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Dylan Pohl from Victory Project joins Zach this week to talk through how their organization approaches mentoring in Dayton, Ohio and how they use the idea of "undoing" in their mentoring process.
Show Notes
Dylan Pohl from Victory Project joins Zach this week to talk through how their organization approaches mentoring in Dayton, Ohio and how they use the idea of "undoing" in their mentoring process.
Reach out to Victory Project:
https://www.victoryproject.org
(937) 224-0880
Purchase the You Can Mentor book:
You Can Mentor: How to Impact Your Community, Fulfill the Great Commission, and Break Generational Curses
youcanmentor.com
Reach out to Victory Project:
https://www.victoryproject.org
(937) 224-0880
Purchase the You Can Mentor book:
You Can Mentor: How to Impact Your Community, Fulfill the Great Commission, and Break Generational Curses
youcanmentor.com
Creators and Guests
What is You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast?
You Can Mentor is a network that equips and encourages mentors and mentoring leaders through resources and relationships to love God, love others, and make disciples in their own community. We want to see Christian mentors thrive.
We want to hear from you! Send any mentoring questions to hello@youcanmentor.com, and we'll answer them on our podcast. We want to help you become the best possible mentor you can be. Also, if you are a mentoring organization, church, or non-profit, connect with us to join our mentoring network or to be spotlighted on our show.
Please find out more at www.youcanmentor.com or find us on social media. You will find more resources on our website to help equip and encourage mentors. We have downloadable resources, cohort opportunities, and an opportunity to build relationships with other Christian mentoring leaders.
You can mentor is a podcast about the power of building relationships with kids from hard places in the name of Jesus. Every episode will help you overcome common mentoring obstacles and give you the confidence you need to invest in the lives of others. You can mentor.
Speaker 2:Welcome back to the You Can Mentor podcast. My name is Zachary Garza, and I'm here with my man, Dylan Pohl. Dylan, say hi.
Speaker 3:Hey there.
Speaker 2:Dylan is with a nonprofit out of the Dayton, Ohio area called The Victory Project. And the 2 of us got connected through a friend of ours named Paul Heminger. Paul, if you're listening to this podcast, man, we are super grateful for you. You're tossing us guests left and right, and, that's how we found out about Dylan. So, Dylan, man, if you could just share with me about the Victory Project, about what's going on over there, just a 5,000 foot view, then we can paint a picture for some of our listeners about what's going on.
Speaker 2:So take it away, my
Speaker 3:man. Sure. So we are an after school program, and we serve who we call disengaged youth. And and so our our goal as we're addressing what's been identified as the pillars of poverty, not graduating high school, criminal record, and fathering a child before marriage, we we combat that with what we call our 3 e curriculum of education, entrepreneurship, and enlightenment. I'm sure we'll get more into that in a little bit.
Speaker 3:But we're we're targeting students who aren't involved in in, you know, after school activities that are, you know, productive, whether it's a job or sports or any type of club, and just being there for them to just kind of be that alternative for them. And, being that positive alternative, they can be comfortable in in growing, you know, spiritually as a man. And yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man. That's awesome. So I, I, I got an opportunity to talk with Dylan a couple of weeks back and heck we talked for like half an hour or so, and just such a cool story. So why we're having them on the podcast is just because obviously most of the people who are hearing this podcast, we all work with kiddos, but I just loved how they were doing things. I just loved how they were set up.
Speaker 2:They have an awesome story. So their vision statement is an alternative to the streets for America's youth. Kinda like you just heard, they're focusing on education, enlightenment, entrepreneurship, and their core values is to undo hopelessness with godly purpose, to model work as the reward, to offer love and accountability, and to provide a safe and consistent environment for the kids that they serve. So such a cool deal. Why don't why don't you just kind of share about how you guys got started and your founder and everything like that?
Speaker 3:Yeah. Absolutely. So our founder, Monty Busch, he was in law enforcement for about 16 years, and he sustained an injury on the job, which which kind of relegated him out of his traditional duties. And but while he was in law enforcement, he really saw a need for, you know, mentorship and and role models for these young men. He would often get calls from from mothers would just be dealing with struggles with their their sons, you know, that generally or or traditionally a father would would, you know, help the the mother in.
