Jerrence Owens has extensive experience as a Behavioral Specialist at Pacific Clinics, a Childcare Worker at West Covina Group Home, a Life Skills Specialist at Boys Republic and also teaching music to foster youth at Leroy Haynes Group Home. We met him last November when some of the boys from Leroy Haynes performed at Create Now’s “Inspiration” Talent Show. Since March 28, 2011, Jerrence has been mentoring abused, neglected, abandoned and orphaned boys at Hathaway-Sycamores Child & Family Services in Altadena – with music, through our Sound Off program. His workshop builds their confidence, improves cooperation with staff and helps develop their literacy skills as they write and share their original songs.

Here is Jerrence’s story:

Mentoring Through Music

by Jerence Owens

While working in the mental health field as a Behavioral Specialist for 12 years, I noticed a lot of the needs of our foster youth were still not being met. My call to action was to form a non-profit Foundation called Visionary Voices For Youth in 2002, which was the beginning of a journey to offer outreach services.

Mentoring thru music has become a vehicle to give youth a chance to be heard by their families, staff and peers. By using writing exercises, creating music, and modeling performance techniques, I found that this creative environment gave our youth the tools to build self-esteem and self-image. As a Foundation, our goal is to continue to partner with more organizations like Create Now in a fight to help give our foster youth the tools to unlock their creative identities.

Partnering with Create Now has been an awesome opportunity to give back to the community. I mentor nine foster boys ages 11-15 at Hathaway-Sycamores, a large residential facility. I’m volunteering on a weekly basis by using music to help give our youth a positive way to express themselves. At the start of the program, most of the youth had a hard time expressing themselves without using inappropriate language and behaviors, and not working well with other peers.

By using writing samples, instrumental sounds and technology, we have found ways to engage these areas and to challenge our youth to discover their shared inner strengths. Now, after just a short time, our youth show the ability to be open with their thoughts and feelings, express themselves using positive words and also give positive feedback to one another. They have a consistent interest in the program, which has made a big impact on the way the Hathaway-Sycamore staff view the youth and go out of their way help cultivate more interest areas.

We are currently preparing for a Talent Show at the facility with some local artists from Power 106 radio, HBO’s “Def Poetry” and the LA Youth Slam Team. The boys in my workshop will share the stage and showcase their talents. The goal is to allow our youth to share their gifts with peers, family and the community, allowing them to be seen and heard for who they and not how they are perceived.

"Dante, age 13 – “The thing I like most about the music workshop is that we get to sing, which is my favorite. We get to make our own songs.”

Marcos, 12 – “I like writing and singing.”

Joey, 14 – “I like the singing. I’m thinking about being in the Talent Show.”

Alexander, 11 – “I like the singing. I’m singing a song I made myself.”

Ivan, 14 – “I like making beats and listening to them.”

Christian, 12 – “What I like the most about the workshop is listening to music and being able to write my own songs. I’ve written two songs.”

Hathaway-Sycamores staff Anthony Michael said, “The contributions of Create Now have assisted our youth in the development of self-esteem, self expression and the challenges of feeling connected with the outside world. I have witnessed the joy and camaraderie emanating from the tutelage and encouragement of Jerrence Owens. We are fortunate to count him as an ally in our efforts to nurture the precious potential inherent in our youth."

Activities Coordinator Jane Whitmore said, “My observation has been that Jerrence's enthusiasm combined with his patience and consistency has made the music group an activity that the boys look forward to each week. Initially, there was some reluctance to try something new, as is typical for the population of youth that we work with. But the boys are learning that they are part of a team and that they each have something unique to contribute to the group.”

Special thanks to the Los Angeles County Arts Commission for their support. We’re also very grateful to the Water Buffalo Club, which is donating essential equipment to Create Now, including keyboards for the Hathaway-Sycamores boys to use in our Sound Off program.