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Black Hair Care Classes

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Monaleezza

Monaleezza

New Member
Hi Ladies
I'm Monaleezza, I'm actually a youth worker and I've been tasked with choosing a topic that I would like to teach young people from troubled backgrounds to divert them from anti-social and criminal behaviour.

So I've chosen to inspire a group of black girls with hair care classes. I think it would raise their self esteem and sense of worth and reinforce positive identities of their blackness and culture.

So if I were to meet with these girls for 3 hours a day, for 4 sessions, what would I cover in each session? Or do I need to do Less days? Longer sessions? More sessions? Shorter sessions?:perplexed:perplexed:perplexed

I could really do with your help. :help:

Week 1 -
Week 2 -
Week 3 -
Week 4 -

:thankyou:
 
Week 1- history background/ breaking down common misconceptions

Week 2 care regarding clean haircut, trimming, drying practice and balance

Week 3- non heat styles

Week 4 heat styles and heat protection
 
I'd say start with teaching them the basics of hair care - caring for the ends, shampoo selection, moisture versus protein, healthy eating, water intake,etc. Show them fascinating pics of highly magnified healthy hair, split/broken hair, heat damaged hair. Do a black hair care myth-busting session.

Show them YouTube videos of natural and relaxed ladies who grew their hair from very short to long and healthy. As a final task, challenge them to create their own reggies and ask them to commit to them for at least 8 weaks to start to see results. Have them take before and after pics. Help them compile their new info, pics and reggie in a nice portfolio.

So many ideas! This should be an exciting project for you!
 
I love that you are doing this!!! Whatever you cover, my immedite thoughts were that you'll have to make sure you use the KISS and ensure your coverge of the topic is age approriate so that the girls can easily grasp and adopt the principles of healthy hair care.
I'd probably try most to find out what trends they're seeing as far as hair care, it helps to have an idea of their starting point and get the girls to participate and get them engaged.


Week1: Black Hair History & Myths
(ask what they know or think they know, ask what they would most like to learn, what are their hair frustrations)
Week2: Black Hair Health
(what's important to them, health or fashion, share various success stories, discuss hair setbacks and scalp damage they may be familiar with)
Week 3: Keys to Healthy Hair (cleansing, moisture, protective styles, etc) remember to keep it simple
Week 4: Hair demonstrations/ maybe a hairspiration guest. Natural and/or relaxed. Use lots of visuals, discuss hair care/hair health resources so they can continue on their own HHJs.

Just my super quick thoughts, I think this is an amazing idea. Use lots of visuals/ discuss resources

I wish you the best of luck!!!!

G

Sent from my cell using LHCF
 
Aaah, homework, good idea fairyhairy.
Any tips on what should be incorporated during the sessions?

I'm thinking...
Week 1 - Black History of Hair Maintenance
Week 2 - Hair Type - Protein/Moisture
Week 3 - Protective Styling; Low Manipulation & Regimen
Week 4 - Recovering from Hair Damage?? Buying Product, their uses & Product Exchange??

I'd like to make it practical...
I got lost after week 2 :lol: and any help on what I could cover would be useful.
 
Awesome idea I wish you the best of luck with this new project the others ladies have given such great ideas already so
Class on common ingredients found in hair products
Mixing class teach the girls how to use simple ingredients to make their own products
Self affirmation class teach the girls how to believe what the want is already theirs to obtain goals
 
Idk about the other weeks but I would start week one with the importance of moisture (cowash, dc, M&S, etc) and balance of protein. ETA: And heat control.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using LHCF
 
Last edited:
Definitely a Myth busting class:yep: with lots of pics of ladies with healthy hair. I would provide them with websites and blogs for them to see for themselves.
All of what the others have listed re: hair care practices, ingredient reading, healthy eating, etc
Most likely they are skilled at styling and so I would challenge them to create hairstyles using the healthy hair care practices that you teach them. Then come share them with us:grin:
 
@Monaleezza -

I would caution against organising a product exchange, due to potential liability issues. Should even a single participant decide to play a prank with a product's contents, unintentional harm could result, and you could be blamed (if not held liable).

Monaleezza said:
Aaah, homework, good idea @fairyhairy.
Any tips on what should be incorporated during the sessions?