Speaker 3:And instead of, you know, calling you know, instead of the mother calling her husband to to take care of it, they'd often call the police to take care of it. And whether it was, you know, the son just not listening or not wanting to go to school, Monty would often be called to those homes. And so he really recognized them using the police as, like, a surrogate parent. And, and, you know, he'll tell you that at first he, he kind of, you know, questioned, you know, why isn't the church doing anything about this? You know, it's kind of, you know, just first taking the approach of pointing the finger, but then he, he pointed the finger right back at himself and, and, you know, said he is he is the church.
Speaker 3:He is part of the church. And so after a couple years of of research and development and starting in 2007 where he would, you know, be going to juvenile detention centers and and speaking to a lot of these young men who who were incarcerated and asking them, you know, what got you here in the 1st place? You know, what was your environment like at home and and outside of the home? And, you know, asking them, you know, what would you do if you got out of here? And, you know, a lot of them would would say, you know, I'd get new friends.
Speaker 3:I'd help my mom. I'd I'd get a job. But, you know, Monty will tell you that, you know, most of them, because of the opportunities that weren't there for them, you know, locally, they'd probably just be going right back to that same group of friends who were negative influences and, you know, lack of, you know, employment opportunities in the inner city and, you know, basically going back to that same environment. And so as he, you know, continued to learn more about about the the needs of of the area, and and he actually hired the one of the the students that he was interviewing in the juvenile detention center as as one of his first staff members. And so that was really cool part of the story there that now that young man who was one of his first program directors, he's now a successful plumber, has a big family and is just doing really well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man. That's so cool. Like I, and if you guys go on over to their website, you can see a picture of mister Bush, mister mister Monty Bush. The guy's got a beard. He looks like a looks like a caveman.
Speaker 2:It's awesome. Just a tough dude. I would not be, I would not be happy to see him in a dark alley. I'll just say that much. But I just think it's so cool that he he saw a need and he asked the question, who's doing something about this?
Speaker 2:And he couldn't find the answer to that. So he just said, Hey, I guess I'll do something about it. Right. Even so much. So I think on our phone call, you told me that he started the program with his own money.
Speaker 2:Isn't that right?
Speaker 3:Yes. So he took an all in approach, you know, he's, he's the father of 3 is married and the whole family bought into it. They, they put their, you know, emptied their savings in to start it. They moved to the west end of the Dayton, which is, you know, the, you know, the more, the rougher parts of town. And and, you know, they just wanted to let them know they've they've got, you know, skin in the game.
Speaker 3:And and, yeah, that's how it got started.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Right. I don't know what my wife would do if I came home and said, hey, sweetie. We're gonna use all of our savings and move to the other end of town. I don't think Yes.
Speaker 3:It's it's definitely a leap faith. That's for sure.
Speaker 2:Yeah. But with that faith, it's impossible to it's impossible to please God. So
Speaker 3:Yes, sir.
Speaker 2:That's an awesome story. So, like, what's Dayton like? Like, I the only time I've ever heard Dayton is whenever I watch college basketball and the Dayton flyers. Right?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, man. So just like, why don't you tell me about the city of Dayton? And I think that you said the west end is kind of the the area that might have a little bit more need than the other areas. And so yeah. So why don't you just paint that picture for us?
Speaker 3:Absolutely. Yeah. So, you know, Dayton, Ohio used to be a, a kind of real booming city, you know, lots of, you know, manufacturing and innovation. And, and, and as, you know, you know, in the sixties seventies, when, when, you know, the suburbs really started to grow and, and, you know, commuting became easier, you know, people started moving out of the city. So they were at, we were at about 260,000 people in the sixties.
Speaker 3:Now we're down to about 150,000. And so, you know, it's been on the decline almost every decade since then, but over the past, you know, 10 to 15 years, there's been a real concerted effort into revitalizing Dayton, which has been really cool because, you know, it doesn't take much research to, to find that, you know, Dayton has been really hit hard by the, opioid epidemic or yeah. And, and so, you know, as far, as far as per capita, you know, the overdoses are, are off the chart, but in the past 10 to 15 years, there's been a lot of investment in the city. You know, we've, we've got something called the, the arcade and innovation center for small businesses and, you know, the, the Wright Patt air force base has a great presence in in the Dayton community and and people, you know, from that industry really pouring into to Dayton. It's cool to just be, you know, kind of a small part of of that kind of revitalization project of of investing in the community and and the future of the young men to, yeah, just pour back in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man. That's awesome. So so why don't you paint a picture of just kind of what a day to day looks like in kind of West Dayton?
