Lifeplan Institute | 10 Million Teenagers in 10 Years

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2010-04-19T14:36:00.001-07:00

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Lifeplan with Aloha

2010-04-05T10:46:00.000-07:00

This month's musing comes from Lydia Clements (Director of Neighbor Island Philanthropic Services for the Hawai'i Community Foundation) who will inspire a new group of Lifeplan Ninjas in Hawai'i on April 7-8.
-- Aloha nui, Andy

The aloha spirit of Hawai'i is world-renowned and the values held by those of us who call Hawai'i home contribute greatly to that spirit. The values of 'ohana (extended family group that emphasizes cooperation and support) and kuleana (blessings and the resulting responsibility) are key components of the very tangible aloha spirit, as well as key drivers of the emerging movement to bring Lifeplan to Hawai'i.

Although I have been a member of the Hawai'i community for only four years, I am blessed with many generous and knowledgeable teachers and friends who continually guide me through lessons, experiences and opportunities that are helping me understand the beautiful and powerful 'Hawaiian Way'. In our efforts to understand what role mentoring and Lifeplan might have in our local community on Hawai'i Island, the values of teamwork and 'ohana are guiding lights. I have learned to value a group of connected and committed people who share a goal - no matter the composition of that group, how much time it may take the group to form, or how well the agenda is managed.

There is an African proverb that says, "If you want to go fast, go alone...if you want to go far, go together." We are aiming to go far, so we invite, encourage and allow involvement of community members on a wide scale. Through a series of 'talk story' meetings, we have discussed local youth development needs and resources, we have reviewed the Lifeplan, and we have defined ways to mobilize action.

Some people are supportive and have only words of encouragement to offer, others are curious but jaded by a variety of concerns about methods and outcomes, and yet others are inspired and are committing their time and resources now. We need all of those contributors in our circle - in our 'ohana - because each offers an important perspective that enriches our effort...and it models some of the most powerful leadership skills (including diverse voices and developing one's 'ohana) that youth can utilize in their own lives.

As I was growing up, my parents continually shared a saying with me, "There is no freedom without responsibility." This is one way of highlighting that blessings in life convey a responsibility...which is one of the interpretations of the Hawaiian value of kuleana.

As our group mobilizes to bring ourselves into more direct, supportive contact with our local youth through Lifeplan, it appears to me to be motivated by a sense of kuleana for each of us. Some of us are parents, others are teachers in some capacity, and others are community members who care and feel they have a resource at their disposal that they want to share. But the act of giving, the act of caring...is coming from a deep recognition of our blessings and our corresponding responsibility that moves the action.

And act we are! On April 7 & 8, we are offering the first Lifeplan Ninja Training for interested community members and are currently expecting over 60 participants. We will continue to go together as an 'ohana and support everyone's individual efforts. We will continue to be motivated by our kuleana to the youth in our communities and in our families...recognizing the blessings that allow us to give back in this way. We are infusing every step of our Lifeplan work with aloha spirit!

Aloha nui,
Lydia K. Clements
Director of Neighbor Island Philanthropic Services
Hawai'i Community Foundation

Gratitude

2010-03-12T09:59:00.000-08:00

The journey of building the Lifeplan program has been, and continues to be, extraordinary. Over the past decade there has been much help, for which I'm very grateful.

William Price and Evelyn Freed generously underwriting our work. Jim Kooler, John Hoskins, Doug Pratt, and Tim Rose providing the unceasing insights, expertise, and energy that is guiding the informed growth of this project. The constant surprise of people walking through the door and saying, "I would like to help!"

Our tribe of Ninjas has been one of the most recent additions, committed to making Lifeplan a reality for every teenager in America. Led by a few Master Ninjas like Rob Jackson, Cindy Domanowski, Tenora Grigsby, Glenn Jackson, Janis Keely, Marlena Ascher, Leslie Krehnbrink, Cindy Carlton, Christina Gartelos, and Barry Mitsch, this extraordinary group of 30 Ninjas is deployed nationwide. They are making the Lifeplan training accessible to every school and every youth development program in America.

