by common behavioral characteristics – touchpoints that happen regardless of class, race, geography or academic standing. Taking risks, seeking excitement and striving to fit in with peers are behaviors that, at their most benign, are “chalked up” to the journey of growing up. At their most extreme, these behaviors can lead to violence and destructive behavior.
But work in neuroscience is shedding important new light on why young people exhibit these challenging behaviors. This science demonstrates that significant brain growth and development occurs in late childhood and again in the late teens. We are now learning that some of the patterns considered characteristic of school-age youth appear to rise from changes occurring in the brain during this period of life.
Society can guide adolescents through that period when their risky behaviors seem to them so natural despite enormous consequences. There is a growing body of research within the fields of mentoring and youth development that shows that teens who are consistently surrounded by a stable environment and caring adults - parents, teachers, coaches, camp counselors, youth workers, mentors or other adult friends- are more likely to positively channel the energies that come from these spurts in brain growth and find success as adults.
They are motivated to learn and do better in school, have a better sense of themselves and their future, accept responsibility for themselves and others and are more resilient at fending off negative pressure from peers. For instance, according to research on Big Brothers Big Sisters, kids who complete one year in a mentoring relationship, compared to their peers without mentors, are a third less likely to engage in violence.
We’ve seen the results of applying this research first hand. Last summer a youth employment initiative in Chelsea created opportunities for adult volunteers and parents to play key roles in the lives of community youth, acting as mentors and chaperones. The decrease of youth violence in Chelsea was seen right away. In the fall, almost immediately after the program was over, we witnessed a spike in violent behavior. We’ve studied the research. We’ve seen the effects of these positive relationships in Chelsea and all over eastern Massachusetts. But while our region has a host of leading mentoring programs, many of these programs still have one child on their waiting lists for every two in a match. We must apply this approach on an even larger scale.
Public officials and business leaders can build upon efforts such as the collaboration between United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Mass Mentoring Partnership and the work of other community partners by creating practices and policies that encourage their employees to get actively involved with youth. Businesses with existing corporate volunteer programs that help their employees find the time to work with the community should be applauded and held up as models for others.
While this approach to youth development is the cornerstone of our two organization’s efforts, we are not suggesting that relationship building take the place of community policing, street outreach or summer jobs programs. We are fortunate to have a strong network of police, city street workers, nonprofits and faith-based organizations. But they need our help. What we’re offering is a research-driven incentive for each of us to think more deeply about our responsibility to help change violent behaviors by playing a more active role in the lives of youth.
Our community has the capacity and the will to do more to help young people succeed. Access to strong relationships with adults requires mainly human capital, not large financial resources. We believe that building this effort – one adult, one youth at a time – can give our young people the social and emotional supports they need to succeed in school and beyond.
Sadly, the story of escalating violence each summer is too familiar. Let’s collectively vow to stop this headline from appearing next year by investing in the lives of our children now.
Milton J. Little, Jr. is president and chief executive officer of United Way of Massachusetts Bay. David Shapiro is chief executive officer of Mass Mentoring Partnership.