As the old saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. For participants and volunteers alike, the journey through Kid CAT also starts with a first step.
In Kid CAT’s First Step program, completing the curriculum requires not only a willingness to take that first step, but also a determination to finish the journey. Group participants get to walk each of the eight modules in their own shoes one-step at a time, and the program’s volunteers are there to help them each step of the way.
“I believe it is about showing up and being witness to someone’s journey. I have found it to be profoundly important to many people,” said Franny Hohman, an outside volunteer who helps to facilitate the program.
The First Step program benefits youth offenders by investing in them. When given a chance, participants take their first step into a better version of themselves. The program offers tools for understanding oneself, developing assertive communication skills, and learning about healthy masculinity. This cultivates a hope for a new future as productive citizens with a higher purpose.
The curriculum is designed to be applicable to one’s life by building a strong foundation of self-awareness. The eight modules are Emotions and Sensations; Self-Identity; Masculinity; Environmental Influence; Consequences; Communication; Empathy/ Compassion; and Forgiveness.
Hohman noted that there are times when an incarcerated person needs someone to walk and talk with. This is where a good listener, a compassionate and empathetic person, can meet the participants where they are at, which is what the facilitators are trained to do.
She recounted how her journey with the First Step program began with an invitation to visit San Quentin and a willingness to take that first step to be of service.
“It was around 2016, I was fortunate enough to take a tour in San Quentin,” Hohman said. “We were invited by a group that my husband had just joined to come take a tour with them. The day came and there we were sitting in this group.
“At the time, I didn’t know it was VOEG [Victim Offender Education Group]. I listened attentively to the incarcerated men talking about their stories, challenges, and how they learned about how they affected others by their crimes. They took such accountability and were so vulnerable. They were so open, it blew my socks off!” Hohman said.
After this first visit, she took it a step further by getting involved to help those incarcerated stay on their path of recovery and rehabilitation.
“I reached out to the head of IPP [Inside Prison Project] and asked, ‘How do I get more involved? IPP responded and said, ‘ Y o u have to do some of the training first.’ So I took some training courses. My father was a psychiatrist, so I had been around the psychology field for quite some time,” Hohman said.
Kid CAT volunteers like Hohman are known for giving from their hearts, which has helped the program become a success — changing one youth, one step at a time.
Kid CAT (Creating Awareness Together) is a group of men who committed their crimes in their teens and were sentenced as adults to life terms. The group’s mission is to inspire humanity through education, mentorship and restorative practices. Kid CAT Speaks wants to hear from all the juvenile lifers, educators and policymakers concerning juvenile justice issues and rehabilitation. Contact us at San Quentin News, Attn: Kid CAT Speaks, 1 Main Street, San Quentin, CA 94964