There is also a "backroom team" that makes all this work possible. It includes Debbie Whitted, Julie Wolpers, Laura Daly, Paula Doubleday, and others who I owe a huge thank you and hugs of appreciation for making sure the daily details are done perfectly.

I'm not sure all the strategic plans, budgets, and good intentions can ever guarantee success. But I do know now that the Lifeplan program works! And works really well.

For four decades, I've watched the government and experts build programs that talk to kids, give them slogans, and preach at them. I now see that nothing short of being involved with our kids --helping them explore their choices, decisions and consequences-- will give them the true opportunity of having a living, breathing Lifeplan.
I'm grateful for that awareness. And I'm grateful for the people who are helping to build Lifeplan, the kids who inspire us every day, and the terrific outcomes that those same young people are going to achieve throughout their lives.

All the best,
Andy

An Extraordinary Gift of Inspiration

2010-02-11T14:06:00.000-08:00

By now, I'm confident you've all seen the unforgettable TV spots produced by The Foundation For A Better Life. This work was inspired by Phil Anschutz of Denver, Colorado.

Mr. Anschutz did this for all the right reasons. He wasn't looking for personal recognition. He just wanted to inspire all of us to live our best values and "pay it forward." He modeled his own values of caring and generosity by funding this exceptional foundation and its powerful messages of inspiration.

These spots are the best media offerings I have ever seen to kindle the best of our nature. How resonant they are to everything we wish to instill in our kids-those we mentor and coach, and all the young people we are helping grow a Lifeplan.

One of our Lifeplan exercises asks kids to identify their top three values and then use them throughout the other learning modules as criteria for making choices and decisions. I use the Foundation's TV spots to reinforce this learning and the sheer majesty of living your values. The kids have been terrifically moved by the spots, just as I have been moved by Mr. Anschutz's extraordinary gift that helps us all strive to live by our values.

Wednesday is my favorite day of the week because it's the day I teach the Lifeplan course at my wife's school. As I navigate this journey together with the kids, I am in awe of the authentic growth of their awareness about living in the moment, realizing the frequency of choices they face, and using their values when making decisions. I invite the kids to keep a journal for a week and log one experience each day that reflects one of their top values. When kids share a week's worth of these journal entries, it's wonderful to hear their pride in what they've done. More importantly, I ask what they've learned. The universal response is that they learn they have choices in what they do, and that decisions affect them and others-right away and perhaps long-term-and thus have consequences. "We need to be aware and not just wing it," said one. And that says it all.

I want to offer a huge acknowledgement to The Foundation for a Better Life and their work that is supporting all the positive youth development efforts across our country. Visit their website at www.values.com and click on the TV spots. They are indeed a treasure to share.

All the best,
Andy

Always Celebrate!

2010-01-12T10:10:00.000-08:00

As we look forward with eager anticipation to the joys of a new year, we should be mindful of another of life's "secrets" that we often neglect. For what keeps us fueled for life's serious responsibilities are the regular, ongoing, memorable occasions that serve as venues for a wonderful mantra: Always Celebrate!

Celebration is a life secret that benefits us all. The ritual of celebration not only brings us joy, but also requires us to pause and reflect in a way that often brings a profound clarity. When I think of this, I am reminded of T.S. Eliot's words in "Little Gidding" (from Four Quartets):

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.

A celebratory mindset also helps us advance in the face of life's many challenges. We can acknowledge and meet these hurdles by approaching every day, every occasion, and every obstacle with fresh eyes. And with laughter!

Laughter reminds us that no matter how solitary our pursuit or how frustrating the event, we are never truly alone. Other fellow life travelers are facing the same speed bumps, and we share with each other the sheer wonder of this human path.

So in this season of renewal, as we usher in a new year, let us embrace with our children, families, and friends. Let us resolve to celebrate and to laugh. And in so doing, to honor the wonder that is our shared humanity.

All the best,
Andy

The Greatest Gift

2009-12-10T07:40:00.000-08:00

Especially during this traditional season of giving, I'm reminded of an idea that underlies many of the life secrets I described in my last Musing: giving the greatest gift of all to our children -- our time.

