Life Directions – Peers and Mentors Making Changes

Risk factors for violence to and by our young children in Marion County, especially the McKay, North, and Woodburn neighborhoods find a vision of hope through this organization.

(SALEM) - We hear about the bad influences our young people have and we refer to it as peer pressure.

There is another kind of peer pressure Life Directions as an organization emphasizes.

It believes positive peer pressure and mentorship can change lives for our at-risk young individuals in Marion County.

Saturday I visited the Winter Event “The Child in Our Neighborhood” at Waldo Middle School, organized by Life Directions.

This organization reinforces that as volunteers, as young adults, and as benefactors in support, they are peers who inspire one another through forgiving in order that violence be diminished.

Life Directions started in Marion County in July of 2003 with its beginning born out of Detroit, Michigan, because of the necessity to respond to the violence affecting the lives of young adults, ages 13 – 35.

Life Directions in Marion County is supported by an active Board of Trustees and Advisors comprised of community leaders.

The need for Marion County to have a program such as Life Directions was because the drop out rates for some Marion County high schools were almost twice as high as the state of Oregon’s high school drop out rate.

It was found that Hispanics students are more likely to drop out twice as much as the remaining population and math and reading scores at both elementary and middle level schools trails the statewide average.

The Peer Motivation Program, the Peer Mentor Program, and the Neighborhood Enrichment Program were developed to motivate at-risk, economically deprived, predominately minority young adults to stay in school, to eschew violence and other self-destructive behaviors, and to become positive leaders in their community.

What I saw at this event was a group of young people and their families who seemed determined to make changes in their lives and to help others make changes. This is the importance of mentorship and the importance of positive peer influence.

Life Directions director, Dr. Leo Rasca-Hildalgo, talked about how the personal and cultural values are respected and recognized as the dynamic of “Peers Inspiring Peers through Forgiving” unfolds on a daily basis. He is inspired by the people he works with every day.

Dr. Leo, as he is referred to, spoke to every young person as they walked through the door and acknowledged them with a positive comment about their attendance at this event and to keep up the good work. Their responses to him showed respect and a self-confidence I learned was born out of their involvement with Life Directions.

Other than Dr. Leo, this organization has two other staff member. Dale Willaman, administrative assistant, came to Oregon to make a career change and was impressed by the philosophy of Life Directions and the help it was giving to disadvantages children in our area. He loves working with individuals, especially young people, who are trying to change their lives in a positive way.

Sylvia Hurtado, program assistant, was a volunteer before becoming staff. She has seen a lot of positive changes happen with students who work together and develop trust. She works with the Peer Mentor program that goes to middle school students preparing for high school. She views this program as one that is about giving to others.

In interviewing the young people at this event, I found their reasons for volunteering were to show other young people that through the mistakes they had made in their lives, adversity can be overcome and they try to guide other young people towards taking a positive decision in the paths they choose in life.

Ashley, age 16, wants kids to know there is hope for them. She shares her past experiences and how Life Directions has helped her in making good choices.

Dora, age 16, volunteers to help so kids will not make the same mistakes she did and to have a better life.

Kelso, age 17, hopes to make a difference for the next generation. Her views on life have changed since joining Life Directions.

Oscar, volunteers through the expression of music and shows young people there is an active part of music, specifically in hip-hop music and shows how there is a need to break the bad rap hip-hop has had and he shows it as a cultural aspect of music along with break dancing. As he played the hip-hop music two young men, Tony and Fausto, were demonstrating their break dancing. This reporter would definitely break doing this type of dance!

Carlos, a volunteer who started with Life Directions when it first came to Salem, is a graduate from Willamette University and holds a degree in Latin American Studies and Spanish. In speaking with Carlos, I could sense the deep devotion these volunteers have in helping direct at-risk young people to take a positive direction in their life choices.

As Dr. Leo reiterated: “Rejoice in life of children; look on needs of others; have excellent attitude toward all; associate with all who are lowly; see your conduct as honorable in the eyes of all; offer understanding and love to all, especially those who suffer.”