Art
Many of the youth express themselves best through art.
ART DOCENT TEAMS – After school 2pm or later, share your favorite mediums and projects with a cottage (living quarters for 10 to 17 youth). Or use the numerous projects we’ve previously successfully shared. Come once a month or once a week. All supplies provided. So we can give each student more attention, we generally do art with a team 2 TO 4 docents. Volunteers work with the same students each time so they can develop a trusting relationship with the students. We share a brief lesson and an art project; day of month decided by you & cottage staff. Be a lead, co-lead, or assistant. This is similar to the art docent program that is in most elementary schools.
ROVING ARTISTS – Perfect for those who love to share art with youth but aren’t ready or able to commit to one class on a regular basis. Docent teams would love to have you join their classes so they can be inspired by your project and focus solely on the youth and assisting you rather than the process of the project. You can come once as a visitor – no future commitment required! Must be cleared as a volunteer to come a 2nd time.
Benefits of Art
These kids need positive ways to express themselves. Studies have shown that at-risk kids who participate in art programs develop higher self-esteem, more self-discipline, better social skills and over-all improved behavior. Art improves attitudes toward school and resistance to peer pressure. It increases the development of communication, cooperation, problem solving and creative thinking.
Creative projects can open up these kid’s minds and allow them to discover new talents. They can actually be motivated by their artwork.
Sharing art is extremely rewarding. The kids absolutely love having their docents come in and look forward to our monthly projects. It is therapeutic for at-risk kids to be able to express themselves through art. For some, this is the one thing they can really succeed at.
These youth come to understand that we invest our time because we care. Their lives are changed forever when they discover someone cares.