I'm speaking about meaningful, insightful, one-on-one time with young people. Quality time that demonstrates we understand what's really on kids' minds. Caring time during which we offer wisdom, options, and food for thought.

Do you often feel that kids are tuned-out and don't want your time? Well, although it sometimes seems that teenaged ears are shut, they're not. Kids hear and see everything. It takes awareness and time on our part to pass along the lessons we've learned, such as the wisdom that "stuff happens" and how one responds to life's speed bumps is what matters.

The wonderful notion of "paying it forward" invites us to invest our time with young people -- our own children as well as those we mentor, coach, and teach. And believe me, the rewards will be great. This is a gift that keeps on giving; as kids apply your wisdom and insight to better define and refine their lives, they will influence and inspire others.

My grandfather was fond of reminding me that the loudest statement we can make about the world we envision is what we do in our own lives. So it is with kids: how we respond to our own life challenges makes a huge difference to the young people we hope to guide. For example, do challenges make us angry and negative, or do we deal with problems responsibly and keep a positive outlook? When devoting time to kids, always be aware that it's more what we model in our own lives than what we say.

Thoreau used to write that there is no beginning too small. His friend William James would add that whatever we do should be done if it makes a difference. So take a small step that truly does make a difference. During this time of year, and always, warm a young person's heart by giving the greatest gift of all -- your time. You'll find that your own heart is greatly warmed in the process.

Happy Holidays,
Andy

Secrets Meant to be Shared

2009-11-20T08:38:00.000-08:00

You've heard me say that the process of creating a personal plan for life includes considering some important secrets -- the kind meant to be shared.

Shared? When the essence of secrets is that they are not to be told?

Well, there are some life secrets that could benefit all of us, especially young people, so why not cast them broad and wide? In fact, generations of children at my wife Kate's school learned these secrets early on. I have seen firsthand how well this wisdom has served them, which is one reason why the secrets are at the core of the Lifeplan process. And while they may appear simple, I believe in these secrets and relish every time I hear my wife share them with her young students. They are:

Be thoughtful
Be honest
Care about others
Be connected to family
Save a little each month
Be generous with your positive spirit
Make a difference -- and believe you can make a difference
Learn from the speed bumps

And Kate always adds: "When the world would have you act cool, BE WARM!"

When I wrote the Lifeplan book, I frequently felt like Merlin. As you recall, Merlin lived backwards and was thus capable of guiding young Arthur through the travails we all face. So it is in life for every young person: stuff happens. However it's not the challenges themselves, but how we respond to challenges that defines us and lays the path for our lives.

No wonder I felt like Merlin; the secrets I've described are a similar kind of guide. They're a look backwards from the more seasoned of us, a gift of experience and wisdom that can help young people move forward and successfully navigate their increasingly complex world.

The self-discovery learning experiences of the Lifeplan process give young people insight into these secrets and help them turn these ideas into life assets. I will explore this more in my next Musing.

All the best,
Andy

Isolation

2009-11-03T20:22:00.000-08:00

Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung once exchanged animated letters discussing the "three major wounds" of mankind.

Freud contended that the first wound occurred when Copernicus discovered we were not the center of the universe. He said the second wound came when Darwin discovered we had not descended from the heavens, but had instead ascended from the apes. Finally, Freud humbly attributed to himself the discovery that a sea of dark conflicts exists in the deep reaches of the mind.

Carl Jung wrote back and said that for all great wounds there are great healings. Through Copernicus, we discovered we were part of something more vast and wondrous than we had ever imagined. From Darwin, we found kinship with all living things. Even Freud, while discovering much going on far down in the mind, brought forth the wonderful discovery of a depth more incredible than we had ever thought.

Well, those three wounds may have included "healings." But I submit that in the past four decades, we have experienced a fourth wound - isolation - that is far from being healed.

