The National Compadres Network
Cara y Corazon Overview
National Compadres Network Copyright 2015 1 Cara y Corazon A Family Strengthening, Leadership Development Program Jerry Tello Cara y Corazon is a family strengthening, leadership development program that maintains that at the base of every culture, community, family and parent are the resiliency factors that can be tapped to assist parents and family members to build positive, healthy relationships with their children and themselves. By building on positive cultural values and traditions the curriculum guides parents to reflect on how they can maintain this positive form of identity while integrating and adapting the positive elements to todays contemporary society. The program directly addresses a wide variety of “cargas” baggage issues that families face to include, teen pregnancy, domestic violence, child abuse, substance abuse, mental health issues, gang violence and other challenges. At the same time, the program acknowledges and builds on the cultural integrity of the parents’ background while guiding them to become part of an extended kinship network ( compadres) to collectively support one another as they raise their children The curriculum has and is being used with monolingual Spanish speaking populations, bilingual bicultural populations and multi-­‐
cultural populations as well. The model is adaptable and can be used in a variety of settings. (i.e. schools, community based organizations, FRC’s and residential recovery programs) The entire program emcompasses several phases. The initial phase is a 10-­‐12 lesson format that can be delivered once a week for 8-­‐12 weeks at 2 hours per class. The parents are then graduated to a parent education support group (Comadres, compadres, extended kinship network) where guest speakers are brought in on topics chosen by parents and then discussed based on the principals of Cara y Corazon. The parents are also encouraged to attend a monthly “circulo” (extended kinship support group) whereby it allows them to further deal with the day to day life stressors and develop a family support system. Tello©1996 www.nationalcompadresnetwork.org National Compadres Network Copyright 2015 2 Curriculum Sessions Class 1 Class 2 Class 3 Class 4 Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Class 8 Class 9 Class 10 Class 11 Class 12 Tello©1996 ACKNOWLEDGMENT Conocimiento MY FAMILY, MY HEART Mi Familia, Mi Corazón CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT La Educación GIFTS AND BAGGAGE Regalos y Cargas VALUES AND VALUE Valores con Valor GROWING AND LEARNING Creciendo y Aprendiendo PARENT AND TEACHER, THE PURPOSE Padre y el Maestro, el Por Que? TRADITION AND CEREMONY Ceremonia y Tradicion GETTING TO KNOW MY FAMILY AGAIN Conociendo Mi Familia de Nuevo ROOTS OF UNDERSTANDING Raices de Entendimiento DANCING TO A DIFFERENT BEAT Bailando con Diferentes Ritmos CELEBRATING THE FAMILY Celebrando la Familia www.nationalcompadresnetwork.org National Compadres Network Copyright 2015 3 The National Compadres Network
Circle Keeper Process Overview
“Within the collective Dignity, Respect, Trust, and Love, of all people, exist the wisdom,
practices, and resources, for a healthy and harmonious wellbeing.”
Jerry Tello
National Compadres Network Copyright 2015 1 “El Circulo” Circle Keeper Process, shared in this curricula, is based on
the National Compadres Network’s, La Cultura Cura Transformative Health and
Healing Philosophy. This life view recognizes that within an individual’s, family’s,
and community’s authentic cultural values and traditions that there are practices
that can serve as the basis to healthy development, restoration, and lifelong
wellbeing.
The Circle Keeper process focuses on building on the natural opportunity factors
and on what is healthy within an individual, family, community or culture. This indigenous based
life view promotes what is right based on culturally grounded physical, emotional, mental, and
spiritual, principles and practices.
This overview provides the philosophical basis and process for gathering people in safe and
sacred spaces (Circulo/Circle) to allow their natural development, growth and healing to take
place.
El CIRCULO: THE SACRED CIRCLE
Since the beginning of time, people have gathered in circulos, to honor each other, and to
preserve the harmony of the community and the natural rhythm and movement of life. These
ceremonial gatherings strengthened and kept the people focused to a greater purpose in life.
The Circulo is central to the customs and traditions rooted in the ethnic spirit of Indigenous
peoples Although the ceremonial expression of these traditions and customs are different
depending on the particular group of people, earth-centered people of all roots have always
gathered and continue to gather in circles for four main reasons:
•
•
•
•
Acknowledge a greater source,
Honor the beginning and endings of life,
Celebrate rites of passage through stages of life and,
Support one another in times of pain, distress and disagreement.
ROLE OF THE CIRCLE KEEPER
We are all students of and teachers to each other, yet we must also recognize the various
ways of sharing this teaching. As a facilitator, one chooses to walk the road of teacher, guide,
mirror, model, example and nurturer. To be a CIRCLE KEEPER requires close attention to the
importance to the responsibility that accompanies this role, that of f i r s t b e i n g a p o s i t i v e
example of the teachings.
