After nearly a decade of working with youth in residential settings and alternative school settings, Jarod remarks that Found VIllage is “a breath of fresh air” in comparison. He is a certified Teaching Family Model practitioner, a licensed educational aid, and holds a license through Planned Parenthood to teach sexual education and life skills to youth and young adults.
Jared works closely with our youth to provide them with opportunities for personal growth and help them vision and plan their personal goals. Jarod sees his early childhood experience as similar to that of some of the kids we work with. He knows what it’s like to grow up in poverty, be tossed around in foster care, and experience homelessness. His approach to supporting the youth is drawn from a place of empathy and personal life lessons. He admires that even as the coronavirus pandemic hit, Found Village continued to advocate and adjust as needed in order to support the youth. This speaks to the drive we have as an organization. True family does not just take a break from showing up given harsh circumstances. Neither do we. Jarod’s role as a coach is vital and he hopes that mental health within the Black community will become more prioritized in society. He is deeply passionate about this as he maneuvers his role as a coach in the Found Village community.