Youth, After-school Programs, and Arts:

Research and practice involving creative arts programs suggest that they can have positive impacts on the well being of children and youth. These projects explore the ways in which the arts can improve to the well being of children and youth living in urban environments. The Detroit Initiative is currently working with MOSAIC Youth Theater and People’s Community Services on empowerment evaluations of their arts programming. Within each organization a committee of staff and the faculty and student research assistants are working to create a program logic model, identify program outcomes, and to develop the research design. As the data have been collected and analyzed, they have worked together to interpret the results and communicate them to the larger organizations. Additional projects are being developed in collaboration with our community partners.

Family Development Project

Students will work with New St. Paul Tabernacle to develop community programs for (and with) parents and children in the Headstart Program. Students will also have the opportunity to gain valuable research skills. Current research focuses on mental health issues of both parents and children participating in Headstart, at four Headstart sites. Students will also have the opportunity to work directly in Headstart classrooms.