Few would argue that the pace and technology of modern life are increasing our isolation. Our daily commutes have grown from minutes to, very often, hours. Our TV consumption has grown from one to nearly eight hours a day. Time we spend playing electronic games, on the computer, texting, on the phone, etc. has walled us off from face-to-face engagement - and those walls keep getting higher. We all watch this happening. We do nothing

But here's the real danger: for kids, there is no greater wound than feeling isolated. The consequences of this wound are to drop out of school, join a gang, become a teen parent, abuse drugs.

So what can we do? How can we heal this wound that is festering in our young people?

All the talking, pamphlets, and slogans in the world have not, and will not, mitigate this wound. Only getting involved with our kids will. And that's what mentoring does. Mentoring is the most potent youth development asset we have to address the needs of the 15 million kids who woke up today without a caring adult in their lives.

Lifeplan was created so that a mentor-or a teacher, coach, or even parent-can create the kind of relationship with a young person that replaces isolation. Instead of being alone and trying to survive, Lifeplan helps young people get involved, develop their life's path, and THRIVE. That's a "great healing" that our young people so poignantly deserve.

All the best,
Andy

Involve Me

2009-10-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

Years ago, I spent a few weeks in Alaska working with native leaders on a drug prevention initiative in response to epidemic levels of drug use by the local kids.

As in the rest of the Lower 48, most of the Alaskan drug prevention effort up to this point had involved talking TO kids via pamphlets, slogans — anything short of being truly involved and engaged with the young people. Needless to say, drug use levels were barely affected.

But this time would be different. During our discussion, one of the native elders said, “Instead of pulling the casualties out downstream, let’s walk upstream and see what is pushing our children into the forging river."

It was an extraordinary moment. Following this logic, the elders observed that their young people had lost all connection to their spiritual heritage. In the native Alaskan world, this heritage included reverence for the land, hunting, making things, contributing to the well being of the village, and being a good role model for those younger than you.

The new initiative would address far more than drugs and would be all-inclusive, involving everyone in the village. The elders summarized the context of the new initiative by saying, "If you tell me, I will forget. Show me, and I might remember. Involve me, and I will understand.” With that, all members of the village — old, young, male, female — came together and envisioned a process for rediscovering their connection to everything. That gave birth to what became known as Spirit Camps. These native people felt that their spirits had been rekindled by everyone rejoining in this collective effort.

All the local kids were included, engaged, involved. And the initiative bore fruit. Two years later, addiction rates in the villages that implemented this initiative dropped dramatically.

When I reflect on this experience, it fuels my zeal for the potential of Lifeplan. Over four decades, our federal, state, and local governments have spent more than $500 billion to address the four social epidemics young people face today: drug abuse, teen pregnancy, joining gangs, and dropping out of school. We invested in talking TO kids, it didn’t work, so we spent more on the same thing. And round and round.

Now we know that being involved WITH kids, in activities like mentoring, produces the positive outcomes we’ve always yearned for. With Lifeplan, we have a breathtaking new way to grow mentoring opportunities. Because it involves young people in creating their own destiny, Lifeplan not only helps them survive that forging river — it helps them thrive.

And that should warm the spirit in us all.

All the best,
Andy

What's At the Core

2009-09-01T12:39:00.000-07:00

We want each young person's Lifeplan to be personal, meaningful, a thing of great pride, embracing, effective, thrillingly powerful, and successful!

That's why the process of creating a personal plan for life - the true core of the effort - includes considering life's values, success factors, and secrets.

Together, these factors form the personal compass that each young person uses to make decisions as he or she navigates down life's path.

Values? When a Lifeplan trainer/facilitator, mentor, parent, teacher and/or coach partners with young people, they work through a wonderful process together: discussing a group of values. My personal experience confirms what a thrilling and enlightening experience this is for young people.

The values include things like ambition, strength, tolerance, trust, family, environment, creativity, vision, respect, responsibility, and perseverance. Whew! Also: sharing, service, loyalty, self-esteem, optimism, love, integrity, friendship, hard work, gratitude, hope, honesty, diversity, courage, and cooperation. Plus many, many more. Young people prioritize these values and create their own unique set. They use the set as a personal compass that guides their Lifeplan and helps them make decisions as they move along life's path.

