Tragedy has become commonplace for an overwhelmingly large number of today’s inner-city youths Drugs, violence, adolescent and teen pregnancy, and a host of other maladies devastate our youth to the point of dysfunction. If this devastation is left unchecked, it possesses the potential of robbing our young and the families of their vision, determination, and hope for a brighter future.
For this reason, Prodigal Sons and Daughters Ministries, Inc. (PS&D) was born. Our mission is to motivate children and young adults to move on from their past tragedy, move up to their talented potential, and move over into a triumphant future. Our motto is “It’s Better to Build a Child than to Repair an Adult.”
Conceptualized in 1995, this faith-based organization has provided services to the community and faith-based organizations, community and family centers, and public schools. This organization has implemented programs in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Atlanta, Georgia, to help youth and their families positively channel their anger, losses, and everyday challenges primarily through three major components:
The organization’s programs included (but are not limited to): Total Victory Life Skills Program, Total Victory Mentoring Program, The “I’m Still Here “Grief Assistance Program, and Conflict Managers Series, Development Center.
If you’re tired of worn-out humdrum programming for youth and their families, then PS&D is what you’re looking for. The programs are unique, innovative, and cutting-edge.
Mission Statement
Prodigal Sons and Daughters Ministries, Inc. seeks to motivate youth and their families to step on, step up and step over. Step on from their past tragedy. Step up to their talent potential. Step over into a triumphant future!
For more information, please contact:
Prodigal Sons and Daughters Ministries
Gloria Frazier, Founder
Programs Hosted by Prodigal Sons & Daughters
TOTAL VICTORY LIFE SKILLS SERIES
The Total Victory Life skills Series is designed to develop self-esteem, planning skills, capacity for responsibility, and the ability to self-motivate within the youth and teen parents. In addition, participants will gain parenting skills and be empowered to recognize and meet their own needs and those of their children. Group activities and workshops will be used to strengthen and foster an environment of achievement and growth. The style of service delivery is conducive to social learning, building self-esteem, and continuing motivation towards the program and desired goals.
The series will utilize the developmental stages of the caterpillar to serve as a guideline for the training curriculum. The Egg Stage will focus on the growth and development of individual progress. The Caterpillar Stage will focus on family relationships and interaction. The Chrysalis Stage will focus on spiritual growth and development. Participants will be challenged to develop a personal vision profile. This will include information about their perceived purpose and destiny. The Butterfly Stage will focus on developing job readiness skills while fulfilling their internship or community service assignment. And the I Believe I Can Fly Stage will focus on workforce development and retention. This program is designed to operate within 1 to 15 weekly sessions.
TOTAL VICTORY MENTORING PROGRAM
What happens in the family today will affect them tomorrow. Successful living can only be achieved through successful leading. The Total Victory Mentoring Program is devoted to helping youth achieve leadership through employment and education.
In the Total Victory Mentoring program, we strategically pair mentees with mentors in a one-year cycle of face-to-face sessions, quarterly fellowships, and professional workshops. Comprehensive action plans are designed to help each mentee achieve a healthy family unit, educational goals, employment and long-term career achievements, and overall success.
This program is unique in that its services and interaction with the family are geared toward encouraging the development of inter-dependence rather than meeting crisis-oriented needs. Each participant is paired up with a volunteer mentor, someone who has completed a volunteer training program and agreed to have a minimum of five hours of monthly contact with them. The mentor provides more individualized attention and support to the youth, which often cannot be obtained within group settings.
This program seeks to break the cycle of poverty and economic dependency, then enable the youth to be more productive in life.
The Total Victory Mentoring Program offers comfort, acceptance, sharing, and support, the elements necessary to motivate youth to achieve leadership now and for tomorrow.
I’M STILL HERE GRIEF ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Grief is a complicated process that not many truly understand. It occurs in stages, is accompanied by numerous emotions, and affects more than just those who have experienced loss because of death. Children, and adults impacted by loss of any nature, need assistance in working through the stages of the grieving process. It is for this reason that we have developed the Grief Assistance Program.
The “I’m Still Here” Grief Assistance Program offers activities designed to lift the spirits of those children and their families impacted by loss; not only through violent crime but through other societal maladies such as separation, divorce, sickness, disease, and death. Often, if left unattended, negative feelings and coping behaviors associated with loss can lead to behavioral problems in home or school, emotional deterioration, and academic decline.
This program will serve as a powerful resource, which will help to bring about healing and restoration in the lives of these children and their families. In addition, the program will provide information, and if needed, referral to counseling services to further aid survivors during their recovery process.
CONFLICT MANAGERS SERIES: Flip The Script
The purpose of this program is to teach young people and their families to understand conflict and develop effective ways to deal with conflict when it occurs.
The students will be called Conflict Managers. They will be trained to act as managers on the playground, in the classroom, for other students who have disputes, and in their everyday lives. The basic program includes these major teaching topics: The Conflict Manager Program, Cultural diversity, and Conflict, Communication skills, Feeling, Mediation Techniques, Dealing with Difficult Situations, and Being Your Own Mediator.
The program will have two trainers. It is divided into six sessions. The basic training consists of the first five sessions. The remaining one is the follow-up session. The program will be presented within a three-week period. The last session will be presented 4-6 weeks later. This will give the students an opportunity to practice the techniques in “real life.”
The goal of the Conflict Manager training program is to teach young people that “slugging it out” or running to adults for “the answer” may not be the best way to deal with conflict. The philosophy of this program is that young people themselves can take responsibility for resolving their problems.