The Sledge Group, Inc.

Mrs. Debra Sledge
Email: sledgegroup@aol.com
Pelham Bay Towers
3121 Middletown Road
Bronx NY 10461
Office: 718-597-5099

The Sledge Group, Inc.

Youth Empowerment

The Sledge Group Inc. (Sledge Group) provides one-to-one mentoring and a range of supportive services to adolescent males and females aged 13 to 18 and their families. The program targets the South Bronx and Harlem communities in New York City. These areas consist of predominantly African American and Hispanic populations and youth who are characterized by many of the following:
?• poverty and related social problems;
?• criminal activity and substance abuse;
?• failing in school or dropping out;
?• exposure to HIV infection;
?• becoming parents as adolescents;
?• lacking skills and training or unemployed; and
?• hopelessness about their future.

Sledge Group is strongly committed to helping underserved youth overcome such obstacles which hinder personal success and achievement.

A key service component of Sledge Group is one-to-one mentoring. Mentoring is a promising intervention that provides youth with support and guidance. Mentoring is also a means to address multiple risk factors, including the high prevalence of drugs, family conflict, academic failure, delinquent peers, and the inability to gain positive attention and engage in healthy relationships. Research has shown that youth involved in mentoring programs are less likely to start using drugs, become violent, have poor school attendance, fail to complete homework or experience problems in peer and family relationships.

Other components of Sledge Group include leadership and life skill workshops, community service, tutoring and parenting skills workshops/support groups for families served. Through these services young people gain the knowledge, skill and experience to achieve their personal goals and obtain success. Further, parents learn how to communicate with their children and how to support them in reaching their goals.

Holistic Components

The Sledge Group, Inc. recently relocated from the Bronx to Harlem and now makes PS 175, located on W. 134th Street, Harlem, NYC its headquarters. Along with a new home came the incorporation of two additional exciting programs, the United Sistas Mentoring Program and The Parents Support Network, which strengthen the overall family structure of The Sledge Group, Inc.

Three crucial Holistic components now comprise The Sledge Group, Inc: The Real Men Mentorship Program, the United Sistas Mentoring Program and The Parents Support Network. The mentoring programs are open to 25 male and female youth ages 13-18, respectively. On a weekly basis both mentoring programs host workshops/rap sessions offering a variety of topics, ranging from gang awareness, safer sex techniques, HIV/AIDS education, alcohol/substance abuse prevention, pregnancy prevention, self-empowerment, personal hygiene, domestic violence, youth entrepreneurship, etc. In addition, one day weekly is set aside specifically for tutorial services. The tutors hail from Columbia University, Board of Education certified teachers and college students. All youth are required to participate.

Parent Support Group

The Sledge Group, Inc. recognized the necessity of involving the parents of participant youth in the healing process. The Parents Support Network meets on a monthly basis and not only provides an arena where the parents can discuss their concerns, but build on their skills to more effectively communicate with their child. Many of the topics covered in youth mentoring workshops will also be addressed in The Parents Support Network. This is essential because it allows the parents to fully understand what is happening in the lives of their children. The parents are extremely grateful for the services provided to their children through The Sledge Group, Inc. Many of the mentors have shared similar experiences as the youth in the program. They grew up at-risk, came from single parent households, experienced incidents of domestic violence, have overcome struggles with substance abuse, and may have had some involvement with the criminal justice system. All have managed to transform into productive adults and now have a passion for reaching out to the youth in hopes of helping a child avoid similar pitfalls.