It is essential for the Circle Keeper to include and gain council from a respected elder or
community gatekeeper on a regular basis and to the extent possible include them as part of the
process to maintain clear one’s focus and movement. Although for circles that are being
conducted in schools or institutions related to support and “restorative justice” an elder might not
always be accessible, nevertheless it is important that the Circle Keeper actively seek out and gain
training, guidance and direction on guiding Circulos and staying balanced.
“Circle Keeper(s)” must be an example of the basic teachings (this way of life),
and have experience with families, ceremonies, rituals, and communitystrengthening processes. Although the Circulo may be therapeutic, it is not a therapy program. Circle Keepers should
avoid the temptation of psychologizing or interpreting problems. It is quite natural for participants to see
the Circle Keeper as a healer, expert or authority on healing or resolving problems. Participants may
even refer to the Circle Keeper as Maestro, Baba, Elder or Teacher. Although we may allow and accept
these titles because relationships can build respect and especially young people need people they can
look up to, as a facilitator, one should face this deference with humility always remembering that we
have chosen to take on this role as a guide and mirror, assisting others to see their own medicine as the
way to healing and balance which comes not from us but from within themselves.
Since all of us carry our own gifts and baggage, persons choosing to facilitate a Circulo,
needs to recognize and give the attention to their own issues. This is in part what an open heart
means and why it is vital that Circle Keepers be on their own spiritual path. In short, this entails
not only saying they believe in one thing or another, but also practicing service and gratitude. It is
therefore important for Circle Keepers to incorporate a regular practice of health and well being
based on the four values of dignity, respect, trust, and love, as well as the behaviors that
reflect them. Finally, being part of a larger Circulo where one is not a facilitator also allows one to
balance their service and to see and appreciate participant realities, both positive and negative,
without judgment and demonstrating the practice of “ walking the talk.”
GRATITUDE
It is important to recognize, in the end, that any of us who choose to take on the role of
“Circle Keeper” that we do it with gratitude and humility and as part of a larger collective of
community helpers and servant leaders. In the end it becomes part of larger life purpose of being
of SERVICE. As in the OLLIN symbol of reciprocal giving and receiving, it is important for Circle
Keepers to always remember the commitment to oneself and their own family relations with an
attempt to keep it all in balance. Finally, we have the responsibility not only to be a positive
example of these teachings, but also to pass them on the future generations. PALABRA.
National Compadres Network Copyright 2015 3 The National Compadres Network
El Joven Noble Overview
National Compadres Network Copyright 2015 1 El Joven Noble
Rites of Passage Character Development and Personal
Healing Program
El Joven Noble Rites of Passage, Character Development Program, is a youth development,
support, and leadership enhancement program developed in 1988 that provides a process and a
vehicle for the continued “rites of passage” development and healing of youth ages 10-24. The
program incorporates an approach and curriculum that is based on the philosophy that youth
need other men/women, their family, and community to care for, assist, heal, guide, and
successfully prepare them for true womanhood/manhood.
Jovenes con Palabra is a 20 session curriculum that is part of a more intensive El Joven Noble
(The Noble Young Person) Youth Rites of Passage Process. The specific goal of The Jovenes Con
Palabra curriculum is the CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT of young men/women while
providing a safe place to heal from the high at risk factors that affect their day to days lives,
specifically targeting the reduction of teen pregnancies, substance abuse, and community
violence and to increase the ability of youth to act in a responsible and respectful way in
reference to their relationships.
The impetus of these concepts and philosophy were developed by CALMECAC, A
Chicano/Latino/ Native Indigenous Mental Health Training group based in Los Angeles,
California. In addition, a special acknowledgement is given to the “Circulo de Hombres” whose
mission is to strengthen, balance and redevelop the traditional compadre extended family
systems in communities for supporting this process.
Historically, it has been traditional for indigenous people of all cultures as men, women,
families, and communities to gather in “circles” to teach, learn, heal and prepare for the
continued development of the people. By participating in special roles in the family, they would
assume an extended kinship/parental (compadre/comadre) role in the lives of the children and
family. Through example and teaching, they would collectively assist in the nurturing,
protection, guidance and responsibility of the children. Jovenes con Palabra is a return to these
teachings and this responsibility for preparing and guiding the next generation in a positive way.
By way of societal oppression and direct invalidation of our values and traditions, many of these
essential elements of the culture have been hidden, imbalanced, or thought to be unimportant.
