sacred rok transforms lives, one person at a pme, by mentoring underserved you
TRANSCRIPT
Sacred Rok transforms lives, one person at a 5me, by mentoring underserved youth to experience the ceremony of nature in the healing environment of Yosemite Na5onal Park. Sacred Rok is led by Yosemite rock climber Ron Kauk.
Contacts: Execu5ve Director Ron Kauk Board Chair Nancy Goodban [email protected] 650-‐787-‐9859 www.SacredRok.org
Who We Are Ron Kauk is a world renowned rock climber who has lived and climbed in Yosemite for 45 years. The lessons that he has learned through rock climbing have inspired a deep respect for nature. In 2009 he and colleagues established Sacred Rok to support youth in nature, helping them learn to respect nature and through that to respect themselves. The Sacred Rok Board of Directors is commiVed to represen5ng diverse ethnici5es, languages, and professional experiences as well as gender parity.
The Problem Young people have lost touch with nature, and yet they will be the earth’s stewards in coming genera5ons. They grow up tethered to electronics, and many, especially children of color, have never been to a na5onal park. The Na5onal Park Service recognizes the need for increased diversity, including a history that has oYen neglected the stories of people of color and the indigenous. The city of Merced is called “The Gateway to Yosemite” but low-‐income youth who live there have never been to Yosemite. Growing up in a neighborhood with guns, drugs and gangs, they risk ge]ng into trouble and ge]ng locked up.
The Sta5s5cs • 2015 – Violence Policy Center reported that Merced County
has the fiYh highest rate of youth being killed of the 58 coun5es in California, all killed by guns – aVributed to gang violence.
• Teens in the Central Valley are more likely to be “disconnected” – not in school and not working (KidsData.org) -‐ 9.1% in Merced County, 9.7% in Fresno County, 10.7% in Tulare County, 11.1% in Kern County, 8.5% in San Joaquin County, 8.4% in Madera County -‐ compared to 7.7% statewide.
• Juvenile felony arrest rate is higher in the Central Valley coun5es (KidsData.org) – 8.4 per 1,000 in Merced, 7.1 in San Joaquin, 6.4 in Tulare – compared to 5.3 per 1,000 statewide
The Cost of Doing Nothing
A year in juvenile hall costs taxpayers more than $90,000.
How Does Sacred Rok Help? Sacred Rok leads trips to Yosemite for foster youth, incarcerated youth, and low-‐income youth, most of whom are children of color. Trips include day hikes as well as overnight camping trips. Sacred Rok provides healthy, organic, locally sourced meals and snacks, and facilitates the en5re experience. In partnership with the Park Service, youth also remove decaying asphalt from trails.
Key Partners • Merced County Proba5on Department Juvenile Hall • San Benito County Proba5on Department Juvenile Hall • Boys & Girls Club of Merced • Merced Youth Leadership Council • Building Healthy Communi5es, Merced • UpliY Family Services (foster youth, SF Bay Area) • Symple Equazion (alterna5ve educa5on, proba5on kids
in the community) • Modesto UpliY (mentoring at-‐risk youth) • Na5onal Park Service, Yosemite Na5onal Park
Juvenile Hall Kids Ron Kauk leads monthly trips for juvenile hall kids to Yosemite as well as Pinnacles Na5onal Park, and he also has lunch in the classroom at Merced Juvenile Hall’s “Bear Creek Academy” (BCA) twice a month. The teacher has incorporated Sacred Rok into the BCA curriculum. They reflect together on the trips, their goals, their past and future. BCA youth co-‐wrote a book, Voices from the Inside Out, with Sacred Rok, sharing the transforma5ve impact the experience has had on them.
Does It Work? • The Boys & Girls Club mentor reports that kids are
beVer behaved and do beVer in school aYer their involvement with Sacred Rok.
• One foster youth graduated from high school,
signed up for the outdoor club at community college, and transferred to a four-‐year college to study environmental issues.
• Juvenile Hall youth report that the community service work makes them feel valued, and that the experience in nature gives them hope.
So? Sacred Rok is not a panacea for broken homes and communi5es. Young people exit from Juvenile Hall only to return back to their home neighborhoods. It is all too easy to slip back into old paVerns. The support from Ron and the classroom is no longer available every week once they are out of Juvenile Hall. These young people contact Ron on Facebook or by text, sharing that they would like to come to Yosemite, to visit, but they do not have the resources to make the trip.
Sacred Rok’s Next Steps We need to offer a safe place for young people to come to aYer they exit the system – a “sacred home” for a day or a week of respite. We have iden5fied a place to rent in the Yosemite area. We need a way to transport them from their home community to Yosemite, and back. We need staff support for Ron – a full 5me staff who can be mentor to the youth as well as drive and assist with the youth when they are at the house.
The Ask. Campaign 2017 -‐ Invest in Our Shared Future • Vehicle to transport young people to
Yosemite • $10,000 for a Sacred Rok home, safe
space in Yosemite area, $4,000 for furnishings
• $50,000 for mentor/assistant for Ron • $36,000 for food, gas/mileage, program
expenses for expanded programming
Individual 30%
Founda5on 58%
Government 11%
Fiscal Year 2016 Revenue $78,000
Organiza5onal 12%
Outreach and Educa5on
14%
Camping and Day Trips 74%
Fiscal Year 2016 Expenses $78,000
We receive our key support from the outdoor industry • Clif Bar Family Founda5on • The North Face • Patagonia We are increasing our opera5ng budget in order to expand our services. We are seeking to branch out and find addi5onal support.