How was the project implemented? What were the steps taken?
The project was implemented in line with policies and practices developed over time throughout our programs, designed in line with best practices for youth programs and outlined in our Participant Handbook. A description of our model is as follows: RiverzEdge Arts Project gives educationally and economically disenfranchised youth, ages 12 – 24, in northern Rhode Island paid employment in the arts and a voice in their community, engaging teens in a lifestyle of creative expression, disciplined effort and economic self-reliance. Youth are provided highly enriched mentor-based learning through the design and production of creative goods and services. Working alongside highly qualified artist/educators, participants produce work for clients and develop skills to compete in the marketplace, while completing high school and preparing for college. RiverzEdge Arts Project, which opened its doors in 2002, was designed to offer work opportunities, skills development, high quality learning, and civic engagement within a supportive environment with positive adult relationships in the afterschool and summer hours for some of the most marginalized youth in New England. Through their work running micro businesses along side highly qualified artist mentors, teens get hands-on experience in graphic design, digital media, screen-printing, green design and the visual arts as well as leadership and workforce training, and educational support. Teen participants receive daily education and practice creating their own works of art, commissioned and grant-funded work, and work for clients. Participants are paid educational stipends for their work, providing many a leg up and out of poverty. To be paid for their work, participants must keep their grades up, be on the path to high school graduation, and apply to college. RiverzEdge was founded as, and is considered to be, a drug abuse and delinquency prevention program and has been the subject of on-going substance abuse evaluation. Multiple factors built into the design of the programs are utilized to prevent juvenile delinquency. In particular, various forms of mentoring embedded throughout the programs are thought to be critical contributing factors to delinquency prevention and positive youth outcomes as interpreted through existing research in the field. Youth-centered mentoring, peer mentoring, goal oriented mentoring, group mentoring and site-based mentoring by volunteers are all employed in various capacities throughout organizational programming to ensure youth remain engaged in their pursuit of a high school diploma and post secondary education and training. Year round program implementation provides a large number of contact hours for youth with positive adult role models. Youth work in one of five art and design studios 4 days per week, for 20 hours per week in the summer, and for 10 hours per week throughout the school year. Students are expected to arrive on time and sign in upon arrival. On the sign in sheet, each participate is asked to rate how they are doing. After opening rituals, youth work individually, and in small groups to complete projects and assignments in their studios. Any youth who reported in under a 3 on a 1 to 5 scale is offered optional 1 on 1 adult support throughout the workday if they need it. Through daily work, youth develop marketable skills in graphic design, screen-printing, digital photography and videography, green design or visual arts. For their work, youth are paid educational stipends on a point-based system. The system works to create a safe and supportive environment through the neutral enforcement of expectations and work. Participant pay is docked for not showing up or arriving late without advance communication, and can be docked for treating others disrespectfully, inappropriate disruption of studio work, or for not participating fully throughout work hours. The work atmosphere at RiverzEdge is positive and lively, with 30 to 50 youth on-site each day, music playing, and a plethora of support when help is needed. At the end of the day youth are expected to save their work on a server, participate in a closing circle and participate in 15 minutes of studio clean up. Their mentoring schedule is as follows: •New participants and participants needing extra support to complete their work are paired with a trained peer mentor to help them with skills development and meeting program expectations. This relationship is on-going and they can turn to their mentors as needed for the duration of their studio tenure. The peer mentor is another student close to the age of the new student. The mentor is assigned to check-in on the new student to offer them support, advice, and assistance with work related problems. Expectations on mentors and mentees are outlined in the Participant Handbook and rare personal problems, are dealt with by either party bringing them to an adult for mediation. •Studios are run by adult mentors, industry experts in their artistic field who are trained to mentor youth in a youth-led learning and production environment. Youth and mentors work together to achieve the common goal of producing work for clients or community projects, and to ensure skill and leadership development progress in line with internal assessment tools and state standards for art education. •Participants are expected to attend every day on time, maintain a C average or higher at school, complete high school or GED and apply for college. Youth who do not meet these requirements or who receive a failing grade in any subject are expected to spend part of their day with volunteer mentors or tutors from the community who work with them on-site, or to participate in remediation through other social service agencies. In line with best practices for after school programs, grades of participants are sent to the Program Director as well as to parents and guardians. If all intervention strategies fail and youth leave the path to a diploma or GED, they are asked to leave the program. Students are referred to RiverzEdge primarily from 3 sources, guidance counselors or teachers at school, work of mouth/friends or parents, and other social service agencies. As of June 2011 there will have been 60 graduates of the intensive RiverzEdge Arts & Business program. In total there have been 300 participants. Graduates are defined as youth who stayed at RiverzEdge until after they graduated high school or attained a GED and went on to college. Youth who were enrolled in summer only programs, off site classes or Expanded Learning Opportunities programs at the high school were not included in the calculation of youth who left RiverzEdge before graduation. Although the demographics of participants fluctuate, a current profile of student characteristics is a good indicator of trends in participation. For the 2010-2011 school year, 52% of participants identify as boys and 48% as girls, 74% are between the ages 13-17, and 26% between 18-21. 47% are White, 26.5% Latino 13.5% Black or African American, 7.8% Multi Racial and 5.2% Asian. 85% are considered low-income.
