A Day in the Life of a Gang Outreach Worker

Many of our Clubs sit in neighborhoods riddled with violence and our kids are never far away from the threat of yet another tragedy. In the past month several of our members have been witness to horrific shootings resulting in the deaths of family members and friends. Sometimes the weight of the pain and feeling of hopelessness to keep these awful things from happening could make even the most dedicated youth professional want to throw up their hands and say, "I give up!" Luckily, we have caring adults who realizing defeat is not an option. We are talking about the lives and the futures of our youth; kids we care about as if they were our own.

Miss Nancy

That is where Miss Nancy comes in. At Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland we have many dedicated and wonderful staff that support our kids every day. And one special group of staff are our gang outreach workers who go into schools and neighborhoods to mediate between rival gangs in an attempt to prevent violence and the inevitable retaliation that often follows. Miss Nancy is one of those people. She spends each day at high schools and on the streets around the city, meeting kids on their turf. On Monday I had the privilege of following her around East Tech High school. During those two short hours, I learned even more about the immense and heavy struggles our youth face. But that was not the only thing I took away from the experience. I saw how harsh descriptions of reality, mixed with stern words and a loving hug can guide troubled youth away from violence and towards hope.

The day began with Miss Nancy making the rounds on the third floor where the 9th graders were taking classes. Every student wandering the halls during class was immediately identified, given a hug, and told without hesitation, "Get back to class now." The rest of the morning was spent going to a few different classrooms where there were frank discussions about the realities of prison, the importance of education, and the reason each teacher deserved the respect of their students. It was truly a no-holds-barred approach.

What most impressed me was the respect that Miss Nancy received from each of the kids. One minute she may be in a student's face explaining why their disruptive behavior was unacceptable, and the next minute they were giving her a hug as she told them how much she loved them. It just demonstrated what we all know but sometimes forget---just yelling at a kid and telling them right from wrong will not be nearly as effective if it is not coupled with love and respect.

Perhaps the most touching moment came at the end of a class when Miss Nancy noticed a student with his head down at the back of the classroom. She gave him a hug and asked him what was the matter. He told her he had not eaten in two days and there was no food in the house. Miss Nancy sprung into action, finding the lunchroom staff and getting him food immediately. He soon returned to class where he was able to concentrate and engage in the discussion. She told me later that particular student came from a family of seven children and had a single, unemployed mom. She made a note to call around and see what she could do to get some food in the house.

The purpose of the outreach program is to identify gang members or youth at-risk of gang involvement. Our outreach staff then work to meet the needs of those individuals; whether it is employment, OGT tutoring, securing food or shelter, or even washing uniforms so they can be presentable at work. No need is too small...because when a young man or woman sees that there are adults out there that understand their struggles and care about their success, they realize the "love" they get from the gang is not real. They realize they are worth something to someone who will never demand they commit a crime or start a fight. They realize they can make something of themselves if they just use the tools they are given.

It is only when we give our youth a sense of self-worth that we can start to address the problems of violence. And that is what Miss Nancy is doing, one kid at a time.