Never considered himself a violent person, but when he got angry, he did what most young men do – he got violent. As a young man, he found himself involved in gangs without any awareness of alternative ways to deal with his anger. One night he got in an altercation and shot someone. This resulted in a 15 year prison sentence that would forever changed his life.
Presently, he has dedicated his life to sharing the lessons he has learned. He has developed emotional literacy skills which allows him to give back to the community as an advocate for change.
Mr. Washington has been certified by the CAARR institute and has more than 10 years experience working with teens in San Diego County. He has been trained by the nationally recognized program called “Hands of Peace” and certified in the Creative Conflict Resolution Program.
He is recognized by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and Probation department for his contributions with the Youth Academy working with young adults. He is also recognized by California Crime Prevention Officer’s Association and Law Enforcement to promote public safety.
Today, Mr. Washington works with San Diego County Office of Education and San Diego Probation Department. Mr Washington also works with other schools districts such as Vista Unified, Oceanside Unified, and San Diego Unified School District. Mr. Washington has impacted many youths and has given them the inspiration and motivation to know that they are valuable individuals and to always make positive choices and to never give up on your dreams.
Meet our Team of Independently Contracted Facilitators
Robert Coble, Sr.
I grew up in Los Angeles with a single mother and having a tough childhood. Drugs and gang violence was not only constant, but became a normality in my neighborhood. As a child and growing up, I was emotionally illiterate; I did not know how to express my feelings in a healthy and appropriate manner. This led me to rebel against authority figures stemming from difficulties at home. At a young age, I became more involved in gang culture and life, using and dealing drugs which led me in and out of prison. In 1998, I was given a chance to re-educate myself and change my life for the better and I took that chance. Since then I have dedicated my life to teaching and giving back to my community. Using different treatment modalities, I have worked in several residential treatment facilities, prisons, and programs as a counselor and coach. I have been certified in Restorative Practices and facilitate groups in various settings using different modalities of treatment. One of the groups I facilitate is a group in partnership with the Carlsbad Police Department. This particular group is a Juvenile Diversion Program for 1st time Juvenile offenders in Carlsbad. Upon successful completion of the 8-week group, the youth participants are eligible to have their cases are dismissed.