About Barry Isaacs Barry Isaacs is a dynamic young leader in the fields of human development, business development, and disability services. He combines a drive for success with artistic vision, and has great compassion for the people he serves. His work in the field of developmental disabilities is a model of trauma-informed care. He chooses to address the toughest social problems and the toughest populations. In 2009, Barry Isaacs founded HOPE4CHANGE, a “development company” located in a former National Guard Armory. He renamed the building Hope Arena, and turned it into a community center, a Training center, and an event space. Isaacs was also working as a Developmental Disabilities service provider, and recognized that the people in his caseload did better when they had safe places with enough space for movement, exercise and recreation – but not “programming.” Isaacs learned this through dialogue with the people that he served. People told him how tired they were with “programs.” Many programs for people with disabilities were poorly run, or run coercively, or were inflexible or frustrating. People said they wanted opportunities to participate fully in the community. Isaacs learned that freedom solved problems, and that coercion and inflexibility were resented and made things worse. What people seek first, and what his clients sought first, was safety. Everyone appreciated opportunities to learn how to be safe, and opportunities to discover how boundaries and appropriate situations kept them safe. Isaacs eventually developed an approach to disability services that combined safe situations with positive relationships. As Isaacs gained more experience, he began to work with clients who had been severely traumatized, and acted out, and never had safety. These more difficult clients relaxed once they encountered the HOPE4CHANGE process. Difficult incidents and bad behavior practically disappeared. The population in his caseload, comprised of people with mental illness, cognitive issues, and criminal behavior, began leading peaceful lives, and started looking forward to advancing their education. As the HOPE4CHANGE disability service agency grew, Isaacs focused on developing his staff. His staff consisted of people with high school diplomas recruited from the same communities as the people in the caseload. Isaacs realized that his workers were mostly African American, not prospering, and inexperienced. These workers had never had an intensive personal development experience. The “Life Coaches” responded to the same approaches that worked with the people in the caseload. By teaching people in the caseload to build thinking skills and learn what kept them safe, HOPE4CHANGE workers gained stability and capacity to think beyond the next paycheck. Isaacs has continued to focus on other types of development. Hope Arena has hosted small business development, athletics, recreation, music, and art. He developed a relationship with research faculty at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. He has invested in his own development, including a group of experienced consultants and others who have helped him learn his way through challenges. His methods are showing up in publications within the field of developmental disabilities. The HOPE4CHANGE method challenges the preconceptions of state disabilities officials, who do not relate to the culture, and who are being forced to confront the failures of their existing programs. The people Isaacs serves are fiercely loyal to Isaacs and to the HOPE4CHANGE program. Barry Isaacs’ long term goal is lifelong learning – tuned to what people actually need. Good child care. Safe schools that support strong families. Supported education – so there is a way for everyone to keep learning, without artificial or needless formal barriers. His goal is to run a college, and to create success for everyone.
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 22:59:58 +0000
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