Healing boot camp trains leaders, helps former prisoners

YOUNGSTOWN

Training leaders to train even more leaders was the goal of this weekend’s Lifelines to Healing Boot Camp.

The training session, sponsored by the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative, the collaborative in Akron and the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, took place Friday and today at Metro Assembly Of God church on South Avenue.

Wayne Huggins of Youngstown, a fellow with the OOC and executive director of United Returning Citizens, a group that advocates for increased job opportunities for people who have served prison terms, said this weekend’s training was the first of its kind in the area.

“It’s about training leaders to go back to their communities and develop other leaders,” Huggins said.

Faith leaders, people who have been in prison and others were on hand during the sessions to teach people how to deal with issues such as racism, drug addiction, reentry of prisoners and gun violence. By speaking of their experiences, they hope they will not only motivate others to take action but also encourage others by making them realize someone knows what they face, and cares, Huggins said.

Read more about the event in Sunday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.