AMER-I-CAN New York
305 Madison Avenue Ste 449
New York, NY 10165
Contact: Walter Beach III, CEO
Telephone: 718.398.5935
Fax: 718.638.6905
Program Description
Amer-I-Can is a self improvement and life skills training program primarily designed for gang and at risk youth, but is applicable to anyone who is determined to improve their life by learning and applying principles to help make positive choices for a successful transition toward a meaningful enriched and positive life style. The program is designed to make a favorable impact upon students behavior resulting in improved academic performance (Increased grade point average), reduction in negative behavior (disciplinary incidents) and an increased in school attendance. The training will help to improve student's attitude and motivate them to stay in school. The training helps to restore self worth, esteem and encourages the student to set realistic goals and to work hard at achieving them. The Amer-I-Can Program, Inc. proposes to provide Life Management Skills training sessions and evaluation services for male and female public high school and middle school students during the 2006-2007 school year. Classes are scheduled during regular school hours and/or after school as directed by school administration. The average class consists of 20 participants. The process demands a different kind of leadership whereby facilitators are trained to safeguard the process and promote interaction within the groups without passing judgment or imposing personal values and opinions. At the same time, however, facilitators must also deal with high levels of anger and frustration from the participants. The training initially focuses on attitude modification designed to heighten the individual's self-esteem and motivate them towards positive behavior. Trainees quickly develop an understanding between cause and effect relationship, behavior and outcome and learn how to make better choices. By experiencing small but repeated positive behaviors, the trainees are able to realize their goals can be achieved through multiplying individual successes. With a positive attitude and desire to improve the quality of their lives, trainees are taught the techniques of life skills and learn to take responsibility for their lives through self-determination. Within the context of the program, extensive training and in depth group discussion include preventing abuse of controlled substances, emotional control, utilizing sound judgment and good decision making processes and conflict resolution. The trainees learn through frank and honest discussions that the common concern of the group is to make each other a better person.