Speaker 3:Yeah. So, you know, West Dayton, it's it's definitely got, you know, more, more crime, you know, whether it's drugs or violence and, you know, the schooling right now is is really struggling as far as, you know, attendance in schools. And and, you know, a lot of the teachers, they have a a really tough job with, you know, students aren't coming consistently. And and so, you know, we see that from from our students. A lot of our students come in and they'll they'll come in with straight f's.
Speaker 3:Right? And and a big part of that is just not being consistent in attendance. And so, you know, we we try to to look into the the the roots of some of those problems, and a lot of times, it's it's transportation or or just the lack of, you know, encouragement or or the emphasis on on academics at home sometimes. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man. Like, I I can't imagine what it's like to be a teacher these days. Like such a such a hard job. Right?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean, like, dealing with kids on a day in and day out basis is one thing. Dealing with kids who come, you know, from hard places is a totally different thing. And then whenever you toss COVID and just all the interruptions and things like that, man, just that's an, that is a, that's a tough case right there.
Speaker 3:Yeah. COVID, that was that that took a a real toll on our a lot of our students. You know, even even some of our students who were, you know, historically doing well in school, you know, and, you know, about a year and a half online just really did did damage to their, you know, excitement or or their just their effort, really. And and you'd think that all you have to do is open a computer, and you're at school that would make it easier to be, you know, in class.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:But that there's actually just much, much, much less attendance because I I guess I don't know if it's the buy in. And so there was you know? And and not to the fault of teachers by any means, but you just there's not a lot of learning going on at all. Little little to no learning. And and so we we saw our students, you know, grades and and, you know, apart from grades, suffering.
Speaker 3:Just the learning, you know, more importantly, just wasn't there. And so, you know, we we tried to be the as helpful as we could, tried to still be an asset to them during that, you know, with with tutoring and and some extra supervision there. But, yeah, COVID definitely took a toll on these guys.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man. So so why don't you just kinda share about you and who you are and your family and how you guys got to date? Because that's kind of a cool story.
Speaker 3:So Yeah. So I am, married and the father of of 2 young girls, Shiloh and Holland. And I went to, school in Lexington, Kentucky, and a friend of mine who I went to school with, who's actually from from Dayton, called me up about maybe 3 or 4 years after, we graduated and said, hey. I've been working at this really cool place called the Victory Project and told me all about it, told me the cool things that they were doing. And at the time, my wife and I and and our girls were in Indiana, her hometown.
Speaker 3:And, you know, after talking for about 45 minutes on the phone, he, at the very end, mentioned it was in Dayton, Ohio. I thought he was still back in in Lexington, and I didn't have any, you know, negative or or positive connotations about Dayton. I just played there in a high school basketball tournament several years back. And so the only thing I did know is that it was 3 hours away from both sides of our families and with, you know, 2 little girls, you know, didn't see that being a reality. But so I didn't even mention it to my wife.
Speaker 3:And maybe 2 or 3 weeks later, I just kinda ran it by her in passing, and she was like, hey. Let's give it a shot. Let's let's go to Dayton. And so I visited it and and fell in love with it. And three and a half years later, here here we are.
Speaker 3:So thanks, Nick, for introducing me to Victory Project.
Speaker 2:That's awesome, man. And then why don't you tell me about your title and what it is that you do over at the Victory Project?
Speaker 3:Yeah. So I serve as executive director, and so I'm, you know, managing staff, managing volunteers, developing curriculum, building partnerships, and that's kind of the the kinda oversee the operational end of the Victory Project.
Speaker 2:That's awesome, man. So tell me what your favorite aspect of your job is. I'm kinda like a day in and day out basis.
Speaker 3:Yeah. You know, I I really enjoy seeing the progress these young men make, and it's it's not necessarily a a quick progress. It's not overnight when you you wouldn't expect it to be. You know, as as one of our as as mentioned, one of our core values is undoing. And so, you know, a lot of what, you know, we're we're doing as a staff is is, you know, undoing, you know, poor habits or undoing, you know, perspectives on life that are are not positive or productive for these young men.
