The Joy of Building Community

October 2023

Progress Newsletter

By Cayman Bentley, PVF Program and Communications Associate and Savannah Lira, PVF Program Officer

Many young people in Oakland are still reeling from the mental health crisis caused by the challenges of living in the pandemic, with community violence, poverty and systemic racism. Community-based organizations and schools have shown that the demand and opportunity exists to create non-traditional services and systems that support youth mental health and wellness.

Last year PVF partnered with Oakland Thrives to administer the Youth Joy and Wellness Grant Program, a new fund that supported innovative and creative approaches to youth mental health and wellness in Oakland. Many of the grant recipients chose to use the funding to create safe spaces were young people could express themselves, like The Visionary Talent Show created by the Bloc Love Foundation, or curate experiences where students could learn about the many small businesses that were in their own communities, like the Fremont Marketplace created by students of Fremont High School.

PVF has since received numerous final reports back from the organizations and community leaders that received funding. Below is an excerpt from one of the many grant recipients, Chapter 510, which took students to meet Pendarvis Harshaw, host of Rightnowish on KQED-FM, a columnist at KQED Arts, and the author of "OG Told Me," a memoir about growing up in Oakland.

"Students and Pendarvis [had] a conversation about which storytellers, past and present, inspire them to write, build community, and fight for social justice in Oakland and beyond. Moreover, they are holding pillows with images of some important writers who inspire them, including (from left to right) Judith Tannenbaum, Octavia E. Butler, Toni Morrison, and Tongo Eisen Martin.

Youth are in a safe, welcoming, fun environment, where they have the ability to connect to caring adult mentors. They are enjoying the opportunity to learn directly from Pendarvis, a guest for the evening, who has a successful career as a writer and journalist. They are smiling because they feel an affinity for him, after spending time asking him about growing up in Oakland, the opportunities and challenges of being a storyteller, a Black man, and a writer.

Students are excited to be “learning by doing.” Meeting Pendarvis comes while the students are bringing their own podcasting and storytelling project to life in print and audio formats. They are learning how to take risks, express their opinions, give and receive feedback, and shape a community-embedded project. They are learning how to harness the power of oral history and youth voice."

Another Youth Joy and Wellness Grant recipient, the Oakland Lacrosse Club, reported back on the impact of their OLC Time Management, Advocacy, and Goal-Setting program that was funded. TAG is a 10 week mentoring program for 6th-12th graders from OUSD that have participated in the OLC lacrosse program, supporting them in creating goals in four different areas: leadership,

academics, wellness, and lacrosse. The overall goal is to build their confidence, their ability to advocate, and their overall sense of belonging.

TAG participants are partnered with a mentor meeting with them once a week. Using a curriculum, they work on setting goals and assessing their performance, and what barriers they need to overcome to achieve them. Complementing their mentor work, youth participate in weekly lacrosse clinics in which they meet with other OLC participants to hone their lacrosse skills. Additionally, twice a month there are wellness workshops in which players work with a mental health coach on athletic performance.

"OLC defines self-efficacy as "being able to practice a skill or execute a task with confidence." It is when a person seizes the opportunity to adapt, navigate, then overcome whatever obstacles present themselves. When taking this photo, these three were asked to show how they were feeling that morning and their poses display belief in oneself. In this photo I see three strong individuals who uplift one another and are even stronger when coming together.

Fall clinics—and practices in general—serve as both a physical and social outlet for our players. We define wins in many ways, but the biggest one is getting our players to come back. These three returned to the T.A.G. Program because they want to better their lifestyles with healthy habits and it is much easier to do so alongside some friends.

Anyone has the ability to find confidence in oneself, but it takes a positive and encouraging environment to foster that internal strength to come out."

"This photo captures the importance of supportive relationships. Here, two of our high school players are learning the fundamentals of how to shoot in lacrosse. Breaking it down to the basics ensures athletic progress because the skills are buildable upon one another as more complex drills are introduced. I see a young athlete wanting to learn, asking questions, and practicing first-handedly.

Through our T.A.G. program, players set their own measurable goals with their mentors; they range from athletic and academic to personal. The mentorship captured in this photo displays joy and wellness because the coach is setting the players up for success. The players can take that feedback and adjust. Even if the player goes back into the drill and misses their shot, making an actual lacrosse goal is a trainable skill that improves through practice; either way, the player is encouraged to keep trying

and to keep getting better.

In order for youth to expand their joy and wellness, they need reassurance and learn better when they know they can fail then try again. So much pressure exists in our young people's lives and sports should encourage growth, not penalize imperfection."

Now is the time to redefine support for youth mental health and wellness in Oakland.