There is a growing need to instruct “Generation Text” to better communicate orally. While state standards require the testing and development of oral communications, research on the need for greater oral communication skill development among youth in the United States of America has been published recently in a number of scholarly journals. Analysts document the lack of oral communication skill development in schools and call for the development of programs to address this need to better prepare our youth for the workplace. In today’s globally connected and media driven world, the ability of our nation’s youth to communicate skillfully and with confidence is tantamount to their success.

In the inner city and among disadvantaged populations, the need is further intensified. A core challenge is to prepare these youth lacking access to resources to participate successfully in higher education and the workplace. Strong interpersonal communication skills are a prerequisite in both environments, as is the self confidence to carry out difficult tasks in unfamiliar circumstances. Surgance is doing something about this by launching a new program in conjunction with the Boston-based  Young Broadcasters of America (YBA), led by Program Director Jimmy Young. YBA’s training program participants produce a number of internet broadcasts, including a monthly sports magazine TV show that airs on the New England Sports Network (NESN) to over five million subscribers. While the students learn and create, they gain verbal, technical, and leadership skills as well as self confidence.

“I highly endorse Jimmy Young’s Young Broadcasters of America training program because, through its participation, students within the Sharon Public Schools experienced first hand the importance of proper training in oral communication, organizing thoughts and converting thorough written research into effective on air delivery. Students who participated in the six week program came away with not only much better skills in these important areas, but also the vital self confidence of how to go about mastering public speaking, whether it is as sophisticated as doing a news or sports broadcast, conducting an interview, or the everyday skill of speaking before the class in a typical oral presentation.”

Bob Sondheim, High School Athletic Director

YBA’s trademark curriculum, I.P.I.E (Inflection, Pronunciation, Intonation, Enunciation), serves as the backbone for the program curriculum to improve communications. I.P.I.E is always present while students are trained in a variety of broadcasting staples, including speaking on camera, voiceovers, interviewing, hosting a talk show, public address announcing, and broadcast writing. One of the biggest keys to their success is that the young men and women enjoy the broadcasting experience so much, they don’t realize just how much they are learning! Over 90% of them return for following courses, improving as communicators each step of the way.

The courses have been shown to improve student oral communication, project management, and digital production skills and self confidence. Typically they last 10 weeks. The course participants will graduate with the ability to look someone in the eye, to ask them intelligent questions, to present themselves with confidence and to apply their skills in high pressure situations.  Such skills form the foundation for further educational and employment successes.

“Kids come out of the workshop better able to meet the challenges of integrating visual and verbal communications. I recommend the workshop not only for students interested in broadcasting careers, but anyone simply wanting to become a more effective communicator.”

Ed McDonough, High School Teacher

Now, through the generosity of others and the collaborative partnership, Surgance will provide underprivileged youth with the same courses currently offered for a fee through YBA at no cost to the participants. The new nonprofit offering will be the Surgance “Building Confident Communicators” program, powered by Young Broadcasters of America.

Through this new program, young men and women from underserved populations will develop their oral communication skills using the fun, interactive, and educational experience in digital media production. The result will be dramatic improvement in poise, confidence, self-esteem, and the proper use of the English language for youth that are not able to afford this type of training on their own.

The initial geographical focus of the program is the metro area of Boston, Massachusetts. The target populations are underserved inner city children, minorities, low income and ESL youth as well as the disabled, ages 12-18 and interested in digital media and/or in need of oral skill development. Through community based partnerships, Surgance has relationships with Title I schools and other organizations that serve these populations, such as the Boys and Girls Clubs, the YMCA and others providing access to students that will benefit from the program and workshops.

“My son was shy and reserved before the workshop, and now he is confident and talkative. His oral communication grade improved to an A+.”

Mother of a recent graduate