Root Cause

InnerCity Weightlifting: Off the streets and into the gym

Mckenzie  Freeman

21-Mar-2012

Here at Root Cause, we believe that social innovation spreads when resources are directed to high-performing approaches or programs. The platform that incentivizes this kind of behavior is called a social impact market. Our Social Innovation Forum acts as such a platform for donors, allowing them to direct resources toward emerging social innovators to scale impact. 

An example of an emerging innovator from Root Cause’s Social Innovation Forum is InnerCity Weightlifting representing the Workforce Development track. InnerCity Weightlifting’s mission is to reduce youth violence by “getting youth off the street and into the gym.” It does so by appealing to their interest through Olympic weightlifting. Once inside the gym, students are provided with academic and career support and positive role models in a safe, empowering environment. Once students feel a part of this community and supportive network, something most of them have never had before, they are empowered to say “no to violence and yes to opportunity.”

InnerCity Weightlifting is innovative for a number of reasons. First, it uses the youth’s interest in weightlifting to create a self-affirming bond. Using weightlifting as a common interest the staff connects with the youth and shows them that they have someone to rely on. “You can call Jon anytime and he will always persistently try to reach you back,” says Tyshon, one of InnerCity Weightlifting’s students who attended the talk, “Jon came to my house, talked to my mom, built a bond with my friends…it’s not a business with him, he’s been there from day one with me, he’s a man of his word.” These students need constant support to build confidence and accomplish goals.

Second, their philosophy focuses not on forcing change, but rather on creating an empowering environment for someone who wants to change. Finally, the last characteristic that sets this organization apart is its ability to create a deeper change within the community. The interactions between the students and the teachers within this community spill into the street and break down stereotypes and barriers that stand in the way of many youth. With these barriers broken, this population has the support of the community. They are presented with positive opportunities instead of feeling forced to turn to the streets. In fact, by the end of InnerCity Weightlifting’s first eight months, they report to have grown from four to one hundred students and 100% of their target students referred at least one friend to their organization. 

In addition, Feinman’s goal is to match the students with the resources and networks they need to succeed; whether it is academic help, GED support, or career services. InnerCity Weightlifting’s social impact model, the support of the staff, and Jon Feinman’s leadership, are creating lasting social impact in the Boston community.   

Root Cause carefully selects the most innovative organizations that have proven measurements of impact in place and gives them support while connecting them to vital resources. InnerCity Weightlifting will connect with donors and other resources to help scale their work and create greater impact at Root Cause’s Social Innovator Showcase May 3. The ninth annual Social Innovator Showcase, modeled after venture capital forums, will highlight InnerCity Weightlifting and our five other Social Innovators for potential investors, as well as spark conversations on the best approaches to developing and spreading innovation.

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