About MitchDeArmon • About LeadershipWorks • About our Mentors • About our Staff
Testimonials

About Mitch DeArmon

Mitch DeArmon's unique perspective — earned helping thousands of men and boys and their families — puts him at the forefront of the society-wide discussion concerning our male youth.

“Our society has completely failed our young men. The rise in hazing, violence, depression, and medicating and self-medicating through alcohol and drugs is only the beginning. Our hope and our challenge lies in men reclaiming our young men and in women trusting us enough to let us.” His book Why Boys Need Men (to be published 2005) further describes his concept of both the problem and the remedies available to us.

LeadershipWorks which he established in 2001 in Sonoma County is an organization that serves adolescent males and their families through mentoring programs, camps, workshops, information, and consulting—all designed to empower youth to take responsibility for their actions, community, and future. DeArmon developed and facilitates these programs. He trains more than 100 men each year to mentor using his philosophy as a guide.

DeArmon’s innovative approach to helping young men (ages 12 to 20) has made him a coveted trainer and speaker, ranging from workshops for incarcerated youth at the California Youth Authority to speeches at the the International Conference on Men's Health on our damaged youth. He is contracted by school districts to conduct his programs for their male youth. He also works as a youth advocate for Restorative Resources, a diversion program nonprofit that develops and helps implement plans for juvenile offenders to keep them out of the court system. Additionally, he consults with families and boys in crisis. His parenting radio show Reality Check with Mitch DeArmon can be heard every Tuesday (12:30 p.m.) on KSRO.

In 2002, DeArmon was awarded a $240,000 two-year private foundation grant to fund staff to develop mentoring and initiation programs. In addition to his work through LeadershipWorks, DeArmon helped found and facilitate the Young Men's Ultimate Weekend, a coming-of-age weekend for boys ages 13 through 20 that has been held over the last three years at sites throughout California with 36 to 200 young men at each Weekend.

DeArmon has developed men's organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as in Vancouver and Calgary, Canada. DeArmon is a strong proponent of men volunteering in their own community, and has himself led men in California's Sonoma and Marin counties over the last six years in community projects.

Previous to launching his organization LeadershipWorks, he worked for eight years as a certified drug and alcohol counselor at St. Anthony's Foundation in San Francisco "helping the poorest of the poor." Before that he worked as a counselor at the Marin Winter Shelter and Choices for Change.

DeArmon, 45, is married with three children. He has been screened by the State of California to work with youth.

Speech Topics

Mitch DeArmon is a dynamic speaker with a compelling message that engages an audience. He is available to speak on these or other topics related to adolescent boys for 15 minutes to an hour for service, parent, or nonprofit groups. He is also available for conferences and can give workshops. Please call or email our offices with your specific request.

• The State of Our Young Men
• How our Communities Can Save our Young Men
• Raising a Son
• Why Boys Need Men
• How Sons are Different
• Crossing Over the Legal Line
• Five Crucial Steps to Parenting Your Teen and Saving your Sanity
• A Return to Integrity and Honor
• Parent Negotiating and How it Kills Trust
• The Mother and Her Part in Raising a Young Man
• The Father and His Part in Raising a Young Man
• Parenting: A Collusion for the Well-Being of the Children
• Parenting from ¥our Own Integrity

Trainings

Mentoring
Mitch conducts mentor trainings for male adults who would like to volunteer in this capacity. The training enables the mentor to participate in the annual Buffalo Initiation Camp and in the ongoing team mentoring programs for the community and schools. By law, mentors must undergo screening by the state of California. All mentors also will be approved by Mitch. Male adults who are interested may contact us and attend the next Information Meeting (watch calendar).

Agencies and Service Groups Helping Teen Boys
Helping teenage boys is an honor and responsibility. For those organizations engaged in this endeavor, Mitch DeArmon has a powerful approach that can increase your effectiveness as a female or male staff or volunteer. Mitch speaks the language boys hear and respond to. Groups interested in having Mitch conduct trainings in this method are encouraged to call us.

Leadership
Mitch conducts leadership trainings for men’s groups, businesses, agencies, and service groups. The LeadershipWorks Training typically occurs in three hour sessions over a five-week period. Group size can vary from 5 to 50. This training results in better leadership, teamwork, and communication as well as increased focus and success in achieving goals.

Participants are challenged to lead and follow through a series of exercises and discussions. They are given powerful tools for achieving their goals that are easy to use and practical. All participants receive a LeadershipWorks binder with the core elements of the training. The fee is $3,000. Adaptations are possible based on your groups’ specific needs. Nonprofit groups may contact us about a shorter program for a reduced fee.