Welcome to Acts Full Gospel Church of God in Christ where Jesus Christ is Lord

 
Men of Valor Academy

Bishop Bob Jackson - President Douglas Butler, Director Men of Valor Academy 6118 International Blvd. Oakland, California 94621 Phone: (510) 567-1308 Fax: (510) 568-4125

Noun: valor 'valur - exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger

The Men of Valor Academy's Mission is to provide spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental growth and development. The Men of Valor program encourages these positive facets in three phases: Man Of Valor Phase, Educational Enhancement Phase, and the Vocational Training Phase.

We are an an academy designed to help ex-offenders, high school dropouts and men who want to receive the support they need to reintegrate successfully back into society. This is our passion. The Academy is a non-profit organization, sponsored by Acts Full Gospel Church, under the leadership of Bishop Bob Jackson.

Our program operates out of the Biblical mandate found in Luke 4:18-19

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,

19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." NIV

It is our belief that all men, even those that have committed crimes, are eligible for God’s grace and mercy. Our program will be structured and designed so that only those who are serious about changing their lifestyle can benefit from it.

The Men Of Valor program involves meeting the spiritual and physical needs of persons who have become involved with the criminal justice system, or who are at-risk of future involvement.

We believe that the church must arise and become more heavily involved in the criminal justice and school systems. Most inmates currently incarcerated will inevitably get out, whether we want them to or not. The Church must be ready to take them by the hand and support them, or they will return to the streets and to their friends and commit more crimes.

Generally, people are not surprised to learn that most of the men sent to jail will eventually be returned to society. Nevertheless, people do not realize that the percentage of men returned is as high as 97%. They are also unaware that between 78% and 93% of that percentage will return to jail in the first year of their parole.

Many of the young men who have dropped out of school or have been released from jail, for the most part, do not have the skills nor do they have the education necessary to become a productive member of society. The Men Of Valor program will provide these men the skills and education they need in order to become productive citizens of our community.

The Men of Valor Program plans to do these things by way of a comprehensive program for participants, which includes, but is not limited to:

Phase I

Basic orientation format covering eight essential components

• A Man of Valor

• Character

• Relapse Prevention

• Spirituality

• Individual Counseling

• Anger Management

• Finances

• Physical Exercise

Phase II

Educational Enhancement Component

• Structured to prepare men to successfully pass the General Education Diploma Requirements (GED)

• Geared to provide advanced learning for those with a high school diploma

• Computer literacy training

• Completion of this phase in 5 months

Phase III

Vocational Training

• Comprehensive combination of classroom and practical application of the construction trade in 5-months

• Vocational training in basic carpentry, plumbing, electrical and sheet rocking

The Men of Valor assists graduates in securing gainful employment in the construction industry. Once the graduate is hired, M.O.V.A. will be the liaison between our graduate and his employer to ensure a successful transition back into the workforce.

For inquires contact Douglas Butler, Director, at (510) 567-1308