Speaker 3:And and through that undoing, we're we're trying to instill, you know, godly purpose. And and so it it like I said, it's not overnight. Sometimes it's 4 or 5, 8 months into their membership where things start to really click, and they're they're, seeing themselves as, you know, as as winners, as success. And, you know, you've probably heard that, you know, winning is a habit, so is losing. And so if you get into the habit of winning, that's what you expect for yourself.
Speaker 3:And, and when these guys see their grades go from Ds and Fs up to, you know, B Cs and Bs, and they start to expect higher for themselves.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Yeah, man. That's great. Like, it's it is such a such an honor. Like, just feel so thankful that from time to time, the Lord allows us to see some fruit.
Speaker 2:Right? Like, oh my gosh. Like, this is this is actually working. Like, oh, wow. This is crazy.
Speaker 3:Right. Right.
Speaker 2:Man, so just like I I love what you said about creating an environment so valuable to the students that they modify their behavior to maintain membership. So there's a couple things there, right? Like, how how do you create that environment? Tell me tell me what you want that to look like. And then just the modification of behavior with kind of a reward at the end, which is that membership, which is that being part of something that's larger than life.
Speaker 2:Right? Yeah, man. So could you just kinda speak to that just just a little bit?
Speaker 3:Yeah. Absolutely. So as you mentioned, we're, our philosophy is we're not designed to to modify behavior, but again, to or we're not designed to correct behavior, but creating that environment for them that they do it themselves. And and, you know, a lot of our guys, you know, come into Victory Project, maybe not necessarily a lot to lose. And so our goal is to give them something to lose.
Speaker 3:And what that looks like is is an environment where they feel comfortable. When they come in the building, just take a deep breath and and relax a little bit. A lot of them, you know, when they're out in school or or wherever they are, they may be putting on kind of like a a tough front. Right? And it's almost kinda, you know, forced forced on them.
Speaker 3:And so our goal here is to create an environment where they feel comfortable to to be themselves, but to to, you know, be encouraged to grow. And what that looks like, you know, we we've got a pretty big facility here. It's actually 5 buildings that have been kinda merged into 1, and, you know, we've it's it's an environment of of positivity, of of structure, accountability, but it's it's got, you know, got a big kitchen, basketball court, video games, music studio, pool, ping pong. You know, a lot a lot of these, you know, recreational things. And then on top of that is is our our micro business.
Speaker 3:So like you said, you know, that's that's kind of the reward, and it's not easy, necessarily to become a member or to to maintain your membership. You know, you go through an interview process and then a 2 week recruiting period. And and after that, if you you show that you're able to know that you're a good fit here and that you're bought into what we're putting out, then then you sign a membership agreement. And that membership agreement outlines what we expect from you, you know, primarily what we call AEC attitude effort and consistency. And so that's whether at home, at school, and here at VP, that they're they're putting that in on a on a consistent basis.
Speaker 3:And so if you talk to the students, you know, the environment you you ask them, you know, what's your favorite thing about Victory Project? 9 out of 10 times, they'll tell you it's the brotherhood, and it's the friends that they're making, and that the the relationships that they're building. So that that's kinda what the environment kinda feels like here at BP.
Speaker 2:So a kid comes in, or do you guys go find them or what?
Speaker 3:Yeah. So for the most part, it's it's kids coming in, giving us a call, telling for generally, it's, a student giving us a call and saying, hey. I hear you're hiring. And we'll say, yeah. You know, we do offer employment here, but that's just kinda one piece of the puzzle.
Speaker 3:There's there's a process before that, and you actually have to earn the ability to work. And as countercultural, you know, as that that is, we we strongly believe in it. And so they'll come in. They'll they'll do that interview. And yeah.
Speaker 2:So what does that interview process look like? I mean, I'm, like, I am just trying to paint a picture of a kid coming in and and he's, like, I'm gonna go play basketball. I'm gonna go, you know, play some video games. And then all of a sudden, they're, like, applying and being interviewed to be a part of something. Right?
Speaker 3:Yeah. Well, so a lot of the students, we start with the the tour before we do the interview. And so, you know, when they first come into the front office, just looks like, you know, a nice little friendly office, but they don't see everything beyond that. And so whether they're coming in on their own because they wanna get a job or because their mom has brought them and and they're not super enthusiastic about it, once they start walking through the building and seeing, you know, the offerings and and, you know, the other students and and, you know, the basketball, video games, open kitchen, and all these good things. You see them go from, like, super lethargic and and unenthused to, you know, their their faces are lit up.
