Proposal for Emerging Opportunity Program 2014

Transcription

1 Proposal for Emerging Opportunity Program 2014 Submit application to Deadline: 12:00 pm (noon) on Monday, February 17, 2014 LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Please limit your proposal and responses to the form and space provided. Any materials submitted in addition to this application form will not be considered in the evaluation of the proposal. Do not attempt to unlock or alter this form. If you need assistance with this proposal or are unclear about how to respond to any questions please contact CDD staff at Agency or Group: Title of Proposal: Contact Person: The Salvation Army of Dane County Amount Requested: $9, Is this program/project still viable if awarded less than requested? Yes No "Project Girl/The Salvation Army" Amanda Saoud Address: 3030 Darbo Drive, Madison, WI Telephone: Is this Group a 501 (C) (3)? Name of Fiscal Agent (if Applicable): Fiscal Agent Contact Person: Applicant Organization founded (Year): amanda_saoud@usc.salvationarmy.org Yes or No Yes Incorporated under Chapter 181 Wis. Stats? Yes or No Yes Internationally, Dane County, 1994 Community Center Founded 1. Emerging Need or Opportunity: (5000 characters) Please describe the emerging need or unanticipated opportunity that warrants City resources and attention at this time: Over the course of the past year, there has been an escalation in violence among young women from lowincome households on Madison s East Side. While vulnerable populations often experience higher than normal levels of violence, both as victims and perpetrators, these recent increases are especially troubling. Girl Violence has been increasing in schools and neighborhoods, particularly in the Darbo-Worthington Neighborhood and the nearby schools, including, Lowell and Emerson Elementary Schools, O Keeffe and Whitehorse Middle Schools and East and La Follette High Schools. Gang task force officers and school police liaisons have reported a serious increase in girl fighting. In addition to fighting more frequently, girls are becoming more and more violent in their fighting- sometimes even using pad locks and pepper spray as weapons when fighting each other. While it is hard to determine the exact reason for the increase in violence, there are many factors that are known to contribute to this violent and detrimental behavior. These young women are dealing with a lack of self-identity and lack of self-confidence. They often lack supervision after school hours and are free to engage in precarious activities. 1

2 In addition to more traditional risk factors, the increases in popularity of social media websites, like Facebook, have created a platform for tension and drama between different cliques of girls. Before social media, young women could interact only with the peers they saw on a regular basis and physical space could provide a barrier between feuding individuals. Interaction is no longer limited by physical barriers; it is instantaneous and publically displayed. The Salvation Army of Dane County would like to begin an after-school program in collaboration with Project Girl aimed at young women ages Project Girl is a program that began in Madison in 2003 and is now recognized nation-wide. It is an arts-based initiative created to enable young women to change the way they view themselves, their opportunities and their relationships, helping them to become better informed citizens and leaders in their communities. Initially, we will recruit high school age women who will participate in an intensive training hosted by Project Girl which will train them to become facilitators for the program. "Project Girl" training workshops will equip the participants with the necessary tools to successfully guide workshops using "Project Girl s" arts-based media literacy curriculum. Once the facilitators have been trained, we will recruit younger girls (ages 9-12) to participate in workshops where the facilitators, under the supervision of the program director, will guide discussions based on following topics: 1) basic media literacy concepts 2) stereotypes and labeling 3) body image and the beauty myth 4) consumerism 5) real girl power 6) girl fighting 7) over-sexualization/objectification of women 8) activism 9) community leadership and activism. This peer to peer experience allows young women the privilege of becoming community leaders and teachers, providing them with a meaningful purpose and be part of something that makes a difference in their lives and as importantly, in the lives of younger girls in their communities. The final component of this program is a Community Art Exhibit which will be hosted in the Spring. Throughout the course of the year, during the workshops, participants will have the opportunity to create artwork to demonstrate their interpretations of the discussions. Their artwork will be shared and discussed, first among Project Girl participants and then with their communities. This exhibit will provide these young artists with the opportunity to share what they ve learned with their community. In addition to the direct benefits provided through the Project Girl program, it also creates a safe, supervised environment for young women during the after-school hours, when many would otherwise be unsupervised and unaccountable for the actions and activities. It is important that we begin this program as soon as possible. Girl violence has only been escalating over the past year, and with a new school-year upon us, it is likely the problems will only be worse. Project Girl" provides us with the opportunity to begin working with young women from an early age and continue working with them through their high school years. It will engage them in activities that improve social and emotional growth and create positive meaningful relationships. Opportunities like Project Girl will help to empower young women to have greater control and influence over their lives, supporting their development into confident, fulfilled and productive adults and positive role models in their community. 2. Intended Service Population: (2500 characters) Please describe the intended service population (e.g., where they are located, ages, ethnicities, income ranges, English language proficiency etc.). This program is designed for young women between the ages of 9 and 17 who come from low-income homes, and who are disengaged from their communities and school work. These young women are generally considered to be at-risk of becoming involved in hazardous behavior by parents, teachers, counselors, social workers and other adults with whom they regularly interact. The "Project Girl" participants will primarily come from the Darbo-Worthington Park neighborhood and the neighborhood 2