I'm thinking...
Week 1 - Black History of Hair Maintenance
Week 2 - Hair Type - Protein/Moisture
Week 3 - Protective Styling; Low Manipulation & Regimen
Week 4 - Recovering from Hair Damage?? Buying Product, their uses & Product Exchange??

I'd like to make it practical...
I got lost after week 2 :lol: and any help on what I could cover would be useful.
Click to expand...
 
The ladies above gave some really good points.

I would keep the class as 3 hours. To make it more interactive and to hold attention, I would give the class a topic (history of Pressing hair, conk/Relaxers, etc for example) to research which they have to present on week 4. I would divide the class into groups for it. Does your youth club have PCs?

Also, are you able to get your hands on free samples?
 
Last edited:
lamaria211 said:
Awesome idea I wish you the best of luck with this new project the others ladies have given such great ideas already so
Class on common ingredients found in hair products
Mixing class teach the girls how to use simple ingredients to make their own products
Self affirmation class teach the girls how to believe what the want is already theirs to obtain goals
Click to expand...

^^^^^^
this! especially because these young girls probably arent going to be able to go out and buy a lot of products...so if they can make deep treatments with homemade ingredients (EVOO, bananas, mayo, eggs, honey, etc) they would probably be more successful. You could give them a folder with a generic regimen as a starting point (pre treat with olive oil since most folks have it at home, shampoo, deep condition, leave in...seal with oil, style. How to air dry and retain moisture. How to moisturize and seal. Protective styling (have them set a goal for maybe 50% protective styling or at least put their hair in a protective style when they get home from school). A list of black haircare websites. Non-heat styling tutorials (bantu knot outs, braid outs/twistouts, twist or braid n curls, etc). A list of tools for better haircare practices (wide tooth/shower comb, satin scarf/pillowcase, ouchless bands,etc). Maybe you can also have a drawing for a healthy haircare basket of goodies.
 
Wow!! I don't have anything to add EXCEPT: the way you ladies came in here to offer ideas and support is so wonderful and inspiring. I know that's what we do here on LHCF but sometimes it just goes off into left field. You ladies brought me to tears, I love you guys!!
 
Awesome idea!

I was going to offer to send you some products for door prizes/giveaways, but the pp may be right unfortunately.

Sent from my SGPT12 using LHCF
 
Maybe you could also take their hair pics for them so that have great before pics for them to compare with after a month....again as proof.
 
Surprisingly 3 hours may actually be a good amount of time...I had a hair party which I thought would last a couple hours ...it ended up being about 8 hours long:shock:
 
Tell them about product ingredients.

Just because there's picture of a black woman on the outside doesn't guarantee there's good stuff for black hair on the inside.

Sent from my Comet using LHCF
 
@Monaleezza

Could you maybe obtain a 'classroom' copy of the book "The Science of Black Hair" (by former LHCF-member Sistaslick)? From what I have heard of the book's contents, it would be a great reference point for solid classroom knowledge, and a launching point for building discussions and developing activities.

[Then, once you have fleshed-out your class content and routine, maybe you could package that whole concept and bring over here to Oslo (probably other parts of Norway as well). I hover almost daily between a cry and a cringe, whe I see dozens of young black or half-black girls and women (immigrants and 1st-generation Norwegians) who have no clue - not even an inkling(!) - of how to care for and manage their kinky, crinkly or curly hair. Although full of potential, the hair is most often dry (daily swimming, without conditioning or protection?), matted, broken off, raked back in knots in tangles, or simply left to stick up like in the outline of a frenetic graph chart. These (often) well-off, yet disadvantaged, girls run, walk and play alongside their ethnic Norwegian mates with smooth, glossy, well-conditioned, (sometimes highlighted - when they don't feel blond enough), trimmed manes of hair - the advantage of living in their natural, social element. The black and half-black girls have no one from whom to learn suitable hair care practices, and few (1? 2? distantly located) salons to take them on.

I wish someone would organise some community-based classes for these girls (and their moms... whether ethnic Norwegian or African immigrant), and help them see - and realise - the beauty of their own [type of] hair, with a little care.

Maybe someone could come up with a mobile business, directed to such amenity-bare communities in Northern Europe.

I am just musing...]
 
