Building Below the Waterline

How Is Parenting Like the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge? Sources of Strength, an upstream prevention program, aims to spread Hope, Help, and Strength into every corner of our community. Sources of Strength brings us this analogy about the work we are doing building strengths in the lives of young people.

At the time of its construction, The Brooklyn Bridge was to be one of the largest and most iconic suspension bridges in the world. Enormous sums of money and effort went into the design and construction of the bridge. Years into the construction, residents of Manhattan and Brooklyn began to complain that though they always saw construction crews and apparent work being done, there was yet to be any tangible sign of progress on the bridge. As these grumblings grew louder, more frequent, and more unified, the architect of the bridge began to explain that the reason they saw no bridge was that they had spent years building below the waterline. He and his team had pioneered innovative and revolutionary techniques to provide anchor points in the riverbed and it was only as a result of this work that the bridge would stand the test of time.

Reflecting on that story as a parent or educator working with youth people, we may wonder, “are we making a difference?” “ Are we building anything of substance and value?”

Working with young people is building below the waterline. It can be difficult, even frustrating, and might leave us wondering where our bridge is, but this work is foundational. And it is only as a result of that foundational work that we can help build communities, and schools, and cultures, and young people that stand the test of time.

We build strong relationships with youth by listening, playing and laughing together, reflecting and sharing together. It is in these spaces where we build anchor points that will stand the test of time.

Sources of Strength is an upstream prevention program that builds on the strengths of youth and helps foster resiliency to handle the ups and downs in life. Sources of Strength trains Adult Advisors in schools to be caring, connected and positive mentors in the lives of kids. The world needs more people willing to go deep and spend their time, energy, passion, talent, and hope on the foundational work of building strength below the waterline for kids.

Within schools, Sources of Strengths aims to identify trusted adults and trains them how to support and mentor youth. Trusted adults take the following pledge:

I promise to:

1. Acknowledge that reaching out for support is a strength

2. Listen and react non-judgmentally

3. Respond in a calm and reassuring manner

4. Reflect back the feelings, strengths and ideas I hear when listening

5. Ask how I can be helpful and respond as I am able

6. Do what I can to connect to other supports if asked

7. Maintain confidentiality and communicate if exceptions exist