Speaker 3:So by the time they get upstairs to to do an interview with their program director, you know, they're a little bit more emphatic about it. And now, obviously, we don't expect these young men to have incredible interviewing skills, but it's more, just trying to get to the bottom of of what they want because we are voluntary, you know, membership here. Parents can strongly encourage it. Within just a week or 2, we'll we'll be able to tell if the student wants to be here. And if they don't wanna be here, they they won't last long at all.
Speaker 3:And so yeah.
Speaker 2:So do, do you have any stories about what what a brotherhood looks like tangibly? Like, I mean, it's it is one thing to say that you're a part of a brotherhood, but it's a totally different thing to kinda feel that or to experience that. Right?
Speaker 3:Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. So it's kind of been in generalizations, you know, students a lot of we'll hear several of our students come in and and say, I don't have a whole lot of friends. I I, you know, kinda play video games at home and would like to kinda build on that.
Speaker 3:And and we've got students we've got all all sorts of students here. Students who love sports, students who love, you know, video games, you know, who really are excited to work. And so student you know, no matter what kind of student we bring in here, they'll they'll find a a group of of young men that they really click with. And and so, you know, the kind of success stories of of seeing that brotherhood is is seeing those older guys take those new guys under their under their wing and kind of show them the ropes and and show them what it takes to to be a successful member here and and and, you know, especially see it on on workdays on Saturdays because it's not it's not easy work. It it's often, you know, you know, a grind, especially in the cold months when, you know, some of these guys are working outside and or or tossing mulch and and encouraging them.
Speaker 3:And and that's part of being a good, you know, productive brotherhood is is encouragement and accountability and saying, you know, to some of our new guys, hey. We don't we don't do that kind of thing here. We don't we don't, you know, trash talk. We don't discourage students. You know, we build each other up.
Speaker 3:And so yeah.
Speaker 2:Is that type of kid who's a leader who's saying those things, do you feel like that's taught? Like, is someone from your staff encouraging them to do that? Or is it just that they love this place so much that they're kind of protecting it and saying those things out of, you know, their own observation, their own perspective?
Speaker 3:That's a great question. And, really, I think it's a combination. It's you know, we one of our classes is life skills and character development. We have it every Monday. And and so, you know, talking about building nourishing relationships versus toxic relationships, or there's there's all sorts of other classes like financial literacy.
Speaker 3:We'll get into that later probably. But it's you know, we we really try to develop leaders. We actually have, you know, leadership opportunities with with financial incentives. So we have each team of, you know, 15 to 18 students has a team cap, and that team captain is is really responsible for kind of the the the chemistry and the leadership of that team. That team captain gets coached by his program director.
Speaker 3:And yeah. So it it it's definitely a combination. But yeah.
Speaker 2:Like, I think that that that's so cool. Just whenever you give kids that ownership that, like, hey. Like, you know, this isn't my program. This is your program. And Mhmm.
Speaker 2:Any kid who walks in here is going to impact that program. And it's up to you whether that's gonna be a a positive impact or one that's not so positive. So
Speaker 3:Absolutely. We we strongly believe in ownership and and, you know, we we actually really utilize students in in getting their feedback in the program itself. We we've we use students to interview staff. We use students to interview other students to get in and, again, to to take that ownership. And when you really empower them with with those responsibilities, they take it to an entirely new level because, you know, when I was their age, honestly, I wasn't given much responsibility other than, you know, some chores and, things like that.
Speaker 3:I never certainly never led other students other than, you know, playing sports, I guess. But it it wasn't like, you know, these these students lead them on the job site. They lead them at Victory Project and, you know, post dinner chores, things like that. And and then just being, you know, a leader in in keeping the environment strong here. And yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I've heard you talk about the 3 e's, education, entrepreneurship, and enlightenment. And you've kinda touched on that some, but do you think you could kinda, give us a little bit more information on those three things?