Success factors? These are the elements of success that are key to building a truly effective plan for a young person's life. They include Character Development and Ethics, Community Service, Study Skills, Drug and Alcohol Issues, Nutrition, Health Promotion, Career Planning and Entrepreneurship, and Financial Literacy. But that's just a beginning. More of these success factors surface as each young person uses the Lifeplan web university to study, network with peers - even name a personal Board of Directors to support their plan.

Secrets? I always remind people of the life secrets my wife has shared with her students throughout her 45-year career as an educator: be thoughtful, be honest, care about others, be connected to family and community, save a little each month, be generous with your positive spirit, make a difference. And so very importantly, learn from the speed bumps because how you respond to those will define your life.

Sound like sage advice from your own forebears? Wise guidance like this has helped generations move successfully down life's path. And that's exactly why you'll find its echoes at the core of Lifeplan.

All the best,
Andy

Pick Your Own Dream Team

2009-07-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

The Home Court athletic facility is THE place to be for a group of inspired kids who are gearing up for a Lifeplan full court press in the Northwest. Lifeplan Ninja and Home Court co-founder Rob Jackson has used Lifeplan to create a buzz among kids and families looking for life skills that help kids thrive on and off the court. Here's why the excitement is growing. - All the best, Andy

"All I can say is: I wish I'd had my own personal Board of Directors when I was a kid!

"Our Home Court basketball programs help kids improve whatever talents they have; grow into coaches, mentors, and leaders; develop skills for life that will help them off the court as they get older. Now Lifeplan has added a whole new dimension to what we're able to offer our kids, their families, and our community.

"At Home Court, we've always said it's not just the 'what' of any particular program - it's 'how' you experience it that really makes the difference.

"So now we have Lifeplan which starts with a pretty inspiring 'what' of life concepts and wraps them in a truly astounding 'how' that enables kids to create and expand their own personal path of life. This is a very, very well-directed self-discovery. It's a totally new way for kids to reach out and get information, try out their ideas, share, learn, try, fail, thrive. It truly is the 'how' of the Lifeplan experience that makes such a difference.

"For me, the coolest thing of all is kids' ability to create a group of advisors and others who really care. When kids begin the Lifeplan experience, they identify their strengths, their values, and the obstacles that can get in their way. They look ahead toward their dreams and goals. But they don't need to venture out there alone-the next step is to identify a personal Board of Directors.

"With Lifeplan, kids get to pick their own dream team.

"What an incredible networking opportunity! I say to kids, 'you think you don't know anybody? Well, tell me one person you know, admire, and trust. That person knows somebody. And so on and so on. This is networking.'

"Can you imagine realizing the power of networking at a young age? The expression, 'You're only one person away from the person you want to meet' sums up the way Lifeplan will open doors for kids.

"And it all happens in a safe environment. One person on each young person's Board of Directors is his or her mentor. That person holds the young person's aspirations in a non-judgmental way-and makes sure everybody else on the dream team Board does the same.

"To me, this non-judgmental aspect of Lifeplan is a bit like... the support of grandparents. The ideal grandparent wants us to achieve our goals and dreams, supports us unconditionally, lets us do our thing, and is there when and if we need them. They don't judge; they support.

"Imagine an entire Board of Directors full of people like that. What a great team to have in place when kids move into the metaVerse™ Lifeplan virtual society. There, they'll connect with more resources that will help them build particular skills, advance their ideas, broaden their Boards of Directors. And on and on.

"We created a dedicated Lifeplan facility here at Home Court because we want to be trailblazers in the Lifeplan effort. Is it any wonder my vision is to create 200 master mentors at Home Court - kids who have been through Lifeplan and want to share and mentor the process with others? That's MY 'dream team' and it's getting closer every day."

