Model and Strategy
EFSA is seeking to double the number of Ever Forward Clubs it runs over the next two years. These after-school clubs for at-risk young men give Black and Latino high school males the means to build positive connections and support themselves through high school. All young men who have committed to the club have graduated from high school, and many have enrolled in and persisted in four-year colleges.
By supporting young at-risk men through their high school years and getting them to high school graduation and college, Ever Forward Clubs greatly increases the life choices available to its members. Only 55% of Black and Latino students graduate from high school in six years, and nearly 60% of dropouts in that group end up in prison. Study after study have shown that completion of each tier of education greatly increases lifetime earnings, so bringing the Ever Forward Club to 10 more schools will greatly increase the employment potential of 250 young men.
Impact
Ever Forward-Siempre Adelante believes the reason that young men in urban communities are not achieving to the level of their potential is because their social context and family history discourage them from investing in their education and channeling negative emotions properly. We address these issues by bringing young men together in clubs at their school led by a male who understands their issues. In these weekly after-school meetings (dubbed the Ever Forward Club), young men work through our proprietary social-emotional learning curriculum to build trust with each other, open up about their challenges at school and home and ask for support, learn that being vulnerable and expressing emotion are not signs of weakness, and re-commit to graduating from high school and attending post-secondary school or training.
By bringing young men together in a brotherhood led by a male mentor, they gain a positive image of masculinity that counteracts societies hype-masculine narrative. Their mentor is a member of the school staff so they have access even outside of weekly meetings. Club members engage in a multi-year rites program that reinforce their commitment to success and to each other. Our annual college trip brings members to colleges often for the first time and helps them envision themselves attending college. This combination of social-emotional learning experiences on the school site keeps our members on track to graduate and attend college and helps them weather family trauma in a healthy manner, enabling them to grow into leaders in their families and communities.
Leadership
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Ashanti Branch
Founder & Executive Director