Volunteer
Volunteering in Action
"Coach Marcellus" (in orange) volunteers two hours a month doing what he's good at-- playing basketball. The difference is that he's engaging youth who need him most at the Cheltenham Youth Detention Center! When not serving children in detention on a Saturday morning,
Marcellus is a middle school principal in Prince George's County, Maryland.
Year-round Program: Basketball
Where: Cheltenham Youth Detention Center
Longest Program: Chess
Where: Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center (all boys); Baltimore Evening Reporting Center (co-ed); Prince George's County Evening Reporting Center (co-ed).
new year-round Program
Financial Literacy/Entrepreneurialism: Sundays, 9:00 a.m
Jumoke Gyenyame wanted to volunteer by imparting financial lessons he knew would empower the youth. An entrepreneur himself, Jumoke, or "Mr. J." as the youth call him, plays a game on Sunday mornings before he attends church with his family. The game he plays, CA$HFLOW teaches how to earn enough disposable income so one can get out of the "rat race," trading hours for dollars. When Troy enters the detention center on Sunday mornings at 8:30 a.m., playing chess, the youth ask, "Is Mr. J coming?" They are excited and begin talking about how they're progressing in the game, or in their language, "I'm about to win. I'm doing big deals now." This program also fulfills the Department of Juvenile Justices's academic goals!
Our newest Program
Arts and Crafts at the All-Girls Detention Center: Sundays, 11:00 a.m.
Melisa Delao was a Spring 2023 intern with Howard Community College (see video below). After her internship, she asked to stay on. When asked what she would like to do with the girls, Melisa did not quite know but knew she just wanted to serve. She trailed Troy Grant for a few weeks, playing chess. She began to learn chess and play with the girls. However, Melisa had other interests--like art and crafts. It did not take long before she introduced "Friendship Bracelets." When we played chess, we had between 2-3 girls who expressed interest. When Melisa introduced the Friendship Bracelets as an activity, all the girls wanted to participate!
Developing Program
Young Fathers Group
Young Fathers Group
Young Fathers Group
Beyond Rhetoric is partnering with the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center (BCJJC). Khaalis Hall is the lead on this initiative, having spent time participating with BCJJC's fatherhood program and leading his own program within BCJJC. The focus is on how to be a dad and a safe place to talk about fatherhood challenges and joys. When asked, Khaalis shared, "I'm excited to be a listener to learn and engage with these young men to see how I can inspire them." The hope with this program is it not only helps the detained young fathers, but it also, by extension, nurtures the "hidden victims" because "As many as half of all boys whose parents do time will wind up behind bars themselves" (All Alone in the World: Children of the Incarcerated ~ Nell Bernstein)
Under Development
Young Fathers Group
Young Fathers Group
The sessions will be bi-weekly.
Volunteer today
Do you have a skill to share?
We are looking for skilled, passionate individuals who feel they can commit to being a positive influence in the lives of children.
What kind of experience do you need?
Intimate knowledge of the skill or activity that you will be teaching. Teaching, coaching experience is preferred.
Never worked with at-risk youth before?
No worries! We will work with you to come up with trauma-sensitive lesson plans so we can make sure that your impact is felt.
Don't feel particularly creative, but you want to serve?
No worries! Join us during our existing programs. Whether it's basketball every other Saturday or chess on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays or Sunday Volleyball or the financial literacy game on Sundays (different locations), or the Young Fathers Group every other Saturday (beginning mid-April), we have you covered.
What are the steps to become a volunteer?
When you contact us, we will help walk you through the process so it is stress-free!
- You will fill out an application with DJS
- You will be fingerprinted for a background check
- You will receive a short training and orientation
- We will work with you to make sure your classes are prepared
What are the stated needs of the Department of Juvenile Services?
"[W]e are actively recruiting
- Non-Faith Based volunteers,
- life skills training, job readiness skills,
- vocational training,
- financial literacy development,
- mentoring,
- parenting programs and
- art/music education."
WHY Volunteer?
"Everybody can be great. . . because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." -Martin Luther King Jr.
Photo Credit: Rachel V. King Lifestyle