Takin' It to the Hoops

2009-06-24T12:29:00.000-07:00

Home Court is a Seattle-area youth sports phenomenon that inspires all of us to help kids reach their full potential. Since Rob Jackson co-founded Home Court 10 years ago, 7500 kids 5 -18 years old and their parents have participated in its transformative hoops programs. Now a permanent Lifeplan Room has been outfitted at the Home Court athletic facility - and did I mention that Rob is a Ninja master trainer? Here's why he thinks Lifeplan is a perfect fit for the Home Court team and the community it serves. - All the best, Andy

"When I heard about Lifeplan, my radar went into overdrive. I immediately realized how great Lifeplan was going to be for our kids, their parents, and our community.

"We've always been big proponents of using youth sports to help kids build skills that will serve them both on and off the court. Our model at Home Court is that you come through as a player to pick up the habits that help you become a strong teammate, a valued leader - habits that lead to success on and off the court.

"Coaching for high performance creates mentoring opportunities ... it's embedded in everything we do. That's why Lifeplan is such a natural fit for Home Court.

"Developing a Basketball IQ is essential for unleashing players' physical skills and natural talents. At Home Court, we develop smart players by identifying the advantages and disadvantages of different strategies and decisions on the court. The smart player sees the play before it happens. Similarly, Lifeplan helps kids develop their Life IQ by helping them identify advantages and disadvantages of their current and future decisions. With Lifeplan, kids can paint the two white lines down their road of life. If you have the two white lines and you make a decision that moves you off-course, you'll quickly hear the 'bump bump bump' from the little safety guards on the side of the road. Lifeplan will make it easier for kids to navigate their road of life!

"Unconditional support is another thing Home Court and Lifeplan have in common. At Home Court, kids fly through the door excited, passionate, and ready to learn. It's 'their' place. And like Norm on the TV show Cheers, everybody knows their name. Home Court kids get our unconditional support; when they experience the Lifeplan process, they're going to feel the same way. Lifeplan will be 'their' place that they create, with lots of people they know - mentors, friends, parents, teachers, and others - ready and willing to help.

"That support does come with one requirement, however: respect. At Home Court, the ONLY thing we require from kids is respect - for the place, their fellow players and coaches, the experience they're going through, and ultimately for themselves. That's the standard we set and it's pretty much the same with Lifeplan. Agreeing to respect those things is a way of creating one's personal values. Those are the kinds of skills that kids can use to guide them down the road of life.

"We're truly excited about what Lifeplan will bring to our kids and their families. Our first Lifeplan participants were some of our 9th & 10th graders. My vision is to bring 300-400 kids through Lifeplan every year, circling back to kids after their basketball days to make an even more lasting impression on their lives. Our ultimate goal is to open up our concept and facility to other constituencies in our area so that Home Court becomes a self-sustaining entity for our community.

"When we ask parents the real purpose of having their kids play youth sports, they say: building character. That's always been our passion and our commitment. What's exciting is being able to say to a young person who may have come through our basketball program, 'NOW let me tell you what's around the corner. Here's this program called Lifeplan...' I can't wait to see their eyes light up."

The Ninjas Are Coming!

2009-05-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

I'm amused by people's quizzical looks when I tell them, "The Ninjas are coming!"

But so they are. In fact, I can't think of a better way to share Lifeplan's potential than via a cadre of highly trained, loyal, skillful, passionate, graceful, committed, insightful, artful - but I'll let John Hoskins tell you himself.

John is Lifeplan's Chief Learning Architect, honorable co-founder, resident knowledge and training genius, passionate defender of young people - and the person who brought the Ninjas to life:

"Young people usually know things that we greybeards don't. Like why the Lifeplan trainers are called Ninjas.

Ninja refers to the highest skill possible. A fluidity of movement and action. An unquestioned loyalty. A passion that's almost palpable. And, okay, something pretty awesome.

All of that is why Ninja is the perfect name for the people who've come together - using their own precious time and resources - been trained, and now comprise the tribe of master trainers spreading back to their home bases around the country. These Ninjas are taking the Lifeplan vision and process back with them. And more Ninjas are waiting in the wings.

Who ARE these people?

First, we had to find them. I began by asking myself which people - from every point in my life - I thought could become passionate and committed to Lifeplan. I reached out to 50+ friends and colleagues from having worked in the training industry for 30 years. I invited them to our first Lifeplan training session at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA. (Disneyland has been a longtime and generous supporter of Lifeplan's parent foundation.)

