Gideon’s Army Grassroots Army for Children – Nashville, TN
Gideon’s Army is a community-based grassroots workforce development organization made up of black individuals that have been impacted by mass incarceration, the school to prison pipeline and youth violence. As a violence prevention organization, Gideon’s Army uses restorative justice programs to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline, by guiding young people to success through self-empowerment and leadership. Its programs address school pushout, youth violence, policing, and juvenile justice. Their workforce program, Gideon’s Army University, is held four times a year and participants focus on training and education skill-building, attend alternatives to violence programming, and receive dialectical, behavioral therapy.
Support from the Fund for Workforce Equity enabled Gideon’s Army to secure funding to launch a comprehensive workforce development program in North Nashville; enhance partnerships with local public agencies, such as the Department of Human Services and Department of Labor and Workforce Development; rebuild its workforce program, emphasizing trauma-responsive and healing-focused approaches; pilot a youth cohort program, providing paid internships and comprehensive training in systemic issues and organizing strategies; and establish a youth workforce advisory group to further support community engagement and advocacy efforts.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was an especially important component of the organization’s workforce development work, and Gideon’s Army was able to create a safe space for youth to feel their emotions without judgement. It piloted different models and curricula that focused on the development of coping skills to manage stress, regulate emotions, and improve relationships. At the same time, youth strengthened their knowledge of civic engagement and public health, and participated in trainings like power building, power mapping, and Theater of the Oppressed, a form of community-based education that uses theater as a tool for social change.
As Gideon’s Army continues to implement and iterate on its workforce development programming, it notes the importance of supporting smaller grassroots organizations, suggesting that they often need more support and longer funding compared to larger organizations. It also recognizes the importance of capacity building for smaller organizations, and that with proper support and mentorship, smaller organizations can develop the capacity needed to effectively manage grants and projects, ultimately leading to sustainability.
Looking ahead, the organization wants to cultivate a team of self-empowered workers and learners that enter the workforce as trained organizers who can identify and act against inequities in the workplace and advocate for higher wages and better working conditions.