3 schools including, Lowell and Emerson Elementary Schools, O Keeffe and Whitehorse Middle Schools and East and La Follette High Schools, though it will be open to young women throughout the Greater Madison area. Due to the scope and scale of this project, we will be working with the Madison Metropolitan School District, particularly at the schools outlined above, and neighborhood police liaisons to identify young women who would benefit from the program. Participation will not be limited to those students who are specifically identified, however, any young woman who expresses interest in the program will be invited to take part. Many of the young women in these communities struggle with troubling home situations, difficulty in school, poverty and pressure from gangs and other negative influences. Our Community Center programs, and "Project Girl" in particular, provide at-risk young women with structured, supervised activities that help to foster team-building skills, teach responsibility and promote general positive character building skills. "Project Girl" is an initiative designed to help troubled young women develop a new vision of themselves and their futures and become a broad-based catalyst for changing the way young women interpret and respond to their peers and their communities. 3. Innovation: (2500 characters) How does this proposal reflect a new or innovative approach to the stated problem? Project Girl through the Salvation Army Communtiy Center takes a multi-facted approach at engaging troubled young women in our neighborhood. The chance to interact with other young women in the community, both peers and mentors, on a regular basis will help to decrease the negativity, cliques and violent behavior that comes when girls segregate themselves into groups during the school day. Through its curriculum, participants are reciving a form of interactive art therapy, which has a well documented reputation for improving numerous behavioral issues and academic problems. We expect to see these improvements in our program as well. Due to budgetary constraints, many schools have dramatically reduced or even eliminated art programs in schools. The elimination of these programs cuts off an important outlet of both creativity and frustration for these young women. Through the use of videos, group discussion, role playing, and peer to peer presentation, girls learn to critically examine and deconstruct their contemporary culture. An engaging art experience offers girls the opportunity for integrated learning, critical reflection, and creative expression. These interactive activities provide a powerful learning experience as girls see first hand how their actions impact those around them. Unlike many after-school and mentorship programs, "Project Girl" culminates in a specific project that facilitators and participants work on together over the course of the year. Working towards this common and measurable goal, the Art Exhibition, will allow for the development of leadership skills, accountablity and responsibility in both facilitators and participants. It also build self-esteem and self-respect among young women, as they become role models in their communities, sharing what they have learned about art as well as the art they have created. Through their participation in Project Girl these young women will become more accountable to not only themselves, but their peers and communities. We are particularly optimistic about the young women who engaged with the program in middle school, as they will have an extended opportunity to be involved, first as particpants during middle school and then as faciltators once they enter high school. By providing them with a meaningful purpose, these young women become part of something that makes a difference in their lives and their communities. 4. Community Engagement: (2500 characters) Please describe how residents and community were engaged in the development of the proposed project or program. 3