I was amazed when more than 50 people showed up, having spent their own resources to fly and drive from all over the country to Disneyland! These were training professionals, mentoring experts, colleagues, friends, spouses - people of all sizes and shapes from all kinds of disciplines. All passionate about helping kids. All willing to go the extra mile to get others engaged in the training aspect of Lifeplan.

Frankly, I was awe-struck. I thought, "When in your life do you invite people you know to an event and they ALL show up?" Even more importantly, there are another 30 people standing by, waiting for the next Ninja training to begin.

So then we had to train them. The group spent two days learning about Lifeplan - its content, flow, unique opportunities, thrilling technology, tips for users, tools for trainers and facilitators. Armed with this knowledge, the group became our first Black Belt master trainers. They now had the information and tools to take the Lifeplan message back to their area of the county, and work to spread Lifeplan to as many kids as possible.

This Spring, Ninjas have been training more than 1,000 young people in school settings, mentor programs, churches, sports groups, urban and suburban areas, big towns and small communities. Then they'll teach other trainers and facilitators.
There are Ninjas meeting today with chairmen of the board and also cops on the ghetto beat. Everywhere, across diverse America, Ninjas have a story to tell. Next, a second wave of Ninjas will earn their Black Belts and fan out across America.

Why does this matter? Well, we've mobilized an entire tribe of Lifeplan experts - Ninjas - who are highly trained, passionate about helping kids, and committed to the idea of making the world a better place through Lifeplan. Their passion, their quest, is to help kids not just survive, but thrive.

And just imagine: if every Ninja trains 100 facilitators, and so on and so on, we're going to reach 10 million kids in 10 years. That's our goal, what fuels our passion. It's the reason why the Lifeplan phenomenon is literally pulsing with momentum right now. And that's a pretty awesome feeling."

All the best,
Andy

Mentoring: An Investment with Unlimited Potential

2009-04-01T16:31:00.000-07:00

By Dr. Andrew M. Mecca

The Reality
For more than 10 million kids in America today: Nobody’s home. Decades of soaring divorce rates, broken families and illegitimate births have left kids without any grown-ups to help them grow up. There are no caring adults and no adult role models in their lives.

The result is the epidemic increase in the four major social ills confronting our youth: educational failure, drug and alcohol abuse, gang involvement and teen pregnancy – all symptoms of kids who feel isolated and hopeless. Nothing makes kids more vulnerable than suffering from the wounds of isolation.

The cost to our society of these four social epidemics is staggering…an estimated $500 billion per year.

But there is a proven antidote to these plagues which has a powerful cost/benefit payback: Mentoring.

The Challenge
As an example, consider California (over 36 million residents representing some 12% of the total U.S. population) where there are an estimated 420,000 gang members (DOJ), more than 100,000 youths in the state Juvenile Justice System and an inner-city high school dropout rate in Los Angeles as high as 58%:

- The California Dropout Research Project (report dated 2-27-08) estimates that each annual wave of school dropouts costs the state $46.4 billion over the dropouts’ lifetimes (e.g., lost employment, crime, welfare, etc.).

- The State of California’s 2007-8 Budget provided for $11,935 in spending per K-12 student (inclusive of federal, state and local sources); the same budget provided the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation $35,587 in spending per inmate in the state prison system.

- The cost to house a single ward of the state in the California Division of Juvenile Justice is $250,000 a year (California Department of Finance, June 2008).

Add to that the costs of drug and alcohol abuse, gang activity and teen pregnancy and it is not unreasonable to extrapolate the cost of these four social epidemics for the entire U.S. as totaling $500 billion or more annually.

A Solution
We have spent close to a trillion dollars of federal, state and private funds over the past four decades attempting to mitigate these problems. All the well-intended government-funded and private programs, slogans (“Just Say No”) and pamphlets have had limited success.

In my professional experience of more than 40 years in the fields of health, substance abuse and education, I found the most potent youth development strategy to be “mentoring”. Scores of studies have documented the fact that when a child has a mentor, the four youth social epidemics and their related consequences are significantly ameliorated.

