The“MAKiN’ iT” Youth Development Workshop Series

NEW MAKIN’ IT - A NEW MESSAGE FOR TODAY’S YOUTH (PDF, 89 KB)

Group Photo The “MAKiN’ iT” Youth Development Series is the Youth Development and Research Fund’s (YDRF) comprehensive national effort to engage thousands of young people across the country around the importance of making good decisions about education, work, and career development. The “MAKiN’ iT” Youth Development Series is focused around helping three groups:

out-of-school youth seeking educational options and job skills
in-school youth in need of academic support and increased personal responsibility and
adjudicated youth seeking options for diversion.

Educators and workforce development professionals are astounded by the number of youth who have bought into insidious actions and behaviors that threaten their life, freedom and future economic opportunity. The“MAKiN’ iT” Youth Development Series is more than a program; it is an effort dedicated to exposing the truth about “success” so young people are provided trusted information that promotes life affirming options and a healthy lifestyle.

Who is “MAKiN’ iT” Right?

Youth Development and Research Fund, Inc (YDRF) is “MAKiN’ iT” right by aggressively spreading the “MaKin’ it” message throughout schools and youth programs across the United States. Those who are “MaKin’ it” Right are young people who complete the “MaKin’ it” series and sign a pledge to spread the message to their peers and community.

What is “MAKiN’ iT” Right?

Group Discussion The “MAKiN’ iT” Youth Development Series is dedicated to exposing the truth about “Success” so that young people can have all the information necessary to combat the bad information that affects their Life, Freedom and Future Economic Opportunity. Trained YDRF staff delivers this impactful message through one to six high-energy 2.5-hour workshop(s) designed for young adults. Our main goal is to educate all youth about the false information and examples that affects their future, while giving them the tools to be truly successful. In fact, the whole point of the “MAKiN’ iT” Youth Development Series is to get young people to think for themselves and make their own decisions.

The “MAKiN’ iT” Lessons are the foundation of the “MAKiN’ iT” Youth Development Series. Each participating organization implements one “MAKiN’ iT” activity per month to reinforce the message among students and youth. Each lesson and activity has a corresponding survival law that includes program activities, posters, and materials, Ideal for schools, churches and youth organizations to engage their youth in over a six month period.

The “MAKiN’ iT” lessons are based on over 20 years experience with at-risk youth and are designed to engage young people in a self-identification of their beliefs, external and internal obstacles to success, and methods to promote their life, freedom and future economic opportunity.

Why “MAKiN’ iT” Right
- There are an estimated 5.4 million out of school young adults whose options are limited to the streets.
- 40 percent of African-American and 18 percent of Hispanic high school dropouts are unemployed.
- The number of young adults in poverty is expected to grow by 27% in the next decade.
- A recent survey of over 10,000 youth found that the primary influences on youth are their peers.
- Half of all students in the 20 largest urban school districts fail to complete the 12^th grade.

Travel: TBD

THE “MAKiN’ iT” SIX UNIVERSAL SURVIVAL LAWS

Session One: Survival Lesson One	Alive and Free Survival Law: True Survival means doing things and having a state of mind that promotes your life, freedom and future economic opportunity.
Session Two: Survival Lesson Two	Seek Out Supportive Environments & Positive People Survival Law: It’s not what you know, it is not who you know; it’s who knows you and likes you.
Session Three: Survival Lesson Three	Produce Positive Emotions Survival Law: Infinite Drama - the only way to stop it is to never start it.
Session Four: Survival Lesson Four	Inventory your skills Survival Law: Two new skills, one new habit every thirty days 2/1/30
Session Five: Survival Lesson Five	Reduce & Remove risk factors Survival Law: People, Places and Things Should Never Lead You to Danger.
Session Six: Survival Lesson Six	E- Educate Yourself Survival Law: Don’t Let Anyone Mess with Your Money