Past Projects

Hooks African American Male Initiative (HAAMI)

The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change's mission of teaching, studying and promoting civil rights and social change is reflected in its programming, which includes funding faculty research and community service projects; hosting conferences, symposia, and lectures; promoting and recognizing local and national scholarship on civil and human rights.

The Hooks African American Male Initiative (HAAMI) focuses on improving the retention and graduation rates of African American males attending the University of Memphis by enriching each students' academic, personal and social development. Dr. Gregory Washington is an advisor and CAYD staff supports the goals of HAAMI.

Expanding Assets and Steering Initiative (EASI)

Expanding Assets and Steering Initiative (EASI) is a Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) funded after school project that includes culturally centered group mentoring for boys. EASI goals include promoting youth development by nurturing life skills that could reduce risk for emotional, mental and behavioral problems with an approved plan to evaluate the outcomes related to these goals.

EASI mentors use African drumming circles to engage youth in culturally-centered group discussions and activities that nurture skill development and positive ethnic identity. These circles are designed to include interactions that promote unity, healthy male development, and instill historical knowledge to increase cultural awareness. EASI utilizes a Pyramid Mentoring approach that includes trained experienced adult males who function as mentors called Senior Elders that mentor and support University of Memphis male undergraduate student mentors called Junior Elders. Both groups of mentors utilize an Afro-centric social development curriculum to mentor the middle school boys at Cummings School and Knowledgequest.

• EASI Powerpoint : Click Here
• EASI Registration Form: Click Here
• EASI Mentor Application Form: Click Here

SWAT: Substance Abuse Women's Action Team

Federally funded SAMSHA project aimed at supporting women in recovery, also serves as Lead Evaluator

The Memphis Substance-Using Women's Action Team project is to expand substance abuse treatment and as well as available HIV services for African American and other minority women in Memphis, Tennessee, who have substance use issues or co-occurring substance use /mental disorders and are living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS. Specifically, the project focuses on the development of a culturally appropriate and gender-specific project to meet the treatment needs of substance using African American women. By developing a system of care tailored to the specific cultural and gender-specific needs of African Americans women at risk for HIV due to substance dependence. The service delivery system in Memphis, Tennessee will be expanded to meet the needs of a population whose needs are currently among the least met by the existing current service system. The Center for the Advancement of Youth Development (CAYD) in the Department of Social Work is being contracted to lead the evaluation of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) funded project Memphis Substance-Using Women Treatment Team.

JustCare Family Network

" System of Care Implementation, Lead Evaluator, Youth Engagement Services. Subcontracted by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Disability Services through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMSHA).

YGEEC APPLICATION: CLICK HERE

Network for Overcoming Violence and Abuse DCI NOVA

NOVA is the local model developed as part of the federal Defending Childhood Initiative, and is led by Shelby county Office of Early Childhood and Youth. The initiative focuses on children ages 0-17 who have directly or indirectly been exposed to violence of all kinds, initially targeting the Frayser and Southeast Memphis Neighborhoods  

Operation Restart:

The Department of Social Work Center for the Advancement of Youth Development (CAYD) at the University of Memphis will design and perform evaluation of Operation Re-Start of the City of Memphis through its contract with Neighborhoods Reaching Neighborhoods (NRN) .CAYD will also engage parents of youth to participate in data collection activities to identify issues that are preventing the youths from attending school and being productive citizens.

Adolescent Fatherhood Training and Empowerment for Responsibility (AFTER) 

This is an intervention to increase teen and young adult paternal involvement during early childhood (ages 0 to 3).Young fathers are mentored by more experienced fathers in the community

Our School Our Garden

Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention with Memphis City Schools and a coalition of community and school gardeners.

SWIM: Soulsville Wellness Initiative For Men

National Think Tank for African American Progress: A solution focused community mobilization to improve the health, educational, economic, and technological outcomes of African American youth.

PURSUING THE DREAM TO REALITY

The Hooks Institute's mission of teaching, studying, and promoting civil rights and social change is reflected in its programming, which includes funding faculty research and community service projects; hosting conferences, symposia, and lectures; and promoting and recognizing local and national scholarship on civil and human rights.

The Hooks African American Male Initiative (HAAMI) focuses on improving the retention and graduation rates of African American males attending the University of Memphis by enriching each students' academic, personal, and social development.