A class on HAIR...now that's unique enough to teach at Adult Night schools, if you have them in your area.

Every fall and spring in my area, many libraries and high schools offer classes such as Spanish conversation, line dancing, knitting, computer skills of old people, etc. My sister teaches line dancing. These schools are ALWAYS looking for someone to offer unique classes.
 
If you're going to talk about heat damage, it shouldn't be last. It's important to warn them about heat and suggest alternatives, so heat should be 3rd and styling techniques should be last.
 
My immediate thought is to first express and teach patience. My niece's mother never took care of her hair and has now turned to weaves because she doesn't want to wait until her natural hair grows out. She want long hair but the instant gratification is far superior to having healthy hair, bald spots and all.

If you can get them to first understand that this isn't a quick fix and they won't get immediate results, I think you will have solved half the battle.
We all know that there is no predictable timeline because of setbacks, slow growth, having to trim away the damaged hair, etc.

After the initial introduction, science of hair....

..I would then begin topic #2: Patience and Setting Goals.

Help them set small attainable, short term goals. If you're currently EL or just BC'd, maybe it's not a good idea to focus on getting to APL or beyond. Setting 1-2 inch goals is more easily attainable and will keep them focused and motivated.

Maybe even before this topic you can discuss self-esteem, self-love, peer pressure. I know these issues were plaguing my niece. She was so concerned about what her peers would say about her already unintentional TWA. she didn't care that she would have the braids for a few weeks and then back to the TWA. All she cared about was that she would be happy and will fit in for those few weeks and the laughing and pointing would stop.

I think if we can really get inside these kids minds and start there; working from the inside, out.

This topic is soo HOT! I think this is a great idea.

You can also start a fundraiser for the cause and pull sponsors. The funds can go towards creating HHC starter kits that contains things like:

Basic products:
Sulfate free shampoo
Conditioner
Moisturizer
A natural oil
A book; maybe Audrey's hair care rehab book
Seamless comb
Denman brush or similar
Satin bonnet
Conditioner caps
Printout of products in every category they can purchase on their own later.

Most of these things can be found at Family Dollar.
 
I may get stoned for this but be sure you talk to the ladies about both sides of the hair care natural and processed. There is no good or bad there are just good or bad hair practices and your preference can be healthy if you understand your hair and what is good for your hair.

Also, anything you are showing them the next thought for them would be where can I get this and how much does it cost.

So make sure those two thoughts are always present when you are trying to bring the information to them.

Access and cost will be their main thoughts.

Please come back and tell us how the courses went. Would love to hear about your experience.

Too bad there are no LHCF ladies around you to come in and do Q&A. Is it possible for you to skype with some of us or maybe others who have a healthy haircare practice and show this to the ladies? Just a thought.
 
The ladies have given you some great suggestions.

I agree with mscocoface about teaching the young women about natural and relaxed hair. In particular, I would drive home the point that relaxed hair is not automatically indicative of damaged hair. In many instances, it is due to unhealthy hair care practices.

Are you allowed to take them outside of the classroom? If so, I would take them to places like Target, TJMaxx, Marshalls, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, Dollar General, etc., to show them products and tools that they could use to care for their hair on a budget.

If you can't take them outside of the classroom, then I would bring in some budget-friendly products that they can use to acheive and maintain healthy hair.

I would also focus on hair-friendly tools and accessories, and the best way to use hair tools to maximize retention (I would definitely focus on good detangling practices.).

Be sure to let us know how it goes!
 
darlingdiva said:
Are you allowed to take them outside of the classroom? If so, I would take them to places like Target, TJMaxx, Marshalls, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, Dollar General, etc., to show them products and tools that they could use to care for their hair on a budget.
Click to expand...


darlingdiva - OP's location states "London, England". Different discount stores?
 
You have received a lot of great ideas thus far.

I just wanted to mention that in your first and perhaps at the conclusion of each session to ask them what they would like to know more about. Based on their responses, try to incorporate their suggestions into your presentations/discussions.

You want to keep them involved without being preachy/teachy because kids these days have short attention spans. This sounds like so much fun. Depending on how much time/money you have to plan, you could give each girl a little gift basket/bag of hair accessories and/or products. Have fun!
 
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