Second, government agencies administering grant funds for
Denver programs should also take a hard look and start asking difficult
questions rather than blindly trust these groups based on political
connections. They should stop relying on
track records from years ago and insist on current results. As citizens and taxpayers, we should always
remember that those in public service and nonprofit work report to us; we are
their bosses. We should demand these
officials be held responsible for making sound decisions and award funds only to
groups that are responsibly managed and demonstrate progress, not fabrications
tailored to make them look good.
As someone who has routinely given money to youth programs,
I have grave concern. I’ve observed
first-hand how some very prominent youth causes lost their focus and have become
self-serving bureaucracies. They have
become more concerned with preserving their brand, status, reputation and staff
salaries, then caring for Denver youth.
As a former member of the board for SOX Place, I had a front-row seat and
saw the tragic condition many youth in our city face. In some cases, parents literally drop
unwanted children on the 16th Street Mall after years of abuse and
neglect leaving them to fend for themselves.
Many young girls and woman are raped, prostituted, and abused. Young boys and men have to learn to scrape to
survive and often find themselves caught up in gangs. Some
of these youth are thrust into other broken systems such as juvenile justice
and child welfare. It’s a vicious cycle these
children don’t want to be in but unfortunately find few reputable resources to
help them escape.
I’ve seen citizens simply walk by these unwashed and
disheveled youth as if they’re nothing more than trash tossed on the sidewalk. These are precious lives often forced to
surrender their innocence through no fault of their own. After being traumatized by adults meant to
protect, love and educate them, some end up dumped with nonprofit organizations
that treat them in the same harmful, disrespectful, inhumane, and exploitative
manner. They deserve a life no less supportive
and safe than ours.
Many prominent and well-established youth organizations in
our community are focused on politics and have abandoned their mission. They tout success stories with little substantiated
data. Upon closer examination, they often
cite studies produced by their own staff.
Without independent verification, they’re allowed to twist numbers to
serve their own self-interests not the youth they profess to serve. I also believe that some of these organizations
have become top heavy. As donors,
we should insist they strike a balance between paying quality and passionate
staff sufficient to decrease high turnover rates, and having the appropriate
amount of oversight and management. While
most of these groups will point to programs and activities they operate, a
careful review of how donor and grant funds are used would likely reveal an
ugly truth; more is spent internally than for services to directly assist youth.
If you’re involved in one of the many Denver area youth
services and these words make you angry, then perhaps its time to step back and
answer some potentially difficult questions especially if you’re the CEO or a
senior member of the staff. First, when
was the last time you spent an evening on the streets with the youth you
allegedly serve? When is the last time
you approached one of these youth and had a genuine conversation with them and
listened to their story? When was the
last meal you served to a homeless child?
If you truly care about these young people, then take time to serve them
– directly – instead of spending your days holed up in a comfortable office or
hobnobbing with politicians and donors.
Another factor is the ‘collaboration’ amongst many of the
youth services groups in Denver. While on
the surface this should be positive, it has unfortunately devolved into a
social clique where personnel get recycled through different organizations
based on who they know not what results they’ve delivered. This tight-knit community has now become
protective keeping new ideas and concepts from being adopted. Instead of innovating, they fear their house
of cards may be exposed. Newcomers or
those who sincerely hope to make a difference are routinely isolated and
blocked from helping. Established
organizations ‘circle the wagons’ and work to discredit these new efforts
instead of embracing them. These groups
have lost focus on their stated reason for existence – to lift youth from their
horror and help them become productive and successful citizens.
Most youth living on our streets or in desolate conditions
don’t want to be there. They want, like
most of us, a quality education that offers an opportunity for a better life
and a safe environment. They want to be
protected by adults not abused and exploited.
They want to be kids not be forced to be adults at such a young age. While
parents and systems like child welfare and public education discard some,
others are forced to flee abusive homes and other tragic circumstances. These children deserve better and those
funding these groups owe it to them to make sure their contributions are
addressing the need and not padding the pockets of organization employees. I suspect an audit would reveal an imbalance of
priorities that in my opinion is an injustice.
How can any organization that purports to serve the needs of these youth
justify how the majority of their finances are spent internally?
Further, I believe government has an important role to play
and in some cases is equally culpable for perpetuating this travesty. Take for example the recent case with Denver
Department of Human Services (DHS) where children were wrongly placed in the
hands of convicted offenders. Worse was
the incompetence Ms. Penny May (who heads the agency) displayed when questioned
by local media. The person who heads the
agency couldn’t even articulate what their policies and procedures are and she
openly admitted she has no qualifications related to child services. When government is willing to tolerate this
kind of inept management, they’re part of the problem, not the solution. Sadly, this case is only the latest in an
ongoing series of issues within that department. When will senior government officials begin
caring about the innocent and less about their positions or politics?
Not every Denver youth services organization is broken. While no longer affiliated with SOX Place, I
know founder Doyle Robinson continues to remain focused on serving
disadvantaged youth. I have seen him
embrace young people coming off the streets, unwashed wearing the only clothes
they have. His love and passion for
doing what he can to raise them up is worthy of applause and support. I have observed leaders from other groups
welcome young people into their homes after having fled gang or street life –
we have done so ourselves. Rather than
turn a blind eye or dismiss these precious lives like trash, it’s time to step
up and do the right thing. My challenge
to donors and grant administrators is to demand transparency and verifiable
outcomes that help youth find a path to productive and satisfying lives. There are worthy organizations in the metro
area that could use your help. Make a
statement with your cash and stop perpetuating failure.
Sadly, these circumstances aren’t unique to Denver. In many metro areas, large and small,
non-profits and other organizations founded on the noble goal of serving youth,
over time, have drifted from their stated cause. This represents however a great opportunity
for Denver leaders (public and private) to step forward and set a new
standard. If we insist on change and
drive organizations to refocus, we can become a model community for what youth
services can be. The fastest means of
doing so is through the power of the purse.
Starve mismanaged and maligned organizations of money and they’ll either
change or be forced out of existence.
While not everyone may feel compelled to personally reach
out to these children in need, you can still make a strong and positive statement. Insist that your donations be managed responsibly
and focused on serving those they are intended for. Demand transparency from these organizations
and hold them accountable for real, independently verifiable results. Before writing that check or approving a
grant, ensure every dollar is justified and reasonable. Challenge yourself to gaze into the eyes of a
broken child before blindly making that next donation and ask yourself, am I really
making a difference? If you can’t emphatically
say yes based on demonstrated results not for just one child but many, I
recommend you keep searching until you find an organization that still has a
heart for these most vulnerable lives. Demanding
accountability by withholding your donations is one of the best ways we can
make the kind of impact I think we’re all looking for.
Duane Grove is founder of Connect2Action and an aspiring
quiet, reflective servant-leader.
Curious sage in perpetual development connecting all on a journey of
discovery of our highest purpose. Follow
Duane on Twitter @connect2action and connect with him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and
Google+. Learn more about Connect2Action
by visiting www.connect2action.com.
You can follow his blogs at: mindfulperspectives.blogspot.com and
connect2action.blogspot.com
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