RUNNINGHEAD:THEPAGESPROJECT:PROJECTPLAN

EASTERNUNIVERSITY

ThePagesProject:ProjectPlan

ApapersubmittedinpartialfulfillmentoftherequirementsforthecourseARTS535:
ArtsinSocialServices.

SanoviaGarrett

Philadelphia,Pennsylvania

August13,2017

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TableofContents:

I. Overview&Purpose-------------------------------------------------------3
II. Introduction--------------------------------------------------------------------3
III. Neighborhood-----------------------------------------------------------------4
IV. Needs------------------------------------------------------------------------------5
V. ScopeofWork-----------------------------------------------------------------5
VI. Goals&Objectives-----------------------------------------------------------6
VII. TimeTable/NextSteps-----------------------------------------------------6
VIII. Budget----------------------------------------------------------------------------9
IX. Personnel-----------------------------------------------------------------------10
X. Evaluation&Sustainability---------------------------------------------13
XI. Endorsements-----------------------------------------------------------------13
XII. Appendix------------------------------------------------------------------------15
XIII. References----------------------------------------------------------------------16

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The PagesProject.
Executive Summary
Prepared by Sanovia Garrett

OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

The HeARTist Things to Say (THT2SAY) is a (soon to be) NPO that uses
storytelling and art-making to foster creativity, embrace cultural differences in
community, love people and strive for inner peace; We storytell,we HeARt, we
heal. The first major project, The PagesProject, that THT2SAY will initiate will be
May-July of 2018. This project, in partnership with Mill Creek Playground will
work with youth, families and creative artists to identify and create safes spaces
in West Philadelphia. Using a Participatory Action method, THT2SAY will work alongside the community to
survey the needs and create a community map. Lastly, the project will culminate with a storyslam from the
youth focused on identity, safety and hope.

INTRODUCTION
The inner city is riddled with the daily issues of life that impact the youth who call it home. These
communities, neighborhoods and groups of people are living their day-to-day lives in a constant threat of
being at-risk. According to Camilleri (2007), at risk is defined asin danger of negative future events. The
result of these events are linked to life challenges such as depression, educational failure, addiction,
unemployment, incarceration, poverty, or death (p.17). Understanding that living in an area like
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania which has one of the highest poverty rates at 26% (Projecthome, 2017), there are
guaranteed overt effects of that poverty within the city and its inhabitants. One of the things we do not always
notice or focus on with youth or adults in poverty is the mental and emotional health necessary to foster
resilience and hope. Poverty seems to be inevitable and ever-increasing around us. Risk factors for families in
poverty can have severe impact on the outcomes of children, and for adults alike (Camillerri, 2007).

With Philadelphia at a 26% poverty rate there are chasmic like disparities between costs of living,
minimum wage and benefits/public support. The number of poor renter households experiencing severe
housing cost burdenthose households in poverty paying more than 50 percent of their income toward
housingtotaled 6.6 million in 2014, increasing 2.1 percent nationally from 2013, with 33 states seeing an
increase (End Homelessness, 2017). While parents are struggling to make ends meet, children are lacking
guidance, meaningful and healthy adult-child relationships and as a result are exposing themselves to more
risk and danger in the outside world.

This project hopes to give voice to their concerns, stories, and relationship within their city. Through

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mentoring relationships, parental involvement, partnerships with local artists, community spaces and art
skills training, a holistic and transformed community is fostered and meaningful relationships and bonds
create a safer space for youth to grow and develop.

In order to make certain that the voices of the youth are heard, we are asking for $25,000 to assist in the
stipend salaries for our mentoring artists. Through making a community map (also know as participatory
asset mapping), we hope to build stronger relationships and provide a resource for youth and families to
build safer more resilient neighborhoods.

Neighborhood: About Mill Creek (Planphilly.com)

Mill Creek is generally bounded by West Girard Ave to the north, Belmont Avenue to the east, 52nd
Street to the west and stretches from Haverford Avenue to Market Street in some areas. It is named for
the a large creek which was culverted into a sewer in the 19th century.

The neighborhood was formerly home to Mill Creek Apartments, a public housing project designed by
Louis Kahn in the early 1950s. Its three 17-story high rise project towers were demolished in 2002 and
replaced with suburban-style low-rise houses, a development named Lucien Blackwell Homes after the
congressman.

