BAM! Boys Advocacy and Mentoring

A Leader’s Guide to Facilitating Strengths-Based Groups for Boys - Helping Boys Make Better Contact by Making Better Contact with Them

Stephen Grant author Peter Mortola author Howard Hiton author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:16th Oct '15

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

This hardback is available in another edition too:

BAM! Boys Advocacy and Mentoring cover

Over the past decade, our understanding of the fundamental differences in child development, behavior, and emotional maturity between boys and girls has increased dramatically, and as a result, many gender-specific interventions and support programs have been developed to meet the needs of parents, teachers, and mental health professionals. However, these all take the form of responses designed to minimize an already disruptive behavior pattern. What has been needed is a pro-active program whose goal is to instill positive skills and patterns in 'at-risk' boys, rather than waiting to address problems after they are already visible.

The BAM! Boys Advocacy and Mentoring program fills this need by providing the first guidebook for group facilitators who want to lead preventative boys groups designed to foster communication skills and emotional connections. Based on years of research and refined over the course of countless sessions run by the authors, the program has been field-tested and tailored for use either in the school setting or outside. Over a series of group sessions, participants are encouraged to understand their emotions and interpersonal interactions without losing a sense of 'maleness' as a result of emotional growth and communication with peers about personal issues. The activities are designed to be engaging across age groups, and the individual exercises and program structure can be modified to fit into any existing school- or community-based mentoring system. The guidebook contains all of the information and tools a facilitator needs in order to implement and maintain these boys groups.

"This important book offers a useful gude for counselors and youth workers undertaking the vital task of mentoring young boys...This inspiring book provides much food for thought. It offers assistance to professionals from a broad range of disciplines and backgrounds desirous of meeting the challenges of working with boys in considered, mindful, and heartful ways."-Jon Blend, British Gestalt Journal


“I loved your Boys Advocacy and Mentoring guide. You have written a wise and grounded guide for working with boys in groups. You really get it about boys.”
—Michael Thompson, author of Raising Cain: Focus on Boys and host of the associated PBS documentary

“As a mom of two boys and a person who has worked with boys for the past 15 years, I so appreciate the innovative approach of BAM!. If you work with boys you know it can be difficult to find creative interactive exercises boys will embrace. When you read BAM! you'll immediately see a wide range of activities boys will want to do, and the exercises do a great job of creating the environment where boys can and will openly discuss topics that usually are off limits to boys in our culture.
--Rosalind Wiseman, educator and author of Queen Bees and Wannabes

"On the playground, if you can't climb something or jump three bars on the monkey bars, they think you're a wimp. If you can't be as good or better than the others, some boys will lie and say they are. It's not like that in here."
-Fifth-grade BAM! group participant

“In my work with schools around the country, I usually ask staff to identify a young person who is struggling academically or behaviorally. Three-quarters of the staff consistently identify boys. This book is long overdue and is an effective blend of research and strengths-based practices that will be a valuable resource for school counselors and teachers. As an educator and Alex’s grandpa, thanks.”
- H. Clay Roberts, National Education Consultant; President of Roberts and Associates; Search Institute Senior Trainer, Vision Training Associates

ISBN: 9781138130111

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 453g

158 pages