ROBERT JAMISON MINISTRIES

Robert Jamison Ministries, Inc. is a community-based non-profit serving providing services and programs to economically disadvantaged youth and their families who reside in our targeted Shawnee Neighborhood Community. Although our targeted population is the Shawnee Community, RJM serves youth and families who reside in the 40211, 40212, 40215, 40216, 40214, Its enhanced Project Inspire Academy program is dedicated to the Shawnee Community Chickasaw & Russell neighborhoods year-round in Louisville, KY.
This addresses both the wealth and education gap through educational tutoring, parental involvement, and access to other Metro Louisville government resources, including tech training. Our organization is located in the Shawnee Neighborhood inside the Shawnee Cultural Community Center. Key community relationships include EVOLVE502, JCPS, ACLU, Opportunity Network, SMART Justice Advocates, Office of Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods, Metro Parks and Recreation and Shawnee Neighborhood groups in 40216, 40211, 40212, and 40210, 40214 and 40215. This structural programming also includes meals, fitness opportunities in the gym on-premise respective of COVID-19 restrictions, as well as dedicated computer classroom spaces. Project Inspire, a pathway to success within non-traditional instruction (NTI), seeks an opportunity to develop their current service model into a daytime experience for students who are disconnected from the classroom and school due to COVID-19.
Project Inspire Academy trains youth, K-12, in the areas of education, particularly math and reading skills, violence prevention strategies , leadership development, problem-solving, negotiations, current events, community engagement, self-care, personal reflection, and communication. For those families dealing with incarceration and/or recent release, we place a special emphasis on social support and guidance.
Parents must be an active supporter in our work and sign off on their child's participation, as well as devote time to our program-volunteering four hours per month. The academy seeks to inspire participants to excel academically and individually as well as provide social support. Our vision is that all children will have a truly equal opportunity to learn, grow and excel academically and individually and to reach their full creative potential. There is an orientation for parents and students and a monthly parents' meeting with a Day Out for Parents as well. Keeping a regular journal is a key component to our student programs. Electives are based on assessments. Discussion and interaction remain integral to reaching the outcomes we create through personal contact and student tracking through our systems. We see a student's success tied to the surrounding community's success, so we hold neighborhood meetings twice a year.
We adhere to the specific outcomes of the Louisville Blocs program as a participant in that work, and use incentive-based models to achieve high attendance and good conduct during all our sessions and other daily activities. This puts emphasis on program quality, data collection and analysis, access and participation, plus outreach and advocacy. Due to COVID-19, the Project Inspire program has been altered to accommodate both virtual services as well as by appointment, social distance interaction, with access to our mini-computer lab area housing 8 computers. Services include: education for those 6 to 18 years of age (K-12), life skills development with hands-on academic tutors and volunteer mentors, mental health consultation and referrals, after-school programming, as well as access to fitness, and computer use.
Serving youth in grades K-12, we intend to detect and provide intervention as early as possible on issues that will help to break defeating cycles and
reach new goals. Operating in a positive, structured space, participant needs are met with positive, caring volunteers, who build trusting relationships with participants by relating to youth culture, using encouraging communication and providing challenge along with support. Meaningful activities, intentional learning objectives, skill-building and critical thinking are supervised in the following areas: Math, Reading, Writing, Homework Help and Life Skills Training. Our Life Skills Training component is very important, as it will provide participants with age-appropriate, life skill applications that will
help prepare them in becoming productive, self-sufficient individuals within society. Our Program also comprises a Parent Advisory Board that will involve parents in the learning process. Research demonstrates that parent participation produces positive outcomes relative to education attainment.
The "Zones of Hope" neighborhoods served by Project Inspire remain economically-disadvantaged, but vibrant in a mission of providing the next generations the tools they need to build upwardly-mobile career paths and social support. The strength and value of neighborhood institutions (Shawnee Park, the library, the community centers, schools, churches, etc.) continue to play a major role in bringing the neighborhood together and
supporting neighborhood programs and activities.
Shawnee is a neighborhood in western Louisville, Kentucky. Its boundaries are the Ohio River on the West, Bank Street and the Portland neighborhood on the North, I-264 on the East, and West Broadway on the South. The demographics are around 90% Black or African-American, 5% White, and 5% Hispanic. Shawnee is an area of disproportionate racial and low-income concentrations. Households in the Shawnee area are lower
income than those in Jefferson County with 73.8% of households falling below $49,999.
The Russell neighborhood area (which extends from 9th to 34th Streets and from Market to Broadway St.) is one of the most impoverished
neighborhoods in the United States. According to U.S. Census, approximately 11,000 individuals live within our immediate, targeted neighborhood:
Unemployment rate: 22.7%
Household Income (Median) $13,818
% of Population below Poverty Level 52.6%
% Female Head of Household 39.4%
% of Adults with High School Diplomas 71.9%
% of Adults with Bachelor's Degree 1.6%.
Demographics tell an important part of the story, but they don't measure the hopes and dreams of the people who live in Russell. This predominantly African-American (92%), female head-of-household population is experiencing significant poverty and related social ills that limit the development of strong families and children. However, most of Russell's residents still seek to improve their lives and have high aspirations for themselves and their children.
Our Life Skills Curriculum- based learning is an important and vital aspect, as it provides youth with age appropriate life skill applications that will help prepare them in becoming productive, self-sufficient individuals. Free meals are offered everyday via Kid's Café through Dare-to-Care. Utilizing a holistic approach to meeting the educational and individual needs of our youth and families, we collaborate/partner with other community
organizations, businesses and Metro United Way BLOCSTAR initiative to link participants and their families to needed resources.
Operating in a safe, structured and learning based environment allows our staff, volunteers and partners to meet the needs of our youth and families.
Meaningful activities fall into key areas: math, reading, reading comprehension, writing, homework help, life skills training, career specific activities and family empowerment series. Our Life Skills Curriculum-based learning is an important and vital aspect as it provides youth with age appropriate life skill applications that will help prepare them in becoming productive, self-sufficient individuals.