Louis Kahn had the dream to transform the neighborhood in the 1950s to a place for affordable
housing for families to be able to live without too much financial hardship. The issue with the area was
that the creek was actually buried below the neighborhood and transformed into a sewer. In 1961, part

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of the neighborhood collapsed causing deaths and 11 homes to be condemned. From there, it began to
falter and Kahns dream of a neighborhood for hope was demolished alongside the buildings. In the year
2000, things really took a change when the Lex Massacre. The area at the time was a prime spot for
high-quality crack-cocaine. This massacre saw 10 people shot and 7 brutally murdered. Soon after, the
city demolished three high-rise projects. Today, the area has been revitalized and revamped and it
appears that Kahns dream could still have some life to it (Admin, 2013).

NEEDS
The need for a safe space for youth is crucial to the healthy upbringing of a child. Their need for 'play'
does not go away just as sure as our need for food never subsides. This is why this project and future program
will begin by focusing on building stronger bonds between the community and the child.

SCOPE OF WORK
Desetta & Wolin (1999) believed that Lives are stories, each persons stories hold the potential for
many tellings. Every telling is an interpretation. Authors can draw themselves as they choose. In a study of
repairing psychological harm (trauma) experienced by 25 adults experiencing or who had experienced
trauma, researchers found that a reliance on writing helped resilient adults to gain insight into their lives and
turn that insight into repairing the harm they had suffered. Project Resiliences model has been used by Youth
Communication, a nonprofit in New York City. They use the telling of stories to build relationships, work on
academic skills while working toward fostering hope, resilience and courage. Though it is not explicitly stated
in their mission, it is obvious that the impact of positive relationships with caring adults, academic
progression and working towards goals (publication in a magazine written by teens for teens) will have
positive effects on youth development and protective factors.

I hope to be able to use a similar model in my project plan by telling the stories of youth in
Philadelphia.

Vision: To Plant THT2SAY communities that bring awareness to the concerns, stories and hopes of
individuals in communities using the arts to Write your story and Explore Second Chances. THT2SAY does
not have a specific age focus, but hopes to be able to give voice to the varying stories experienced by many
at-risk youth populations.

Mission: By partnering with trained artist practitioners, community members and professionals, THT2SAY
uses storytelling and art-making as a pathway to foster resiliency, hope and creativity in youth. THT2SAY
bridges the gap between youth participation and community and hopes to heal it through togetherness and
safe spaces.

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GOALS & OBJECTIVES

The project with consist of:

1. 1:1 coaching/mentoring

2. Professional training in using the arts with trauma in mind by Sanovia and/or representative of
BuildABridge. Professional training from trauma specialists for mentoring artists.

3. 1:1:1 Progress Checking with parents/guardians/ mentors/ youth

4. Creative Projects at the creative liberty of each child.

5. One Storytelling Slam that tells the stories of the neighborhood and the people who call it home.

6. (1) Community Map of Safe Spaces created.

Goal

Creating and sharing the story of West Philadelphians/ Mill Creek using the stories of the community
members to foster community revitalization and engagement.

Objective 1

To hold 8 community forum sessions and 1 storytelling shows within a 3 month span.

Outcomes

At each community forum minutes were taken to be used for later use. Each person was brought into an open
space (circle) where they felt comfortable to share (no ideas were too big or small).

Indicators

Retention and growth to each meeting.

Activities

Meet with all stakeholders included in the project.

Staff of Mill Creek Playground or nearby school.

Locals/Community members in West Philadelphia or Philadelphia in general.
Sanovia (grad student/researcher) & Tieshay (Philadelphia native and artist).
Local artists.

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Local Churches.
Youth and families.
Foundations.
Volunteers.
Educators.

Objective 2

Recruit a community of diversified artists interested in spearheading the THT2SAY Philly chapter.

Outcomes

THT2SAY curriculum is being created and applied.

Artist are dedicated and attending each training/informational session.

Indicators

Application of community involvement through arts is becoming more prevalent throughout the
city--specifically, in the West Philadelphia area.

Activities

The PagesProject Storyslam happens.