The core element of the mentoring is to develop a caring relationship with a youth built upon trust. That lays the foundation to discover from genuine and active listening what that unique individual’s aspirations are -- and to coach and support him/her on the path to success.

The Cost/Benefit
The positive impact of mentoring on youth behavior is compelling.

California Mentor Foundation, in partnership with the California-based youth program Friday Night Live, recently completed its fourth in-depth survey of mentoring programs in the state over the past ten years (results released September 2008). The scope of the survey covered over 240 mentoring programs with more than 28,000 mentor-youth matches.

Highlights from the survey demonstrate that of the youth who have had mentors:
- 97.2% remained in school
- 95.7% avoided alcohol and illicit drug use
- 95.9% were not involved in gangs and/or violence
- 99.1% were not parties in a pregnancyThese results are consistent with the three previous surveys.

In stark contrast to the amounts of dollars spent per individual in our correctional and rehabilitation institutions cited above, the cost of mentoring programs (including recruiting, screening and training) range from $500-$1500 per youth, or a median of approximately $1000.

Even without accounting for all the “upside” benefits of these individuals becoming productive contributing members of society (i.e., creating positive economic value), the reduction in the costs of the negative activities provides a payback of $50-$100 per dollar invested in mentoring. On a larger scale, using the median program cost of $1000, an investment of $1 billion in mentoring could serve 1 million youth, with an expected $50 billion to $100 billion reduction in the costs from avoided negative behavior.

Opportunity
We know, especially when all else has failed, nothing short of our human personal engagement will help kids become vital members of society.

Mentoring -- the dynamic, active, ongoing engagement of a significant adult in the life of a searching youth -- is the most timely and viable interaction that will elevate the young person from merely surviving into a whole new world of thriving.

There are millions of kids today wanting – and needing – a mentor.

To make a difference by inspiring a young person to aspire to become all they can be is one of the richest and most rewarding experiences in life. And who knows…someday one of them may discover a cure for cancer or develop a renewable energy technology.

Let’s help change America and its future – one child at a time. It’s an investment with unlimited potential...

We're Off and Soaring

2009-03-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Lifeplan Institute network. Our goal is to help 10 million teens in 10 years navigate the path of life, avoid its common pitfalls, and become successful, thriving adults.

Lifeplan Institute is based on a book I wrote. The book morphed into an incredible training program that delivers the same caliber of learning employees receive in Fortune 500 companies. The learning is evolving into an online virtual community - the Lifeplan metaVerse™ (more about that in the near future). Lifeplan Institute is taking off like a rocket.

To say Lifeplan is thrilling is an understatement. I’ve been at the forefront of our country’s youth development effort for more than 30 years, and I’ve never seen such a heart-throbbing mentoring opportunity for kids 11-19 years old.

And now – Lifeplan Institute invites you and your network to bring your collective will, spirit, efforts, and talents to this undertaking. Here’s where to begin:

1. Get Inspired
Lifeplan gives kids a way to create their own positive plan for life and then - in a virtual community populated by mentors, parents, teachers, professionals, innovators, and best friends – put it into action. Click to get inspired: www.lifeplaninstitute.org

2. Get Trained
Fifty expert trainers gathered March 5-6, 2009 to become the first wave of Lifeplan Trainers, ready to bring Lifeplan to local programs and communities. They will train facilitators who will in turn help young people develop their own Lifeplan.

3. Get On Board
There are many opportunities for your corporation, association, institution, mentoring organization, family – to get involved. Want your employees and their family members to have access to Lifeplan? Call and we can help.

4. Talk It Up – Talk To Us
Lifeplan is simply this: a way to help kids avoid the pitfalls that occur along the road from middle school through high school and college. If you care as we do, share this email with your network. Tell your friends. Reply and share your positive mentoring stories with me.

If you truly believe in young people, help them strive to thrive with Lifeplan.

Andy
Dr. Andrew Mecca
Chief Inspiration Officer and Co-Founder
Lifeplan Institute