About Raising 100,000 Voices
Raising 100,000 Voices works collaboratively with local and regional organizations to engage youth and young adults from traditionally disadvantaged segments of the population in a “video voice” community education program. This youth-led approach fosters the development of a shared community perspective on the realities of growing up in our local communities and results in communication across a “generation gap” between those running service systems and the consumers of these systems. Raising 100,000 Voices is a direct hands-on service to youth and young adults living in Monroe County and surrounding areas where youth and young adults are given disposable digital video cameras to learn videography, work with youth-serving professionals and local artist mentors and to document their strengths and challenges by producing 3 minute documentaries.
This project is co-led by Ann Marie White, Ed.D. at the University of Rochester Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry, and Shelley Figueroa at WXXI Public Broadcasting with current funding providing in part from The Tauck Foundation http://www.tauckfoundation.org/
Project History: Over 100,000 15-24 year olds live in Monroe County and currently face the transition of leaving their childhood homes and schools to become successful and independent adults. Starting in early 2005, WXXI teamed up as equal partners with The University of Rochester Medical Center Department of Psychiatry Office of Mental Health Promotion (OMHP) and began working with area organizations sensitive to the gaps in services when youth they serve “age out” of the systems designed to help children. WXXI and OMHP partnered with organizations from several community sectors such as health, social services, courts, and education to initiate a community dialogue about this age group and a community coalition called “The Roadwork for Success in Young Adulthood.” The dialogue underscored a need: to engage older teens and young adults in defining the community need and response. As a result, WXXI and OMHP worked collaboratively with local and regional organizations to engage older teens and young adults from traditionally disadvantaged segments of the population in a “video voice” community education program called Raising 100,000 Voices (representing the approximate 100,000 15-24 year olds in Monroe County who are emerging into adulthood). This youth-led approach fosters the development of a shared community perspective on the realities of growing up in our local communities and results in communication across a “generation gap” between those running service systems and the consumers of these systems. Past funders have included: with funding in part from the National Center for Outreach http://www.nationaloutreach.org/ and Marie C. & Joseph C. Wilson Foundation http://www.mcjcwilsonfoundation.org/
The project provides youth (15-24) the opportunity to learn about videography and to document their strengths and challenges transitioning into adulthood. Student videos are now available on the web. View video
About Roadwork for Success In Young Adulthood
Roadwork for Success is a community-wide coalition to develop solutions for 15-24 year olds in western and central NY. Key Steering Committee members are from Hillside Children's Center, Monroe County Family Court, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester City School District, High Falls Film Festival, Grace United Methodist Church, Eastman Kodak Company, Saint Joseph's Villa and WXXI.
Community Project Partners 2008/2009
Funded in part by the Tauck Foundation http://www.tauckfoundation.org/
Association for the Bliand and Visually Impaired (ABVI)-Goodwill http://abvi-goodwill.com/
Center For Youth, Inc. http://66.49.132.90/
Charles Settlement House http://www.charlessettlementhouse.org/
Community Place of Greater Rochester http://www.communityplace.org/
Dazzle School of Visual and Performing Arts http://www.dazzleschool.org/
Grace Community Village, Inc. http://www.followmetograce.org/
Operation Higher Learning http://www.operationhigherlearning.org/about.html
Rochester City School District http://www.rcsdk12.org/
- School #30
- Edison School of Information & Imaging
- Water Tower Academy
Teens Advocating Non-Violence/Parsells Avenue Community Church
University of Rochester YOU Team http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/smd/Psych/
Project Partners List from Past Project Years
How-to Manual
Raising 100,000 Voice project model manual and resources are coming soon, and will be posted here when ready.
