Derrick Brooks Charities Youth Programs (DBCYP) is designed to reduce the number of juveniles who become involved in the criminal justice system by empowering them with protective and resiliency factors that encourage respect and responsibility for self, family, community, education and personal achievement. Our primary function is to serve as a deterrent to youth who are at risk of not reaching their full potential. It is not our intent to reinvent services already available to youth. However, we will serve as a catalyst to provide the necessary linkage between program services and client needs.
Recognizing the importance of parental commitment to the success of their children, we attempt to link parental / guardian involvement with youth participants. The parent /guardian of each youth will be requested to sign an agreement fully committing to the philosophy of DBCYP.
We offer behavior youth services in the areas of:
Gang Prevention Education/Bullying
This component strives to reduce the risk factors for youth joining criminal gangs by providing them with appropriate intervention services. Ideal participants are students in the public school system, juvenile justice system, have a history of family violence and incarceration, etc.
Teen Summits
Youth participate in Teen Summits one (1) Saturday per month discussing issues that they deem important. Local volunteer speakers are utilized to discuss their areas of expertise and present various career opportunities. The youth also participate in various community service activities.
Behavior Modification Training
This weekly program is open to youth between the ages of 10 and 18 who are at-risk for making antisocial decisions. Referrals are made by school and juvenile justice officials as well as parents and faith based institutions. Youth and their parents are provided with training from a curriculum that includes:
Anger Management
Self-esteem Building
Refusal Skills
Crime Prevention
Resisting Negative Peer Pressure
Tutoring
Qualified, trained volunteers provide tutoring in math, language arts, and science to members of the Wilbur Davis Boys and Girls Club. The tutoring component is aimed at increasing the chances of clients graduating from high school by focusing on the aforementioned subjects.
Employability Skills Training /Job Placement Services
Participants - who are fourteen (14) years of age or older participate in these quarterly workshops. Upon completion of the training, clients over the age of sixteen (16) are referred to available job openings.
Parenting Skills Training
Primary caregivers of the program’s clients participate in quarterly training workshops. The discussion topics are relevant to the concerns of the attendees. The sessions are conducted in a non-judgmental atmosphere. Parents who complete the training are encouraged to participate in a recognition ceremony.
Community Bridge Building
Monthly meetings / workshops are held to discuss significant crime issues and prevention strategies as they relate to the Crime Prevention and Intervention Program. Meetings / workshops are open to all interested parties.
Community / Church / School Events
Program staff and volunteers deliver behavior modification and self-esteem building classes to youth and parenting classes to adults in different settings every week.
Gender Specific Programs
Youth between the ages of 10 – 18 years old who are interested in building their self-esteem and improving their personal development skills can join the following program:
1. Social Responsibility and Character Building
The program will consist of educational workshops that address conflict resolution, peer pressure, decision making, anger and aggression management, crime prevention, drug abuse prevention and refusal skills training consistent with a value based social conforming curriculum. Program staff will conduct a comprehensive curriculum designed to uplift positive social behavior, improve decision making skills, and build refusal skills. There is one component for females and one for males.
2. Rites of Passage Program
Gender specific discussions and workshops are offered to assist youth in the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Sessions are separated by gender.
2010 - 2011 Program Accomplishments:
· Met or exceeded all programs goals of assisting youth in developing positive self-esteem, resist negative peer pressure and take responsibility for their educational and vocational goals.
· Conducted thirty (30) classes for the Juvenile Diversion/Teen Court Program Court for first time juvenile offenders.
· Served approximately 3,000 youth in ten (10) schools; two (2) Neighborhood Service Centers; Wilbur Davis Boys and Girls Club; and Juvenile Diversion/Teen Court Program.
· Civic engagement Trip to Tallahassee to for youth to learn the legislative process.
· Cultural field trip to Eatonville, FL - America's first black city. Attended the Zora Neal Hurston Cultural Arts Festival.
· Attended the National Urban League Teen Leadership Summit in Washington, DC where youth met and listened to speeches from President Barack Obama, Maya Angelou, Ervin “Magic” Johnson, singer/actor Common and other influential citizens.
· Served on the Steering Committee for the 26th National Conference on Preventing Crime In The Black Committee in Miami, FL sponsored by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
· Partnered with the Wilbur Davis Boys and Girls Club for literary, tutoring in after-school component.
· Partnered with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at Edison Elementary School for literacy, tutoring component in the BOOKED Program.
· Partnered with the Les Peters Halfway House for Employability Skills Training.
· Partnered with New Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Bethel AME Church for Black History Month.
· Conducted Female and Male Summits at Middleton High School. Conducted Male Summits at Blake High School and Tomlin Middle School.
· Awarded the 2010 Ann Mackey Award for Classroom Speaking by Hillsborough County Schools SERVE volunteer organization.
· Appointed as Vice Chair of the Florida Attorney General Gang Prevention Task Force in Region 7.
DBCYP offers Teen Summits every 3rd Saturday at the Lee Davis Neighborhood Service Center. A free Parenting Support Group runs concurrent with the Teen Summits every 3rd Saturday of the month. Weekly Behavior Modification Training Sessions for youth and parents are conducted weekly at the West Tampa Neighborhood Service Center on Thursdays and the Lee Davis Neighborhood Service Center on Mondays. All services are free of charge and parents are strongly encouraged to participate.
Tutoring is offered weekly for members of the Wilbur Davis Boys and Girls Club.
Upcoming 2011 - 2012 Program Highlights:
Partner with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and Hillsborough Kids, Inc., (HKI) to host the Derrick Brooks Camp For Champions Wellness and Fitness Program for youth in August 2011.
Thirty-five (35) youth and ten (10) adults will travel to Orlando, FL in January 2012 to participate in the Zora Neal Hurston Festival.
Twenty (20) youth and four (4) adults will attend a college tour of Bethune-Cookman University; Florida A&M University; Florida State University; and the University of Florida in 2012.
DBCYP will co-host of the Florida 27th National Conference On Preventing Crime In The Black Community in Tampa, FL in May/June 2012.
For more information, please contact darrell@derrickbrookscharities.org
Derrick Brooks Charities Youth Program
3402 North 22nd St, Suite 223
Tampa, FL 33605
Phone: 813.241.1415
Fax: 813.272.6823 or 813.242.2528
darrell.b.daniels@gmail.com
william.z.knowles@gmail.com