The Need for Mentoring in the Bay Area
A Social Disconnect — continued

 

The problems of poverty also become
entrenched for generations.
What does that look like?

“Psychological problems and social dependency seem to recur in the same families over the course of multiple generations,” said a 2004 article in the Annual Revue of Psychology.  “Many problematic behavior patterns, including school dropout, early parenthood, substance abuse, and criminality are associated with low socioeconomic status.” ¹¹

In addition, children who are entrenched in intergenerational poverty:

• “Have fewer and less socially supportive networks”¹²
• “Are more likely to rely on peers than adults”¹³
• Lead significantly more stressful lives, even as young children¹⁴
• Feel a less significant sense of belonging to their schools¹⁵
• Are significantly less likely to have well qualified teachers¹⁶
• Are twice as likely as middle-income adolescents to report the presence of weapons or physical assaults in their schools¹⁷
• Have lower expectations and “more limited aspirations than their better-off peers. In a context of continuous disappointment, low expectations can be considered a psychological coping strategy.”¹⁸

 

These effects push the cycle of poverty down to the next generation. Poverty encloses the horizons of young people.

 

1. Introduction
2. The Epidemic
3. Reasons of Poverty
4. Reasons of Poverty continued
5. Social Disconnect
6. Social Disconnect continued
7. Social Disconnect continued
8. Mentoring is the Answer
9. Mentoring is the Answer continued
10. BBBSBA Works on the Bottom Line
11. Final Thoughts