This has had a great negative effect on Chicano/Latino/ Native Indigenous children and families.
For many reasons, the mujeres (women), for the most part, have been able to maintain closer ties
to the valores (values) and the traditions of being comadres, but for the “hombres”, much has
been lost or hidden.
Theoretical Formulation
The following are the protective factors that this program is intended to enhance:
v Community Domain - community rewards for pro-social involvement
v Family Domain – family opportunities and rewards for pro-social involvement
v School Domain – school opportunities and rewards for pro-social involvement
National Compadres Network Copyright 2015 2 v Peer & Individual Domain – Character development, personal healing, social skills and
the belief in the moral order.
Core Teachings
El Joven Noble is divided into four core teachings of development to include:
Conocimiento (Acknowledgement), Entendimiento (Understanding), Integración (Integration),
and Movimiento (Movement) . These four core teachings directly target four parallel risk areas
that contribute to self destructive behavior of Chicano/Latino/ Native Indigenous
(disenfranchised ) youth. It is designed to present teachings related to the physical, emotional,
mental, and spiritual aspects of each as a basis for direction. Each stage uses a combination of
activities and teaching experiences relating to a young person’s self, family, and community
while focusing on four main core teachings.
1. Conocimiento: Acknowledgement and Positive Cultural Identity Development
Chicano/Latino/ Native Indigenous youth live in a world where they have to balance two cultures
and many times come from families who have experienced generations of racism, discrimination
and oppression (social/cultural detachment). Through these oppressive processes many youth
have internalized a negative (false ) self concept of who they are culturally and essentially have
learned to “detach” ( attachment disorder) from the true sense of who they are really in
connection to themselves, their families, their relationships and their behaviors.
El Joven Noble focuses on a relationship based process Acknowledging them from an
indigenous, cultural perspective while reinforcing the true essence of who they are and
reconnecting them to their true potential as Jovenes Nobles.
2. Entendimiento: Understanding of Their Sacred Purpose
In the indigenous beliefs of Chicano/Latino/ Native Indigenous culture every child is a blessing
and has a “Sacred Purpose”. On the other hand through living in an oppressive society many
disenfranchised (Chicano/Latino/ Native Indigenous) youth have come to believe they are high
risk, delinquent prone and burdens to their families and society. Through generations
experiencing trauma and rejection many youth have developed survival mechanisms (attention
deficit behavior) as it becomes too painful to be present in their reality. Many times coping
mechanisms become internalized oppressive ways of thinking and behaving (aggressive/reactive
behavior) that result in self destructive, self sabotaging behaviors. On the other hand, a basic
premise of true healing, growth and development is the ability of the individual to have a vision
of their true Sacred Purpose, a vision that is missing for many of these youth. If a person only
has a negative view of himself, his history and his culture then he has no avenue for growth and
development. They must understand the history that has led to the creation of their present
situation and in this process (narrative reprocessing; hearing their social/historical story) and
with the proper guidance (elders mentorship) he/she will be able to separate pain and dysfunction
from the true essence and teachings that can lead him/her to manifest her/his “Sacred Purpose”.
3. Integracion: Integrating Bilingual/Bicultural Values
Due to the multitude of economic, social and family stressors many youth live their life based on
survival; getting by, getting over and not getting caught. The clash between the values of one’s
culturally based families and that of western oriented society often leaves youth in the middle,
National Compadres Network Copyright 2015 3 feeling stuck, not learning, not growing (depression) and not motivated to do anything else. On
the other hand, positive values, a love for life and a circle of support (extended kinship network,
circulo de hombres/mujeres) is the basis for learning, healing, growing and leading others. As
times change, people must learn “new ways” (based on ancient teachings), be able to analyze and
process the changing world’s demands without losing a sense of one’s true culture and ethnic
connection. Living with a sense of Spirit (spirituality) and ganas (fortitude) allows one to better
deal with difficult and sometimes overwhelming pressures with a sense of hope and greater
vision.
4. Movemiento: Safety, Security and Interconnected Trust
Fear is one of the greatest obstacles many youth face today. Living in dangerous neighborhoods,
where gangs, drug use and violence is prevalent thus creating ongoing insecurity, anxiety
(anxiety disorders, post traumatic stress) that many times spills into their relationships as well.
