DHS | Department of Human Services

Joshua Mentoring Education Conference 2008

The Department of Human Services (DHS), Community-Based Prevention Services (CBPS),’Faith-Based Connection (FBC) will be sponsoring the 2008 Joshua Mentoring Education Conference at the Southwest Leadership Academy located at 7101 Paschall Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19142, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 5, 2008.

This one-day, faith-based and mentoring-education conference will draw 150 youth leaders interested in mentoring at-risk youth and older youth exiting the foster care system. Participants learn from professionals how mentors can navigate support systems to help youth and provide them positive alternatives and productive choices.

The Keynote Speaker will be Dr. Wilson Goode, director and organizer of the nationally acclaimed Amachi Program using a faith-based mentoring model for children of incarcerated parents. Because of his innovative and ground-breaking work, Dr. Goode received two prestigious awards: the Civic Ventures Purpose Prize and the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Citizen of the Year in 2006. He is an ordained Baptist Minister with over 50 years service at the First Baptist Church of Paschall located in Southwest Philadelphia.

Because of his innovative and ground-breaking work, Dr. Goode received two prestigious awards: the Civic Ventures Purpose Prize and the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Citizen of the Year in 2006. He is an ordained Baptist Minister with over 50 years service at the First Baptist Church of Paschall located in Southwest Philadelphia.

Six workshops will provide participants with the essential ingredients of effective mentoring programs: Mentoring, No Short Cuts, Nuclear And Extended Family’s Participation In Effective Mentoring, Consequences For Your Actions, Building Healthy Families, Crisis Management When Mentoring Difficult Male Youth And Crisis Management When Mentoring Difficult Female Youth.

The conference will also featured performances by Philadelphia Teen Challenge Choir whose mission is to provide youth, adults and families an effective, comprehensive solution to overcome the vicious cycle of drug and alcohol abuse in order to restore torn families, prevent family violence and abuse and aid in producing productive members of society. This inspirational choir sings songs of thanksgiving and/or shares their testimonies. When we they sing, everyone is reminded of our belief that every human being has value and life-controlling behavior can be changed.

Contact :( 215) 683-4037, Gertrude Teat (DHS/OCFS/Faith-Based Connection