MONTHLY SPOTLIGHTS
SHARING OUR STORIES OF IMPACT.
Passport to Manhood Building Young Men
Adolescent boys growing up in the U.S. today face more challenges than ever before in the transition to adulthood. Passport to Manhood is a rites of passage program designed to guide boys on their journey to manhood, supporting them as they begin to let go of adolescent ways of thinking and acting, face various challenges that call on their strength and resilience and consciously adopt the attitudes and behaviors of adulthood.
It is built on three pillars: building a young man’s sense of self and purpose, a sense of the importance of family, and a sense of leadership and responsibility to the community. The Passport to Manhood Program utilizes the latest research on boys in their adolescent and teen years to foster positive values and responsible behavior in youth, giving them practice in making healthy decisions related to their physical, cognitive, emotional and social development. As participants build and practice life skills for decision-making, conflict resolution and healthy relationships, boys learn the essential attitudes, values and skills needed to help them grow into productive and responsible adult men.
The program instills a strong moral compass to guide boys 8-to-12-years-old and 13-to-17-years-olds on their journeys from adolescence to adulthood. It’s designed to share the understanding, skills and strategies needed to make a successful transition to adulthood. Without clear guidance in the areas shared below, boys are left to adopt ideas of masculinity they find in the broader pop culture.
- Vision of positive manhood
- Clear sense of identity and self-esteem
- Ability to make positive, values-based decisions and choices
- Strategies and motivation for academic success
- Understanding of health and wellness
- Practices for responding to authority
- Ways to relate to and communicate with girls
- Understanding of positive fatherhood
- Tools to explore career possibilities
- Appreciation of diversity
- Skills for communication, conflict and cooperation
- Understanding of personal responsibility and leadership
Each boy is on a journey to himself and his purpose in life. The goal of the journey is for each boy to become aware of his unique gifts, seek ways to contribute to his family and learn how to become a valuable member of the community. As they undertake this journey, boys are encouraged by male mentors and peers and, at the end, return with a greater sense of self and purpose, an increased awareness of their own inner resources and a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man. Mentors can make a significant difference in enhancing and increasing the possibility of academic success through tutoring youth, encouraging regular attendance, helping to improve their attitudes toward school and offering emotional support.
Research clearly confirms the societal benefits of mentoring efforts with youth, detailing that youth mentoring programs reduced first-time drug use by almost 50 percent and first-time alcohol use by 33 percent.
The mentoring component of Passport to Manhood gives adolescent boys the opportunity to reach their full potential through a structured and trusting relationship with a mentor who helps them develop their competence, confidence, connection, character and contribution. Studies have shown consistently that children and adolescents benefit greatly from the positive influence of caring adults in their lives. This program provides an ideal opportunity to connect youth with role models and mentors who can offer guidance on the road to manhood, including goals and hope for the future.