Speaker 3:Absolutely. So each of these are, you know, kinda tied to those pillars of poverty. So with with education, we're we're we offer tutoring twice a week, and we've got just the highest quality of tutors. You know, lots of, engineers, lots of people from the air force base come in. And so we've got about 20 to 25 tutors that come in every week and and and work with these young men on their 4 core classes.
Speaker 3:You know, math is is a huge area where where students are. Most students are a couple grades behind, you know, where they should be, and and that's, you know, its own set of problems and and, you know, students graduating high school and and really not being ready necessarily for some of those employment opportunities. But so we've we've got education. And and on top of that, we have access to their online grade portal so we can see what all their grades are, what, you know, what they're doing on tests, what their assignments are, and we communicate with their teachers and and visit the schools and really try to be an advocate for them and and kind of partner with their their parents on that.
Speaker 2:And the education piece is trying to kinda attack the pillar of poverty that is dropping out of high school. Isn't that right?
Speaker 3:Yes, sir.
Speaker 2:And then the entrepreneurship is that kind of combating the criminal record?
Speaker 3:Yeah. In a sense of, of just, you know, being a productive member of society and, and contributing rather than, you know, taking. And so if you're busy doing good things, it's unlikely you're gonna be out on the streets committing crime and and and getting locked up. And yeah. So as far as entrepreneurship, we've got a a micro business called victory victory improvement projects, and, you know, our bread and butter there is is landscaping.
Speaker 3:We do some other types of jobs in the off season, like woodwork and a few other areas. And and really what we're working on there is, you know, while in in a way it's workforce development, we're focused more on work ethic development and and getting these guys used to, you know, working hard and and really going for the philosophy of a lot of these businesses who say, hey. We wanna hire for character and train for skill. Because if you get them ready for that, you know, they can they can learn what they need to when they got hired and get to kind of the training on the job. But you want a guy who's gonna, show up consistently.
Speaker 3:He's gonna be punctual. He's disciplined, good team player. And that's really what we're, working on with these guys.
Speaker 2:And then that last piece is enlightenment. Like, that's a character piece. That's a life skills. And you guys kinda think that that's gonna kinda curb the having a kid before before marriage or anything like that?
Speaker 3:Absolutely. So there's quite a variety of of classes that we offer here. And and so, you know, you know, financial literacy, you know, public speaking, problem solving. We have a series called the OG series. Traditionally OG, if everybody most people know is the original gangster here.
Speaker 3:It's overall gentleman. And so we, you know, teach things like, you know, the art of the handshake, how to tie a tie, how to treat ladies, how to dance, dinner etiquette, how to change a tire, all sorts of things. So this is a you know, our life skills classes year round. We we've actually started for as we've started a kind of a tiered curriculum for our our, veteran students, we started a class on on manhood, you know, of what, you know, biblical manhood looks like being a a good father and a good husband. And so we're we're excited to get that with our guys.
Speaker 2:And so, I mean, you guys are having your kids interview staff. You're having your kids interview other kids. You've got jobs. You're doing things on Saturdays. You've got tutoring.
Speaker 2:You've got small businesses. You got character classes. You got bible studies. Man, you guys are just coming at it from all angles, aren't you?
Speaker 3:Yeah. It's it's a complex organization, and that's why, you know, after 13 years, there's still only one. You know, we haven't just, like, opened, you know, 10, 20 across the country because there really is a a lot, going on. And, you know, a lot of the staff is are, you know, our our hours are unusual. It's noon to 8.
Speaker 3:So, you know, our staff are, you know, missing dinners with their families. So there's there's definitely a sacrifice element of it. We're open Saturdays. We're open holidays because as an alternative to the streets, you know, the streets don't close. So but with that said, we are in the process of growing, and we we may get into that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man. For sure. So why don't you tell me about what's next and kind of your expansion project and where you guys might see yourselves in the next, you know, 5 or 10 years?
Speaker 3:Absolutely. So we just purchased a property on the west end of Dayton, and our vision with that is having an additional boys program. So we're, we're building there for a boys program and then building a facility on that for a girls program. So we've, you know, we started VP for boys because, you know, we, you know, recognized as as many have the extreme extreme absence of the fathers in in homes. And so that's why, you know, we started with men and and and we know, you know, when a a society is healthy, men are being leaders that they need to be.
Speaker 3:So that's why we started with boys, but we also in our, you know, 13 years of existence, have, you know, fielded questions of, hey. Why isn't there, you know, a program for girls? You know, we need one too. And and we see the little sisters of these young men come in and say, hey. Why can't I be here?
