P.M. Breakout Session - Community Relationships

Challenges and Opportunities: Families with Wayward Youth

This session will focus on understanding the challenges families face while rearing their children. Key factors will be discussed to help leaders who wish to work with urban families assess family needs and develop interventions that work. Special attention will be given to developing ministries that address the needs of wayward youth.

Presenter: Mark Harden

Mark Harden, Ph.D., serves as lead faculty and dean of intercultural relations at Bethel Bethel Seminary. He has also worked for Michigan State University and other institutions in developing family and youth interventions as a community development specialist.

He currently teaches graduate courses such as strategic and tactical planning, community development, implementing change, and culture and ministry in a graduate degree program. He is a family and child ecologist with specialization in program development and evaluation for programs related to family and youth development interventions, community development, and intercultural competence assessment, training, and development.

He has served as a community development specialist and program coordinator for several organizations to assist community churches in developing outreach programs. Harden has organized and co-developed several community collaborations, institutions, and organizations such as Streetwise, Inc.; Benjamin E. Mays Male Academy; Global Horizons Institute; and Detroit Love, Inc.