J-Men Moving Forward Together

A year like no other!

In a year where the most popular phrase was, “you’re on mute,” we learned to listen better. To each other, to our Journeymen community, and to the larger community as a whole. In the spirit of making sure we are unmuted, check out what we did this year!

• 2x the number of mentoring circles!
• Walk-And-Talks
• Community Service Projects
• Journeymen Podcast

Although our transition to virtual mentor meetings allowed mentors and J-men to connect more intimately with a window into each others’ spaces, it didn’t take long for this to give way to feeling further away and more disconnected.

You screen. I screen. We all screen for…

What we heard loud and clear was a need for more consistency and routine. In 2020, we went from meeting twice a month in-person to meeting weekly on zoom. This resulted in some great screenshots!

Not only did our J-men learn to do the lawnmower dance via zoom but we brought J-men and mentors together, in-person, to assist elderly neighbors and non-profit organizations through outdoor clean-up and yard work projects.

2020 told us to go outside. We listened… and added, "bring a rake!"

We also created Walk-And-Talk’s: an opportunity for J-men and mentors to get together, 6ft apart, and share their struggles and successes during the pandemic. These were such a hit that we started doing them monthly! Now more than ever, our young men need opportunities to connect deeply with one another and with caring adults.

This year, we completely re-designed our Rites of Passage (ROP) weekend to be Covid-Conscious and to offer our J-men a deep and challenging experience - truly being alone.

Going Solo. Together.

Wilderness solos are a traditional way to mark the passage into manhood and offer a chance for our boys to “go inside” and tune into the world around them without the distractions so common in our time. We had 13 young men rise to the challenge. They each went deep within themselves, finding inner strength, clarity, and more connection to their purpose and confidence.

Moving Forward Together

2021 will continue to bring us new challenges and new opportunities. We know that it truly takes a village to do this work, so we need your help. We all bring a unique piece to building the container to hold these young men we work with. Without our community, this would not be possible. Are you able to help us accomplish our goals this year?

• Host two Wilderness Solo experiences (spring and fall)
• Monthly service projects with J-men, mentors, and community members
• Add 7 young men into our program through in-person and virtual offerings
• Expand our leadership development offerings for active J-men
• Explore partnerships with local school systems
• Build out our parent program/resources

You are the key for these young men. How you can help!

Journeymen is meeting a deep and growing need young men have for positive, responsible male mentors. In donating, you are enriching the lives of young men in your community and helping build a better future by investing in their development of compassion, accountability, self-awareness, integrity, resilience, and authenticity.