WVSA
arts connection’s
Outreach and Training develops, implements, and supports
arts-integrated education and employment programs for children
and youth with special skills, special talents, and special
needs. Outreach and Training currently runs five programs:
Smart
Individuals Leading to Excellence (SmILE) is an after school
substance abuse and leadership program for female School
for Arts In Learning (SAIL) students, grades 3-9. The SmILE
program provides girls with the tools and the reasons to
resist
substances rather than focusing on the facts and figures
about the substances themselves. This strategy helps make
it a flexible
program that can be adjusted to meet the needs of a variety
of communities. The program uses a social-influence and life–skills
model of prevention, using a combination of adult leadership
and peer reinforcement to develop the ability for girls to
identify and respond critically to messages and social pressures
that encourage substance abuse.
Female
Empowerment Program is an after school female enrichment
program, ages 14-21, dedicated to reducing violence and other
negative behaviors amongst African-American women. By focusing
on pride, health, mentoring, and community awareness the Empowerment
Program uses self-esteem to counter the negative behaviors
witnessed by youth. Our goal is for graduates of the Empowerment
Program to become proud, responsible, and self-sufficient role
models in the community who will use positive leadership and
communication skills to deter violence and other negative behaviors
amongst African-American women.
Own
Up is a school based program implemented in an effort to
prevent school violence and bullying from taking place. It
is based on the premise that violence can be deconstructed
and understood by examining how our culture teaches boys to
be men and girls to be women. Owning Up classes rely on hands-on
activities, role-play, writing, question and answer sessions,
and discussions to get to the root of problems. Students are
actively encouraged to speak their minds, and the concepts
of safe space, respect for oneself and others; self-esteem
and support systems are stressed. Additionally, the program
emphasizes the role of the bystander in violent situations
and teaches young people tactics to use when they witness another
person being bullied or attacked. Through these techniques,
we are empowering youths to take a stand and stop youth violence
in its tracks.
Male
Empowerment Program is a school program based at the School
for Arts In Learning for students grades 6-9, designed to promote
the advancement of young males from minority backgrounds in
their developmental transition from adolescence to adulthood,
by encouraging critical thinking and social responsibility.
ARTiculate
Employment Training Program (AETP) is an arts-based
program that seeks to develop vocational, social and life-management
skills for youth and young adults between the ages of 14 and
25 who receive special educational services and/or have learning
or emotional disabilities. AETP accomplishes this mission by
providing participants with training and experience in three
distinct skill areas: applied graphic and fine arts; social
and life-management skills; and career readiness preparation.
Our goal is for ARTiculate apprentice to gain and exhibit a
greater sense of self-awareness, social awareness, and human
creative potential by developing their artistic abilities,
career readiness skills and aptitude for citizenship.
For more information contact the Director at outreach@wvsarts.org or v. 202-261-0214, f. 202-261-0200, tty. 202-261-0201. |
