Transformational Art Therapy is dedicated to empower teens and young adults with a comprehensive set of life-affirming growth experiences through the arts.
Our Challenge
It is well known that there are many children living in poverty throughout Los Angeles who face daunting challenges. They are surrounded by drug use, gang activity, domestic violence, crime, and struggle to survive with limited resources. Single parents often sustain more than 50% of these households. Our participants need reasonable support systems like our mentors, and the lessons we offer, to help them process their challenges and make better life and day-to-day decisions.
As an example, we can look at TAT’s neighboring Venice and Mar Vista neighborhoods in West Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Unified School District reports that the dropout rates at Venice High School are among the highest in Los Angeles. Of the 1,000 students who make it to 9th grade 28% drop out before 12th grade.
At Mark Twain Middle School 70% of seventh graders are reported as failing to achieve the minimum aerobic capacity standard for health due to sedentary lifestyles with unhealthy eating habits and low to no physical activities. These youth have no “sense of future” or a consistent role model in their lives.
The downturn in the economy has reduced government and foundational funds provided to regular academic programs as well as organizations like ours. But the need in these communities for effective alternative healing services is still extreme.
At Transformational Art Therapy (TAT) Center, we empower gifted youth so they can take charge of their lives. TAT creative writing, expressive arts and emotional release methods are highly effective in solving and transforming physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual problems and blockages. They nurture literacy, scholastic engagement and self-esteem while facilitating the discovery of new paths and inspirations to enrich life.
The Transformational journey of Psychosynthesis is incorporated throughout our creative writing, expressive, and centering sessions. It creates a safe space for youth to process the integration of body, mind and spirit in order to become balanced, happy, supportive members of the community.
Read more about our workshops and empowerment techniques: TAT Workshops, Creative Art Therapy
Our immediate Objectives
TAT has evolved its Literacy and Arts Mentoring programs in the areas of creative writing, drama, painting, yoga, and music. Over the coming 3 years we intend to strengthen our infrastructure, achieve ongoing fiscal stability, and maintain excellence in program quality.
To strengthen our infrastructure we will
- hire a part-time executive director and part time administration,
- establish and staff a permanent theatre and arts studio space which will also serve as the administrative office,
- expand our website to a social media CMS that will fully reflect the mission, spirit, and vision of TAT, and strengthen our presence globally.
To achieve ongoing fiscal stability, we will
- assure sustainability by expanding our paid services such as workshops and in-school programs to increase revenue so TAT can offer inner city programs at affordable prices,
- initiate an ongoing online social media occupational training and work force to support the growth of NPOST marketing clients and social media projects as a source of revenue,
- under the guidance of fund development counsel, finalize a short-term and long-term strategic fundraising, membership and sponsorship plan.
To maintain excellence in program quality, we will
- develop a manual of TAT program procedures which reflects the high ideals and deeply humanitarian nature of the organization,
- offer an ongoing series of in-service workshops for our staff and volunteers that will further develop their talents and knowledge base, and maintain the excellence of workshops, seminars and individual sessions offered,
- offer transformational retreats and workshops for parents and teachers to transform the environment surrounding the youth and enhance the influence of our program.
Realizing our Objectives: Starlight for Youth
We are launching a special three-year business initiative and fund development effort towards the realization of these objectives. We are calling this initiative StarLight for Youth.
● In year one, we are focusing on strengthening the infrastructure and fiscal stability of the organization while continuing to offer a select number of high-quality programs. Top priorities are to develop revenue programs and solid funding streams, and expand our website into a social media CMS network and forum. We would like to add a part-time executive director to our group. Our sustainability goal is 30%. Funding Goal is $50,000.
● In year two, we will continue the focus on fiscal stability and infrastructure, while recruiting highly gifted ongoing providers who will work under the auspices of TAT. We expand our social media editorial work force to increase the revenue and become mostly independent of the grants and donations. We will establish a permanent location for our performance and art studio which will also serve as the administration, intern training, workshop, and any social media editorial work force space that is required. We will also expand our retreat programs and private coaching sessions to increase our revenue sources and bring in more revenue. Our sustainability goal is 60%. Funding Goal is $25,000
● In year three, we will evaluate initial program offerings, and focus on the addition of new programs tailored to our revenue program. By the end of the third year the Executive Director position will be full-time, and our social media editorial and support team will grow and new revenue services will be developed based on the current life style needs. Our sustainability goal is 100%. Funding Goal: $10,000