Project HYPE! is an innovative program for at-risk Latino youth who have been traumatized by violence, abuse and/or neglect. Through interactive learning sessions, guest speakers and individual mentoring, traumatized teens learn to build coping and stress-reduction skills, decrease reactivity, show respect for the safety of self and others, and improve self-care through healthy choices. The program is led by bilingual/ bicultural therapists who understand the cultural context, community issues and relationship patterns that impact at-risk Latino teens.
Guest presenters, speakers and artists share their professional expertise in creative and performing arts, sports, entertainment, yoga, fitness and health with the participants during each weekly session. Speakers are recruited based on their professional background, as well as their personal experience in using art, fitness or other creative resources to help them overcome significant life challenges, such as their own involvement in the juvenile system or surviving a traumatic childhood. This provides a powerful connection with the teens and models alternatives for coping with and overcoming difficult situations and traumatic events.
Project HYPE! gives traumatized, at-risk Latino teens the opportunity to develop themselves as nurtured and nurturing people; self-empowered and capable of making responsible and informed choices. Through highly interactive group sessions, role-modeling, counseling, mentoring, and peer support, teens learn the consequences of negativity, anger, violence, disregard for education, lack of self-care, and isolation. The benefits of changing and avoiding these detrimental behaviors are a cornerstone of the program and woven throughout every aspect of the Project HYPE! curriculum. For more information, please contact us at mentalhealth@thevillagefs.org.
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