TIMETABLE & NEXT STEPS

GANTT CHART:
https://docs.google.com/a/eastern.edu/spreadsheets/d/1LZy4OiMqQpWOTgEzoc78BxWAPARSau
_eXM0WVFgCiI4/edit?usp=sharing

Phase Time Action

1. Initiation August-October, 2017 Begin recruiting potential artist

mentors
Begin recruiting and researching
grants.
Essentially, in this stage I plan to
introduce THT2SAY through social
media and a new website with content
related to storytelling for the city.

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2. Planning October-December, Meet with Tieshay to begin to build

2017 lesson plans, gather ideas and work on
partnerships/funding for events (e.g.,
securing spaces, in-kinding work, etc).

Media campaign is being constructed

and used for recruitment of youth for a
January start time.

Apply for 501c3 Status

Secure appropriate amount of funding.

Plan an asset mapping event.

3. Execution January-May, 2018 Begin to recruit willing stakeholders

necessary for the completion of TPP.
Begin to shape deliverables in
presentable ways for projects.
PAR Method (May)Monitor and control
outcomes met outcomes per month.
Change what needs to be changed.
Mentoring meetings (two days a week)
Community Mapping for safe spaces.
Artists are taught trauma informed
practices by trauma specialists, art
therapists, etc.
Asset Mapping Event

4. Closure June, 2018 Lessons learned/Final evaluation

Storytelling Slam Presentation
Apply for Grants using what weve
learned.

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BUDGET

Funding Plan for thePAGESproject

Patrons Civic/Religious Corporations Donations Activity Onlin Foundations/ Contracts

Organizations e Grant
Opportunities

10 Local Sponsorships Major Gifts StorySla N/A Greater N/A

Churches /Major gifts m Philadelphi
Presentat a Cultural
Art-Supplies ion Alliance

Food Small But

Mighty Arts

Knight
Foundation

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Amount: $1,000 The goal is $7,000 Space for At the current moment, these
for each child (gifts/fees 350 avenues of fund generation would
Each church will
to be for service) people at potentially be left untapped. After
be asked to
sponsored by $15 per the storyslam along with effective
contribute a Estimate of
either an ticket. monitoring and evaluation I would
one-time up to
individual or consider an online medium and
donation of $5,000
a bridging closer to contracts.
$100. in-kinded
corporation. If each
for project
This total is ticket is
supplies
$200 per sold
child. The $5,250
programs will be
goal is 20-25 used to
children. offset
future
costs.
15% will
go to
THT2SAY
and 75%
will be
awarded
to a fund
for Mill
Creek
Playgrou
nd.

Total: $12,000

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Budget for thePAGESproject

Category Quantity Cost Source Total

Funds
Needed

Staff $200/person
20-25 $30 registration Sponsorship/fee $4,000-$5,750
Youth
fee s for service
10 $12/hr. (two $0
Volunteers hours a week) Volunteer worth
7 Stipend of $714 a $4,800 $25,000
Mentor/Artist
month
s

Space 6 meetings (2hr $50/hr. In-Kind worth $0

time slots) maximum $600
Location for
Meetings
1 (two hour show)] $75-100/hr. In-Kind worth
Story Slam
$200
Presentation
6 meetings (3 hours
Rehearsal Space
time slots)
$30/hr In-Kind worth
$540

Materials Varies In-Kind In-Kind worth $0

Rentals from greater than
Cameras
university for $5,000
Art laptops/cameras
supplies Library space
Local
Recording businesses/publi
materials/ c spaces
laptops

Food for
meetings

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Transportation (Youth) Public $91/monthly SEPTA $3,000 for 10 children to

Transportation/Wal Transpass supply three months
k worth of transportation

Total: The program cost serves as basis of funding for project and $332,750 including VIK
should far exceed the $800 cost for the spaces to meet. This (Value In-Kind)
will help to ensure that all of the necessary supplies are
granted to each student with a $150 budget for non in-kind
supplies.

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KEY PERSONNEL

The organizational chart is

structured in a way that
highlights the parties
expected to be more
connected to the PAR process
and Sanovia Garrett/Tieshay
Cheryl
Visionaries/Co-Executive
Directors of THT2SAY.
--Monthly meetings with all
staff regarding monitoring and
evaluation. Secure grants for
funding and be the prime
examples of service, community
and storytelling.