Young people need ongoing adult mentorship and support to assist them to navigate their “rites
of passage” into manhood/womanhood and to learn positive living skills that can help them in
their day-to-day lives. At the same time, they need ongoing resources (circulo de apoyo, circle of
support: adult guides) where they can feel safe and where they can learn to develop pro-social,
problem solving skills where they can release burdensome issues in their lives
National Compadres Network Copyright 2015 4 El Joven Noble
PARTNERS WITH A
ROLE TO PLAY
POSITIVE MASCULINITY THROUGH CULTURAL CONNECTION & CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
ACTIVITIES
OUTPUTS
CULTURAL CONNECTION & IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT
INTRAPERSONAL
• Community Members
• Children
• Adults/Parents
•
•
•
•
•
• Increased knowledge of
Latino/Chicano societal
contributions
• Improved understanding of the
impacts of negative stereotypes
• Increased knowledge of cultural
history and indigenous practices
Learn cultural history/indigenous teachings
Reconnect to cultural values
Identify cultural stereotypes and their effects
Re-establish cultural traditions & rites of passage
Learn about current struggles for and contributions of
Chicanos/Latinos in U.S.
SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES
• Decreased acceptance of negative stereotypes
• Improved Latino/Chicano cultural identity, selfimage, and connection to tradition
• Increased participation in cultural practices
• Increased connection to family and extended
family
•
INTERPERSONAL
•
•
•
•
•
Family Members
Friends
Peers
Community Members
Facilitators/Teachers
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
• Develop sense of “palabra” (dignity, respect, trust, love)
• Learn key concepts of “La Educación” (character
development)
• Identify four key concepts of being a man – keeping his
word, not bringing harm to others, taking responsibility for
his actions, and being a positive example to others
• Participation in rites of passage
• Increased
knowledge about the
meaning of “palabra” and types
of actions of a man with palabra
• Improved ability to deal with
negative peer pressure
• Increased awareness about
positive ways to display
masculinity
• More youth displaying the values of and acting with
“palabra”
• Increased knowledge of La Educación
• More young men expressing positive masculinity ideals
• Increased knowledge of how to overcome oppressive
practices and how to promote equality
• Improved conflict management skills
COMMUNITY
• Santa Cruz County
Health Services
Agency
• Santa Cruz County
Probation Department
• Community- and
County-Based
Organizations and
Service Providers
• Local Schools
• Community Members
SOCIETY
• Law Enforcement
Officials
• Government Officials
• Faith-Based
Organizations
POLICY
• Prevention and Early
Intervention Funding
• Grant Funders
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP
• Learn the differences between being raised with love versus
hate
• Learn about how to build positive relationships
• Lean about the idea of manhood and integrating “palabra” into
romantic relationships
• Understand precursors to domestic violence (DV), its physical
and emotional consequences, and legal ramifications
• Learn about age-appropriate issues of safety and
consequences associated with relationships
POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT
• Learn and practice asset-based thinking and verbalization
• Learn and practice ways to express themselves/communicate
with words, not violence
• Develop community involvement with youth and family
outreach
• Develop connections between youth and community
members, peers, family, elders
SYSTEMS CHANGE
• Engage participants in future community or service planning
efforts
• Learn about community resources available at non-traditional
times
• Evaluate El Joven Noble curriculum
Curriculum Author: Jerry Tello, Director
National Latino Fatherhood & Family Institute
1550 The Alameda, Suite 303
San Jose, CA 95126
• Increased knowledge of positive
relationship behaviors and
communication styles
• Increased awareness of intimate partner
violence and its effects
• Increased age-appropriate knowledge
of relationship rites and responsibilities
and safe practices
• Increased age-appropriate knowledge
of STIs and transmission
• Increased awareness of the difference
between asset versus deficit-based
thinking
• Increased awareness of the effects of
violence and knowledge of alternatives
to violence
• Increased knowledge of the value and
wisdom of elders
• Youth and family voices involved in
programming and education
• Increased number of locations to
implement El Joven Noble program
• Evidence-based curriculum
Office Tel:
Direct Tel:
Email:
(408) 657-8215
(626) 333-5033
[email protected]
• Improved communication skills
• Improved self-efficacy for building and
MEDIUM-TERM OUTCOMES
• Increased ability to deconstruct
stereotypes and decreased use of
stereotypes
• Increased self-efficacy to positively
contribute to society
• Promote positive cultural traditions
within family and community
•
• Spread of values of “palabra” within the
youth community
• Positive influence on other youth to
complete rites of passage
• Increased respectful behaviors/decreased
adverse behaviors and associated
consequences
• Positive masculinity ideals spread as
norm
• More youth demonstrate leadership to
promote equality and embracing diversity
maintaining healthy relationships and for
leaving unhealthy relationships
• Increased awareness of readiness for stages
of relationships and rites and responsibilities