Speaker 3:That kinda breaks your heart, especially as a father of 2 little girls. And so, you know, we've we've kinda been waiting for the right lady to come in and and and choose to spearhead that, and and we believe we've identified that person. And so we're we're excited to to take, that next step in growing in Dayton. And then from there, it's it's kind of growing regionally and and, you know, in the Ohio, you know, Kentucky area and and, you know, wherever it goes from there.
Speaker 2:Yep. Like, I think it's so funny how whenever I first started or running mentoring back in Dallas, it was only for boys. And, you know, I was 28 whenever I started it, and I was like, yeah. We're a boys program. We only care about boys.
Speaker 2:I don't know anything about girls or anything like that. Then I got married, and that kinda changed everything. Then I had a daughter, and that for sure changed everything. So it's like, man, all of, like, all of these guys have these we're gonna serve boys, boys, boys, boys, but then they start having girls. Like, I'm gonna change this thing.
Speaker 2:So
Speaker 3:That's true.
Speaker 2:It's a game changer. Man, so I've I've heard you say high high expectations and no excuses. And so that's a pretty strong, like, saying. And so how first off, why don't you tell me what that means? But how how do you say that while keeping, like, a safe, nurturing environment where these kids feel like they're loved no matter what, like, they have a place to be?
Speaker 2:Tell me how you kind of balance those two things.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Absolutely. So, you know, we like I mentioned, the the students that we're we're targeting to be a part of our our organization, these are our guys who, you know, we see tons of potential in. We know that they can have a bright future if that's what they they choose. We know that God has an an awesome plan for them, but most of them are coming in with poor academic habits and and and maybe just not making a lot of great choices, you know, at the time.
Speaker 3:And so it's a big undoing process, and and we let them know. You know, they're signing this membership agreement, which outlines, you know, our expectations for them. And we don't expect that to you know, their habits to change overnight, of course. There's there's a an undoing process, and they know that if they don't, you know, work up and and meet those expectations of attendance and effort and attitude, that their membership won't won't last a long time. You know, we we want these guys to be winners.
Speaker 3:We want them to be successful and live the life that God has intended for them. And and, you know, society will give them every excuse in the book why they shouldn't be, And we don't wanna give them that victimhood, you know, mentality. We we wanna give them a mentality of a champion and and mentality that, you know, that they're loved, and the opportunities are out there for them. You know, sometimes it it takes some grit and some grind to do that, and but we let them know that, hey. We're right here beside you, and we're gonna push you.
Speaker 3:We're gonna push you probably more than you ever have been. We're gonna we're gonna challenge you. And, you know, our when I, you know, played sports, I had several coaches who would say, you know, don't worry about, you know, us getting on you and and and, you know, riding you and and, critiquing you. What you should be worried about is is when we stop doing that because that's when we've given up on you. And that's the same conversation I have with these young men is is, you know, it it may not feel good when it's happening, when the accountability is happening.
Speaker 3:That's actually just a part of us showing our love that we care about you and and your future and and your success.
Speaker 2:And I think that the Bible's pretty clear about that, about how, you know, us as human beings, we don't really like discipline. But why we get discipline is for our own good, and so that the Lord can teach us things, and so that we can ultimately become all that He has for us. So, man, that that's I mean, man, just just last night, me and my wife were sitting out outside having dinner and my 2 boys are jumping on, on a trampoline. And like, I just look over and my kid who's 6 does this like jump, kick, punch, and like punches his little brother in the face. And I'm like, oh no.
Speaker 2:So I like had to pull him inside and, you know, I had to give him a consequence and he was crying and like, dad, you know, he was like saying that I don't love him and all of these things. It just broke my heart. But ultimately, I could fall asleep that night knowing that I did the right thing because I'm like, Lord, I disciplined my kid because I saw him doing something that wasn't going to lead to life. And I tried my best to correct that. And I have to trust that you're gonna make sure that you maintain that bond, that he knows that I love him even when I have to give him a consequence.
Speaker 2:And it's kind of the same thing. Right?
Speaker 3:Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Kids, they they crave structure, and they crave accountability. They may not recognize that, but when it's when it's absent is when when it it becomes kind of more evident.