4 We regularly engage the community often for suggestions and recommendations for programinng and activities at our Community Center. Over the course of the past year, growing concern among parents, teachers and school administrators about the levels of girl violence in middle and high schools has prompted our Community Center staff to look for new ways of approaching this problem. Rather than creating a program from the ground up, we have decided to initiate Project Girl which is an established curriculum with a record for success. Project Girl is a nationally award-winning program that combines art and youth-led activism into a unique educational experience for children, parents and educators. Families and friends of program participants will have opportunities to be involved throughout the year. While it is a program that is initiated around the country, Project Girl is not a static, repetitive plan. Each group tailors the Project Girl curriculum to their own specific needs and unique sitution. Working with parents, educators and girls, our staff will determine exactly which modules from the curriculum will best fit with our goals and objectives. Additionally, girls will be heavily involved in determining which projects they want to work on, providing them a high level of autonomy and responsibility. As Project Girl is truly a girl-led program, throughout the course of the year, we will continue to engage with the high school aged facilitators and the middle school aged participants to determine their levels of satisfaction with the way the program is operating. Working with school administrators and the police liaisons office, we are able to determine which young women should be approached to participate in the program. Though we cannot guarantee those most in need will be will to engage, our well established relationship with the community through our after-school program and extra-curricular athletics programs allow us continued contact with the community and girls in need. 5. Project/Program Goals: (2500 characters) Please describe the specific goals, objectives and intended measurable impacts of this program/project. Our primary goal with this program is to create a safe and positive environment for young women in the Darbo-Worthington Neighborhood. We hope to keep young women away from negative influences and detrimental choices, by providing them with positive activities that help engage and excite them. We hope to provide these young women with a meaningful purpose, the opportunity to be part of something bigger them themselves and participate in something that makes a difference in their lives and as importantly, in the lives of others in their communities. The young women who participate in Project Girl will learn to support each other rather than tear each other down. Leadership opportunities will bring purpose and value to women life and positive self-image will be instilled to help young women avoid unhealthy relationships. More specifically, our goals for the young women who participate in this program are to improve both socially and academically at school, have fewer school absences and fewer disciplinary issues. We plan to enroll 4-5 high school aged young women as facilitators of the program, and an additional younger girls, aged 9-12, as participants. This program will not only impact these 30 young women, but their families and friends as well. If the program experiences a greater demand than we initially anticipate, we are prepared to expand as necessary. At the beginning of the program, each young woman will complete a comprehensive survey detailing information about their own academic and personal achievements, experiences with girl violence, and general ideas about the topics and themes which will be discussed over the course of the Project Girl workshops. Once the program has begun, the young women will complete shorter surveys based on 4

5 relevant topics and at the end of the year, they will complete another comprehensive survey which will help them determine their growth and improvement during the program. We will also work with parents, teachers and counsellors to identify any young women who may have more serious behavioral issues, and determine the positive impact Project Girl has on their behavior. More broadly, we will work with the Madison Municipal School District and local police liaisons to determine if girl violence is decreasing, both with the girls in the program and on a general level. 6. Collaboration: (2500 characters) Please describe the level of involvement with other service providers, schools, funders, government bodies, or other public or private stakeholders in the development of this proposal and its expected implementation. For over 110 years, The Salvation Army of Dane County has been providing human service programs to residents of Dane County in need. We currently operate two centers, our Shelter at 630 E. Washington Avenue and our Community Center in the Worthington Park Neighborhood. The Salvation Army's Community Center is a vital resource for the residents, particularly the youth, of the Darbo-Worthington Park Neighborhood. Our after-school and athletic programs are some of the only opportunities that many neighborhood students have for extra-curricular activity and positive after-school environments. Our new Community Center Director, Will Green, has begun a detailed outreach plan to the residents in the Darbo area and is already connected to many youth in the community. In addition to its own nation-wide support network, The Salvation Army of Dane County is a part of the Joining Forces for Families team and a member of the Worthington Park Neighborhood Association. Both the surrounding community and the Greater-Madison area are incredibly supportive of the work we do here. Due the fact that "Project Girl" is a brand new program, we have not yet had the opportunity for a great deal of engagement with other service providers, funders and stakeholders. However, we are aware of the importance of an engaged network of collaborators and regularly work with a host of other local organizations to facilitate our other programs and activities. Once "Project Girl" begins, we plan to seek out other appropriate organizations and individuals to involve as the program grows. We have already begun immediate outreach to the Madison Metropolitan School District, particularly Lowell and Emerson Elementary Schools, O Keeffe and Whitehorse Middle Schools and East and La Follette High Schools. In fact, concern expressed by teachers and administrators is one of the major reasons we began to investigate setting up the "Project Girl" program, and we anticipate continued cooporating and collaboration with local schools. As our after-school activities structure is already in place, if we are chosen for this grant opportunity, we anticipate beginning the program during the School Year. 7. Proposed Timeline for Implementation: Activity Estimated Date of Completion Program & Recruitment Begins August 1, 2014 Facilitation Training for High School Girls September 10, 2014 Monthly Workshops for 5th-8th Grade Girls September April 2015 Art Exhibition May

