Juvenile Hall in Downey Focus of Engineer's Off-Duty Efforts

DOWNEY, Calif. (7/28/99) -- When engineer Al Young is not hard at work in the Electromagnetic Techniques Department at The Aerospace Corporation he is hard at work helping youngsters whose lives have been short-circuited.

Young made a commitment to helping youths after seeing a television report that disturbed him.

"I was eating dinner in front of the TV and saw a report on a gang shooting. I thought, 'This is a terrible shame; what a waste.' I wondered if I could make a difference to some of these young people.

"So I joined a group (at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall). I got used to participating and started one of my own."

The group he started is one of several volunteer groups that visit the facility on a regular basis to assist the wards, who range in age from 8 to 18.

Students, Volunteers

His group comprises seven or eight administration of justice students from Rio Hondo Community College, Cerritos Community College and Cal State Long Beach, as well as a few volunteers from the community.

Young believes one of the most important contributions volunteers can make is to share what they have learned and experienced, "anything to broaden their understanding of the world they live in, and to help them discover what they are capable of."

Young discusses basic mathematical concepts, such as how to handle fractions, with young boys, and helps motivate them, in addition to overseeing his group of volunteers.

During a recent visit, before he began instructing, he pointed out why getting an education is important:

"You have to be able to take care of yourself, be able to get a job. This is going to be tough if you're not going to school, and allow yourself to fall out of the educational system."

He informs those who are not interested that they are "free to leave the room. Just raise your hand." Few do.

Sparks of Enthusiasm

"How many of you hate math?" Four boys raise their hands. They are assigned to his math group. But it's fun, and there are sparks of enthusiasm when just a little progress is made.

"It's really amazing to see the turnaround," Young said.

Young tries to lend assistance wherever he is asked. In one instance, leveraging his knowledge of electronics and communications technology, he participated in a team effort that resulted in improving a phone system within the county probation department. Cost savings and greater efficiency were the results.

But most of his work focuses on the juveniles themselves.

Each Tuesday evening Young splits his volunteers, linking them with groups of detainees in the older boys' section, the younger boys' section or the girls' unit. Though not serious offenders, all have gone afoul of the law.

"Show her respect, be cooperative," Young admonishes one group of boys as they are assigned to a volunteer.

Willingness to Help

Working with the youngsters requires poise, the ability to lead and direct, attentiveness, and responsiveness, among other virtues. But mostly it requires understanding, compassion and a willingness to help.

The idea is "to get them to think, to jump-start their mental processes," said Young. "You never know what seeds will be planted."

In a discussion after one-hour sessions with the juveniles, the volunteers went over their experiences.

"I told them life is about having a Plan B," Ronnie, a former homemaker who faced significant challenges raising her children, said. The context, she explained, was a discussion about frustration and perseverance. "They want 'now' results, but I remind them they have to be patient and stay the course."

"It was a difficult group," said Soledad, explaining that no one in her group seemed focused or attentive.

"I tried to get them to talk about a personal experience," reported Erica, another volunteer. "How are you going to help your mother?" she asked a teen who had described a troubled relationship with her mother. Could she see her mother's side?

"They have no support system," lamented Kay, a retired teacher. "Neither do their families."

"I just turned them around," Dan reported. "I told them, 'Assume you are my employer. Would you hire me if I just had my second strike two months ago?'"

Session Wrap-up

After the volunteers shared their experiences, Young -- sounding more like a sociologist than an electrical engineer -- offered comments that reinforced the value of their work and provided the basis for improvements. Guidance included advising them to "be alert for those who cannot meet our expectations. They might be victims of prolonged drug use."

He even provided some advice on job hunting and encouraged the volunteers to take first steps by registering for state positions at an Internet site.

Meanwhile, Young remains optimistic about the potential of the juveniles if they get a little help.

"You can't just excommunicate them," he said. "These kids are not stupid, and there is a lot of capability that is going to waste."