Speaker 3:Even just like using my daughter as an example, you know, we we'll generally, you know, put put our girls down to bed and and, you know, read read to them. And but occasionally, if my wife and I are in the living room and they're in their, bedroom playing or something, and it's kind of past bedtime, they'll come in and say, hey, why haven't you put us down to bed? And that's where, like, you see, like, naturally, we all want structure and we want, you know, accountability or or, you know, a portion of discipline. And that's when, you know, these these guys are at their best.
Speaker 2:Yep. And like it, I know for me, it, it can be really hard to like kind of discipline and correct over and over and over and over. And like, I know that one thing that we talked about was what it looks like whenever you might experience compassion fatigue. Mhmm. And so can you just kinda speak on that?
Speaker 2:Just kinda what that means and how that's played out?
Speaker 3:Yes. Absolutely. So, you know, culture building is is, you know, at the top near the top of of what we're doing here at Victory Project. And and part of that is really living out our philosophy of of creating the environment. Because when you work more on on the individual student and investing everything you have into each, you know, individual student rather than creating them the environment for them to be successful.
Speaker 3:That's where, you know, burnout comes when when you see you know, not not all of our students turn out to be success stories. That's just the nature of of what we're doing, especially with, you know, some the our our target market. You know? And so you've gotta, you know, be comfortable with with the with the goal and and with what we're we're trying to do and just creating that environment and giving them that opportunity while still obviously investing in them and encouraging them and working with them. But if you can, you know, at the end of the day, know that you did what you could to to help these young men be successful and that, you know, you trust in the Lord to to take the work that we put in to to develop these young men, then you don't see every, you know, disconnect or or failure or whatever you wanna call it as, you know, your your failure.
Speaker 3:And so that's where that you know, the the burnout can is is common in ministry. And yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah. For sure, man. Why don't why don't we end with this? Just I heard you talk about a kid named Taiwan. Why don't you just kinda share that story and kinda like the, you know, the example of what could happen when a kid goes through victory
Speaker 3:project? Yes, absolutely. So Tayon was actually here when I got here and he had just, graduated high school and was serving on staff in our, our micro business is kind of one of the, as one of our crew leads. So he would take out the students, the the high school and middle school students to the work, sites on on during the week. And and he had been here for several years as a student as a student.
Speaker 3:You know, you can ask him or you can ask Monty. He wasn't necessarily the, you know, straight a student or whatever. When he started, he was a bit of a goofball. And, you know, he, he came through victory project, graduated with VP and then worked with us. And then after that went into the military and he is just doing awesome.
Speaker 3:I really kind of bought into that and took off of that. He's the chief diesel mechanic, in the army. He's engaged and he's got a fiance and that's really where, you know, you know, we see these are, these are the success stories of, of guys seeing purpose in their life and, and seeing purpose and and the purpose that God has given them and and really living out those those things that we've we've taught and and tried to to encourage. And, you know, we don't always see that the fruit immediately, but if we're planting the seeds, then these young men just just kinda run with it. And, also, it's a maturity thing.
Speaker 3:I don't know how many of us were very mature at, you know, 16, 17, 18 years old. You know, it takes a little while for things to click and but he's just doing awesome. And we have a lot of young men like him who just really turn into godly men, and and we're we're always excited to see that. And sometimes first first staff, you know, when you first get here, you know, you worked 1 or 2 years, you don't see the returns right away. And then once you've been here for a while and you see students come back and visit like Tayon does often, that's where you're like, it's like, man, this is really impacting these guys.
Speaker 3:And so that's really cool to see.
Speaker 2:It's awesome, man. It's all about making disciples, dude. Guys are doing great work over there in the great city of Dayton, Ohio. So if, someone wants to learn more about the Victory Project, why don't you tell them how to do that?
Speaker 3:Yeah. So you can visit our website atvictoryproject.org, give us a call at 937-224-0880. We'd love to tell you about it. Yeah.
Speaker 2:That's awesome, man. Alright. Well, thank you so much, mister Dylan Pohl. We are super grateful for you and grateful for everything that the Victory Project is doing to advance the kingdom. I sure hope that you guys learned a bunch about just one more way to advance the kingdom through making disciples through mentoring today.
Speaker 2:And if you missed everything else, hear this. You can mentor. Thank you.