"When we started in 1998," Daniels told The Suit, "there were a lot of problems in the community. I was interested in working on them to help both women and men. After running our [first] program, we felt we needed to make some changes. We opened a community wisdom- based program." The revamped ENS program launched in 2002 and has been helping teens ever since.
Daniels looked to the Biblical prophets—the namesakes of the foundation—for inspiration in developing the program. According to ENS, the three prophets "embody life principles we endear." For Daniels, the objective is more than simply trying to keep kids out of trouble; it is about instilling core values like personal responsibility, a sense of integrity, and an ability to make decisions and live according to "value-based principles and a pursuit of excellence."
"We looked closely at statistics in the African American community," Daniels explains, "and we noticed that kids had improper values. They needed mentoring. In the time since [we implemented the programs], the results have been very good. Kids are now finishing college and other educational programs." Daniels is proud of ENS's success and of the kids they've mentored.
ENS has taken an innovative approach toward achieving success. "We have a Big Brother and Sisters model in place," Daniels says, "but nowadays that's not good enough. Our children need more mentoring programs." Daniels knew the only answer was to develop new strategies and to take new approaches in their efforts to reach families with at-risk youth, primarily young males without father figures in the home.
Following the Biblical example of Ezra, who is credited with bringing scholars and prophets together in the Great Assembly, 'wisdom' became the ENS mantra. Concerned about the deterioration of family and the "loss of human potential" as kids turn away from education, ENS now offers a variety of programs to educate and assist both kids and parents. Some of the programs include: educational activities, summer programs, after-school remediation, teaching life skills, family therapy and advocacy, and youth mentorship.
"We are extremely proud of the 90 percent success rate our children have shown," Daniels adds. "We are happy with the model we have put in place."
Daniels admits that while the mission is clear, being able to complete it is not always easy. Funding, especially in times of economic hardship, is an ongoing challenge. "The organization is lacking in funding and is short on money," he says. "I have personally invested thousands of dollars just to keep things moving."
Still, ENS continues on with the help of their team of trained volunteer staff members. However, Daniels worries they are still short-staffed after adding more services to their already comprehensive program.
He hopes more people will continue to volunteer, and he values the importance of what these charitable individuals are providing to the community in terms of helping teens build self-esteem, teaching them to value themselves as responsible individuals, and creating stronger familial relationships. The compassion that volunteers bring into their service is something ENS knows cannot be bought—it comes from the heart.
www.ens-inc.org
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