This project encompasses the coordination between businesses, government entities, and career readiness training to teach Man Building/Work Ethics to black male students.

Workplace turnover is costly and affects productivity. The majority of employees who are terminated following their probation period are terminated due to issues that are not related to job performance. Many of these employees are terminated due to a lack of understanding and training concerning workplace ethics. In our community the problem is compounded by the lack of life skills training. This program is unique because it combines character building training with workplace ethics to provide our students with the tools necessary to become successful both personally and professionally. Through a series of workshops that build on the fundamentals of responsible manhood, responsibility and choice, and personal discipline students are able to recognize and accept their role in society and the workplace. The interactive workshops are interconnected which helps the student build a base of understanding.

One foundation of this program is for the certified instructor to recognize and respect the strengths and growth of the student, using rewards and recognition. This, in turn, will provide the student with success rather than failure. All exercises are conducted to be non-threatening.

Although intended for use in a wide range of support groups, this curriculum was developed as part of a specific project: the Man Class/Work Ethics project which is a local demonstration project created in 2010 to provide black men with the tools to become stronger men and to lay the foundation of good work ethics for employment success. The Man Class/Work Ethics combines job training and placement, character building, and other services with the goal of increasing the employment skills of unemployed men improving their communication skills, their understanding of work ethics and providing an opportunity for them to participate more fully and effectively in the lives of their children. Organized around this curriculum, the peer support component — the “glue” of the program — was designed to accomplish a number of goals including encouraging positive parental behavior and sexual responsibility, strengthening commitment to work, and enhancing life skills.

All of the participating sites will use the Man Class/Work Ethics Curriculum, which originated in a curriculum — The Man Class — that was developed and written by Rodney Knott. Made up of 12 sessions, the Man Class/Work Ethics Curriculum guides each group through activities, exercises, and discussions that help participants make progress on a number of issues, including communicating with their children and partners, managing conflict on the job, and understanding the relationship between effort and success. Throughout the demonstration — with input, guidance, and feedback from peer support facilitators in each of the sites — the curriculum was refined, revised, and retooled. In carrying out this work, the author benefited greatly from his experiences as lead trainer of the facilitators and his ongoing association with them.

Over the course of eight months, activities that promised to be helpful were added and those that were not as effective were discarded. Conferences were held at which peer support facilitators from all seven sites came together to share stories about running peer support groups and to refine the curriculum.

Finally, gratitude is due the funders of the Man Class/Work Ethics Project, who made this work possible, and the many men who participated in the Man Class peer support groups. We hope that all this effort by so many people has resulted in a curriculum that is a useful, creative, interactive tool — one that can be used productively in a variety of support groups for men. We are pleased to share it with you and welcome your feedback.

The project includes twelve (12) days of student training, covering twelve (12) topics addressing workplace ethics. This schedule is changeable to fit your needs.

Please click here to view the curriculum for the Man Class/Work Ethics program.

If you would like to provide this training to your clients or would like more information about how you can join this effort please contact us.

“…for when men labor they keep out of mischief. You remember the old proverb--An idle mind is the Devils workshop...”

- George Q. Cannon