Mississippi Action for Community Education, Inc. is a non-profit, minority rural development organization created by community leaders in 1967 to stimulate physical, social, and economic development in the rural Mississippi Delta. Very early in its history, MACE learned that beyond the problems of race and poverty, there exists in southern, rural communities the broader, structural problem of underdevelopment; that for genuine community development to occur, the prerequisite human and organizational capacities must first be developed, the basic community social and political structures must first be created.
Support Services
Support System
Participants face many challenges which could hinder their success. We have established a support system in an environment which fosters consistency in acceptance and a desire to see participants succeed. Participants have direct access to services such as: Abstinence Education, Healthy Families, Fatherhood, Tobacco Cessation, Individual Deposit Accounts, and Financial Literacy.
Case Management
The Case Manager is responsible for coordinating important support services. The Case Mangers work closely to help participants overcome barriers to success. The Case Mangers work closely with the participants to develop comprehensive personal assessments for their:
- Goals
- Mental Health
- Physical Health
- Substance Abuse History
- Sexual Health Practices
- Family Situation
- Relationships
- Educational Background
- Employment History
- Financial Issues
- Legal Issues
Mentors
Each participant is paired with a community mentor who serves as an additional source of support. The relationships are formed based on the academic and social needs of each individual student
Grassroots Group
Participants attend bi-weekly gender-based group sessions. These groups allow students to openly discuss and examine situations they encounter in every day life or are curious about. The topics for these groups include subjects such as:
- Parenting
- Personal Relationships
- Sexual Health
- Sexual Abuse Prevention
- Substance Abuse
- PreventionResponsibility
- Death and Los
- Changing Negative Perceptions
- Coping with Past Mistakes