6 8. Funding: (500 characters each) a) What other funding have you sought and/or received to support this project? We have not sought specific support for this program from other funding sources at this time. We receive a large percentage of our funding through the generosity of priviate, individual donors. As such, many donors prefect to support programs with a history of success. Receiving "seed money" for this program will provide the needed leverage to continue to secure funding well into the future. b) Do you anticipate future funding needs from City sources associated with this proposal? Please describe. We anticipate limited, if any future funding from the City. Dependent upon the success and popularity of this program, we plan to present this opportunity to other local foundations and inviduals for future funding. As our organization relies primariliy on donations from individuals that support our general fund, rather than specific programs, in the future we will also have the opportunity build the costs for this program into our annual operating budget. c) Has your organization received funding from the City of Madison Community Development Division, City of Madison CDBG office, Community Services or the former Emerging Neighborhoods Program in the last 5 years? Yes No 6

7 9. Budget: Summarize your project budget by estimated costs, revenue, and fund source. BUDGET EXPENDITURES A. Personnel Costs (Complete Personnel chart below) TOTAL PROJECT COSTS AMOUNT OF CITY $ REQUESTED 1. Salaries/Wages (show detail below) $4980 $ Fringe Benefits and Payroll Taxes $620 $620 B. Program Costs 1. Program supplies and equipment $2,650 $2, Office Supplies $250 $ Transportation 4. Other (explain) $1000 $1000 C. Space Costs 5. Rent/Utilities/Telephone 6. Other (explain): D. TOTAL (A + B + C) $9500 $9500 AMOUNT OF NON- CITY REVENUE S SOURCE OF NON- City FUNDED PORTION Explanation of Other expenses: (500 characters) In order to train the high school age girls to act as facilitators for the "Project Girl" program, they will need to participate in a half-day training session hosted by "Project Girl". The cost for this training is $ Personnel Chart: Please list all paid staff that will be working on the proposed program/project. Title of Staff Position F.T.E.* Proposed Hourly Wage* Program Coordinator.25 $12.45 $ $ $ $ TOTAL.25 *FTE = Full Time Equivalent (1.00,.75,.50, etc.) 2080 hours = 1.00 FTE Please identify FTE that will be spent in this project. *Note: All employees involved in programs receiving City of Madison funds must be paid the established Living Wage as required under City of Madison Ordinance Effective January 1, 2014 December 31, 2014, the Living Wage is $12.45 per hour. 7

8 -SIGNATURE PAGE- 1. Affirmative Action: If funded, applicant hereby agrees to comply with City of Madison Ordinance and file either an exemption or an Affirmative Action Plan with the Department of Civil Rights. A model Affirmative Action Plan and instructions are available at 2. Living Wage Ordinance: All employees involved in programs supported by City of Madison funds must be paid the established Living Wage as required under City of Madison Ordinance 4.20 Effective January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014, the Living Wage will be $12.45 per hour. For more information on Living Wage requirements, go to 3. City of Madison Contracts: If funded, applicant agrees to comply with all applicable local, State and Federal provisions. A sample contract that includes standard provisions may be obtained by contacting the Community Development Division at (608) If funded, the City of Madison reserves the right to negotiate the final terms of a contract with the selected agency. 4. Signature: (Any applications submitted without a signature will be considered incomplete and will not be considered for funding.) Enter Name: Loren Carter, Salvation Army Dane County Coordinator By entering your initials in the box, LC You are electronically signing your name and agreeing to the terms above. Date: 2/14/2014 8