Proposed services of the Educational Program at Project:VISION include tutoring and educational enrichment that will not only aim to help youth meet school requirements, but also provide skills for consistent academic success, and foster an appreciation for lifelong learning. The development of educational programs reflects the need for such services as demonstrated by student surveys and interviews. Unfortunately, many of the Chicago public schools in which the youth of Chinatown and Bridgeport are enrolled often have poor records of performance and serious deficits in their ability to provide adequate education. In addition, a subset of our target population includes recent immigrant youth who do not pursue opportunities beyond those in the community, and thus, limit their potentials because of language barriers and consequent academic difficulties.
Our programs will strive to bridge these gaps. We will provide daily homework tutoring, one-on-one and group subject tutoring, reading comprehension and writing skills workshops, English as a Second Language [ESL] classes, and college entrance exam preparation courses. Furthermore, keeping in stride with our belief in the importance of exploring interest and nurturing strengths, we will offer enrichment classes for students desiring to learn about subjects beyond the scope of what is taught in school. Our programs will be carried out with an emphasis on meeting individual needs through careful assessment and development of students' academic strengths and learning styles. This will ensure that our students engage in learning effectively and remain interested in academics.
Professional
The Professional Development Program will educate community students about the wide-ranging job opportunities available beyond the retail and food industry options in the neighborhood, and will satisfy both short-term and long-term goals that most students face when considering life in the workforce. For the short-term, Project: VISION will provide assistance with part-time or summer employment, while long-term concerns will encourage students to consider what careers intrigue them today, and to thoroughly investigate the necessary processes to achieve those careers tomorrow.
Assistance with part-time or summer employment will include the following:
- Contacts with employment centers, agencies, and companies looking to hire
- An introductory program that includes job-searching, resume-writing, applying, and interviewing skills
- ESL for the workplace for immigrants involving practical conversation and listening practice to instill confidence in communication ability outside of the community
Career choice and development will involve elements of the personal development services which identify strengths through illuminating quizzes assessing skills, personality, character traits, and talent. In addition, our services will explore all the educational and professional training opportunities that exist alongside the 4-year higher education paths that typically overshadow those opportunities.
Personal
Project: VISION seeks to promote the personal development of Chicago's Near South Side youths by providing the following services:
Our Art Smart program will introduce groups of 10-20 youths to contemporary art through weekly hands-on demonstrations and classes. A series of presentations and workshops given by Project: VISION staff, invited local artists and arts professionals on contemporary art methods and practice is supplemented by visits to various museums and galleries. Subjects include traditional approaches to art such as painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpture, as well as photography, computer-based, textile, installation, video, and performance arts. One of the program's goals is for the students to begin creating their own artistic language using contemporary methods and hope that at the end of the program, students produce a small body of work, have a basic understanding of contemporary art, but most importantly, come away with an interest in further exploring their artistic capabilities.
In our Mentorship program, we will match mentors from various backgrounds including college students, business professionals, and young professionals to each of our youths in order to develop and enhance young people's awareness of and belief in their own potential, and to assist them with bridging cultures, academics, college choices, and other acculturation issues. Mentors address specific educational needs of each student, as well as act as neutral people outside of the students' circle who will listen to their concerns. Reciprocal relationships between students and adult volunteers are created and maintained throughout the year so that both can affect positive change through sharing their perspectives and experiences.
Project: VISION encourages awareness of emotional, mental, and physical health through our workshops, seminars, and group discussions in our Wellness program. Life issues we hope to address are self-esteem, strength building, motivation, personal expression, stress reduction, depression, anxiety, and anger management. Workshops on substance abuse, violence (i.e. domestic, sexual), STDs, and addiction will be given on a regular basis. We at Project: VISION are working to provide our youths with counselign and access to information, resources, and services regarding mental, physical, and reproductive health.
The goal of our Culture and Diversity program is to create and develop a wide range of cultural, artistic, and educational programs for the diverse communities to preserve and promote their cultural heritage. Through community outreach, open forums, exchanges with other community groups, our youths will be able to teach and share their culture with others. They will become more aware of their own attitudes, the racism of others, and learn how to deal with intolerance. We are dedicated to fostering an understanding and communication between the different communities we serve and seek to provide a conducive environment for the students to use their history and culture to develop self-esteem and respect for their heritage.
Interpersonal
The Interpersonal Development Program at Project: VISION is unique in that it is a collaborative effort between all of the department directors, reflecting the importance of cooperation that we hope to instill in today's youth. The objective of the Interpersonal Program is to help youth develop leadership skills, build relationships, and learn the ability to appreciate different perspectives.
Some of the activities we plan to implement include leadership skill workshops and student government groups. In addition, we hope to help youth build meaningful personal relationship with family and peers through services such as family counseling, group counseling, peer mediation, and recreational activities. Collaborative and exchange programs with other community organizations in the Chicago area will also aid youth in bridging generational, cultural, and gender gaps.
Civic
The objective of the Civic Program at Project: VISION is to create an environment that emphasizes the importance of civic responsibility and supports civic initiatives in today's youth. We intend to educate the students about issues that are occuring on local, national, and global levels. Our goal is to change the misconception that community service projects are merely an obligatory task by presenting the students with opportunities for involvement that are both fun and personally meaningful. These volunteer opportunities can be one-time or ongoing projects, individual or cooperatively team-based.
Ultimately, our program will help instill a sense of pride, accomplishment, and lifelong civic responsibility that the students can then pass on to others. We hope to go one step further by hosting workshops that will enable students to develop the necessary skills to function in a leadership capacity by researching, forming, and recruiting volunteers for their own community service projects.