associated with relationships
• Increased risk perception
• Increased self-efficacy for accessing
resources for contraception/ protection
• Increase in asset-based thinking and
reduction in deficit-based thinking
• Improved outlook for the future in youth and
self-efficacy for producing change
• Increased pride in community
• Increased sense of connection to self, peers,
family, elders
• Increased positive decision-making
• Practice and modeling of healthy
relationships within community
• Decreased domestic violence
• Increased safe behaviors in relationships
• Increased social support and connection
among peers and within the community
• Integration of generations to help others
“cross the bridge”
• Increased peer mentorship
• Cultural awareness promoted within service
system
• Increased leadership among participants
• Increased and continued social support
networks
• Increased awareness of community services
available at non-traditional times
• Culturally competent practices integrated
within service system
• Sustained involvement of participants in
El Joven Noble program
• Continued and increased utilization of
evidence-based curriculum
LONG-TERM OUTCOMES
Improvements in youth’s
emotional and spiritual
development
La Educación shared
among peer groups and
family within the
community
Culture and tradition
regained and renewed as
source of strength for
community to fuel
positive, enduring
change
Increased youth
leadership and
engagement in the
community
Lower incidence of
alcohol and other
substance abuse
More respectful and
healthy relationships
Increased youth
involvement and
leadership in prosocial
activities
Improved social and
emotional well-being of
youth
Increased accessibility,
responsiveness, and
coordination of service
delivery systems
Xinachtli
Curriculum Overview
Presented by
Sara Haskie-Mendoza
www.laipa.net
INTRODUCTION
“In the struggle to bring new life into our communities, we
reflect upon the wisdom and knowledge of our ancestors to guide
our journey.”
The purpose of the Xinachtli curricula is to assist individuals, groups, and
organizations in the continuous work with adolescent women. The “Xinachtli”
Germinating Seed Curriculum is a comprehensive bilingual/bicultural youth
development process designed to provide adolescent female youth the
guidance for a healthy development into adulthood. Based on indigenous
principles of the individual’s interconnectedness to the family, the community,
and nation, this curriculum provides a dialectic process of Refleccion,
Concientizacion, Creacion, and Accion while supporting and building on the
strengths of the individual. The curriculum incorporates an educational and
organizing process in the development of leadership capacity and personal
community responsibility in the participants to allow them to serve as teachers
and guides for other young women in the community.
The enclosed curriculum provides a framework for working with young women,
yet the essence of the teachings is provided in the training itself. Therefore it
is a part of the philosophy that anyone implementing this curriculum has gone
through the training process in order to gin a complete understanding o he
teaching. Many lessons are based on traditional indigenous teachings so it is
imperative that they be delivered with respect and not seen only as
participatory activities.
The curriculum process is cyclical in its
implementation. As the young women are facilitated through the four learning
cycles of Refleccion, Creacion, Concientizacion and Accion the process is then
repeated with each group addressing the same session and new session themes
identified by the youth. The continued implementation of Xinachtli is designed
to encourage facilitators to input their creativity and practice thus taking
ownership of the process and philosophy.
BACKGROUND
This curriculum seeks to address the development needs of teen girls. The
cultural component in the curriculum is woven into each aspect of the work.
The founding philosophy of Xinachtli is based on the Nahuatl traditional
principles of health and well being. The meaning of Xinachlti is germinating
seed. This is a Nahuatl word that symbolized the natural process of the growth
of a seed. Xinachtli is the moment in which the seed opens and begins its
transformation into a plant. This is the same process that we see when a baby
becomes a child and a child becomes an adolescent. This process has to be
acknowledged, nurtured and cared for so that the seed can develop
successfully.
In the creation of this curriculum, we consciously took in account the
following: 1. Cultural Knowledge, 2. Understanding of Historical Trauma and 3.
Social-Economic Conditions that affect the lives of youth today.
Lastly, it is important to acknowledge that this work is possible do to the
countless individuals that have set out to find and share their knowledge of our
traditional cultures and that have believed that we can rewrite our stories in a
manner that is truthful and provides actual space for descendents to be proud
and feel blessed.
CURRICULUM
The Xinachtli curriculum process include the following:
•
Cultural Identity Development
•
Women’s Human Rights
•
Life Skills Development/Healthy Rites of Passage
•
Health, Hygiene and Reproductive Health
•
Healthy Family Relationships
•
Youth Relationships, Dating Violence and Maintaining Self Respect
•
Substance Abuse Prevention and Substance Development
•
Community Violence and Cycles of Oppression
•
Vision and Goal Setting
•
Violence and Human Rights as a Community Health Issue
•
Action “Ollin” Circles
•
Community Organizing and Mobilization