Youth Peace Makers Program

For many years, the Multicultural Community Service provided innovative programming for youth. Washington, DC youth face a number of challenges common to youth in America's inner cities, including family poverty, a sense of lack of opportunity or belief in their own ability to succeed, and exposure to violence, drugs and gang activity. The key to success for these at-risk youth is an understanding that they can succeed academically, economically and personally through positive civic engagement. 

In response to these challenges, MCS created the Youth Peace Makers Program that was implemented for three consecutive summers in 2007, 2008, and 2009. The purpose of Youth Peace Makers program was to provide youth with an intensive summer experience that:

• Harnessed their energy, idealism and creativity.
• Provided personal growth activities and forums.
• Cultivated a sense of belonging to their community through civic engagement projects.

• Provided college counseling aimed at renewing their commitment to attaining basic schools and focusing on academic achievement.

Lack of resources caused MCS to suspend the program, which it hopes to re-launch when funding becomes available.

Facilitation and Mediation

MCS has a long history providing facilitation and mediation services to the community in an effort to promote civic participation.  Examples include:

Korean Convenience Stores:  MCS led a successful deep process dialogue to bridge the gap between the primarily Korean convenience store owners in the city and local residents, mostly youth.  This process minimized the conflict between the groups and led to greater cross-cultural understanding in local neighborhoods bridging neighborhood and community leadership.

Parents of Lincoln Middle School: Parents of children attending Lincoln Middle School approached MCS for assistance in identifying a temporary site for the school while it was under construction. MCS provided oral interpreters and facilitated a meeting between parents, DC Councilmember Jim Graham and DC Public School Board Members.

MCS Interpreter Addresses Parents & Youth In Texas

One of MCS' long-time interpreters, Roland Roebuck, conducted a series of parent and student educational workshops for Region 19 of the Migrant Education Program in El Paso, Texas in March 27, 2009. He addressed over one hundred parents of Mexican heritage working in the agricultural sector and with children in the local school system. Mr. Roebuck provided insightful expertise in the areas of parental school engagement, understanding school expectations, effective parental collaboration models and how to create a rich learning environment for their children.

Roebuck also addressed more than 200 High School students as the keynote speaker for the 18th Annual Migrant Student Leadership Conference/Career Day.  He stressed the importance of developing leadership skills, understanding the college application process, finding funding for college, neutralizing negative peer pressure, management of intra-family relations, effective decision making, avoiding at-risk behavior and effective personal planning as tools to success.

"Interpreting for the DC Parent Information Resource Center in the DC School system and dealing directly with Latino parents, gives me in-depth understanding of the critical role parents hold in advancing their children's academic responsibilities and achievements," Roebuck stated.  While Latino parents in the DC metropolitan area contend with inner city school problems, both parents in Texas and DC expressed interest in doing whatever it takes to provide their children with the best learning opportunities possible.

MCS is proud of the excellent work that graduates of it's Interpreter Training are engaged in from various professional fields. Mr. Roebuck received certification from the Language Services Program in Spring of 2008. 

MCS In the News