MARLON SHACKELFORD
YOUTH SPECIALIST
NATIONAL RITES OF PASSAGE TRAINER
Peace Ambassadors is a term coined by Black Brothers Involvement/Black Sisters Involvement’s Street Souljahz Program to describe a group of older young people who have been recruited and trained in Conflict Mediation and Bully Control to offer peer mentoring and peer support for other young people within the schools and community at large. Their motto is, “We want to live in peace, not rest in peace.” They are also enlisted to serve as speakers within schools and youth serving organizations. They are first responsible for transforming their own lives and sharing their experiences with other youth. They are also required to maintain a 3.0 grade point average, complete 100 hours of community service and are encouraged to complete college, as higher education is strongly encouraged throughout our youth programs. Once their transformation has begun to take place and a visible change can be witnessed, youth can gain status as a peace ambassador.
At this point, the older youth listen to and encourage the younger youth by offering hope via messages, which convey the essence of “as long as there is life, there is hope and everyone’s life has a purpose.” They serve as the eyes, ears, and feet of the school.
Youth violence is a serious issue throughout Ohio and the nation. Unfortunately, violence in Dayton has engaged increasing numbers of young people in the region and should be seen as an extension of the larger problem of adult and family violence. Research suggests that violence is learned and is driven by expectations and norms. Dayton has been named #4 on a list of “Worst cities for jobs”, 18th on a list of “Most violent cities”, and is listed on the “Top Ten list of fastest dying cities.”
BLACK BROTHERS & SISTERS INVOLVEMENT
PO BOX 60515
DAYTON OHIO 45406
(937) 475 - 2707
PO BOX 60515
DAYTON OHIO 45406
(937) 475 - 2707