Artists/ Mentors: 4
overarching Mentor Leaders
and 10 in total that work
directly with a specific age
group OR art trade. Depending
on the amount of youth in the
program, this can fluctuate.

Administrative
Team:Two-four persons
(community members who
emerge may be selected,
Sanovia and/or Tieshay or Mill Creek Park ) responsible for organizing volunteers, documentation, and
finances.

Director: The person who makes all the magic happen at the storytelling slam! Coordinates with the
administrative team to set scheduling. This will most likely be one of the artists who has experience with
production.

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EVALUATION & SUSTAINABILITY

Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used in monitoring and evaluation. Each child
will be actively monitored throughout the program by their specific mentor and group and the parents will
be asked to active participants in certain events, to work with their child on their individual projects. The
community members who come to any of these meetings will be asked to complete feedback surveys
either online or on grounds. There will also be a natural system (fostered by PAR) for reflection and
action. For myself and other leaders in the project a set of key evaluation questions will be used to assess
efficiency, effectiveness and impact of the project. Being sure that not only is the community being
serviced well, but the participants (both youth and volunteers) are benefitting are a priority and will be
improved upon following the evaluation in July.

I want the primary focus to be on proper planning and preparation for success and possible
failures. I believe that putting together a team of unlikely individuals at the core will not only display the
power of community, but it will influence others to join and bring a multitude of resources with it. I also
believe that because this is a program grounded in building community relationships it has the covering of
longevity and a very realistic sustainability factor. I decided to shoot lower for a starting budget because I
want funders and future grant releasers to see the passion in the community, the transition of the teens
with little outside resources (using community assets) and the growth in parental-teen connection.
Overall, I believe sustainability lies at the core of an organization. By actively being consumers,
participants and 'sellers' in the West Philadelphia community, I believe we set ourselves up for a project
that with our without grants can be continued due to its undiluted commitment to the community.

ENDORSEMENTS
Support for this program comes from the following organizations or individuals:

Mill Creek Playground

BuildABridge International or Sanovia Garrett applying a BAB inspired curriculum
Trauma Specialists from an organization that has agreed to partner with THT2SAY (PATH, Healing
Hurt People, UPENN students in a therapy/counseling program).

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APPENDIX

Guiding Questions for PAR

1. Where are the safe spaces in West Philly and/or the Garden Court/Spruce Hill/Dunlap
neighborhoods for children and adolescents?

2. What are your opinions of the area above?

3. What could we do to support working parents who lack the financial, social and human capital to
provide adequate childcare and watch of their children?

4. What can be done to minimize the risk factors for children and adolescents living in the West
Philadelphia area? (What can be done to improve the protective factors?

5. In what ways are children occupying their free time during the summer? After-school hours?

6. Do you believe that all children should have a voice in implementing programming for their
communities? (YES, NO, MAYBE)

Training Topics for Artists (facilitated by Trauma Specialists and/or BuildABridge)

1. What is Trauma?
2. How do we respond to trauma?
3. Arts In Healing
a. The Importance of Ritual
b. What is a safe space?
c. Building resiliency and hope
4. Lesson Planning/Goal Setting with Trauma, Hope and Resiliency in mind
5. Planning Session for Mentoring Artists for the summer.

Community Asset Mapping Toolbox:

http://www.communityscience.com/knowledge4equity/AssetMappingToolkit.pdf

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References

Admin, Phillyliving. (2013). Buildings then and now: From hope to horror on lex street. Retrieved
from
http://www.phillyliving.com/blog/buildings-then-and-now-lex-street-from-horror-to-hope.html

Camillerri, A. Vanessa. (2007). Healing the inner city child. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Desetta. Al, Wolin, Sybil. (1999). Youth communications: A model for fostering resilience through
the art of writing. Retrieved from http://projectresilience.com/article18.htm

End Homelessness. (n.d.). The state of homelessness in america. Retrieved from

https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-of-homeles
sness-report/

Plan Philly. (2017). About mill creek. Retrieved from

http://planphilly.com/neighborhoods/mill-creek

Project HOME. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2017, from https://projecthome.org/

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