Girls Workshops
Herstory: UNLOCKED

The HerStory: Unlocked design was created by local artist Julie Abbott

“I am very shy, I still don’t talk much but you guys helped me face my fears and speak in a group”.

~ GCJJC Girls Spoken Word Participant

The Herstory: UNLOCKED Project addresses the unmet needs of justice-involved girls by enabling them to find their own voices and become the tellers of their own stories through the mediums of spoken word poetry, visual arts, dance and yoga. The Project empowers young women to not only tell their own unique histories but also to connect with the history of their communities and to take ownership of their futures.

In each of the workshops, the girls engage with history through creative works by and about women: notable women as well as women who endured extreme hardship, such as incarceration or oppression. These works become the springboards from which the girls explore and give voice—through poetry, visual arts, and dance—to their personal, family, and community histories. The workshops give the girls an opportunity to reflect on their own identities, actions, and choices by providing them a safe place to acknowledge and communicate their experiences.

Each year we publish a collection of the girls’ written works that includes at least one piece by each participant. Copies of the book are distributed to each of the girls and are available to the public. An e-book is also available on our website.

The dance workshops also serve to decrease the girls’ sense of isolation while in detention and to address the sense of detachment from their physical selves many of them experience as a result of trauma and physical abuse. Issues such as negative body image, self-confidence, and physical awareness of self and others are explored through the styles of modern and other forms of classical and contemporary dance.

In the spring of 2019, we added trauma-informed yoga workshops to our program, using a curriculum developed by the Art of Yoga Project.
https://theartofyogaproject.org

Visit the Visual Arts Gallery >

Visual Arts
WORKSHOPS

“Art classes encourage me to try new things”

In the visual arts workshops at GCJJC and the Learning Co-Op our teaching artists do more than merely teach drawing skills – they provide a non-judgmental atmosphere in which the students take ownership of the creative process by engaging with simple tools, such as a pencil and paper, while learning to make something new.

Students create a wide range of visual art projects: using different mediums, trying different techniques, learning about different artists/art movements, and exploring art from all over the globe. Working on both long-term group projects, such as murals, as well as individual drawings and paintings that can be completed in one class session, our students take pride in their works that are exhibited in shows throughout the country.

Visit the Visual Arts Gallery >

Arts on PROBATION

Our Arts on Probation program is a collaboration with The Learning Co-Op, an alternative high school for youth on probation in Genesee County.  A joint project of the 7th Judicial Circuit Family Court, Peckham, Inc. and the Mt. Morris School District, the Learning Co-Op emphasizes individual learning experiences and vocational readiness.

YAU’s Arts on Probation program enhances the students’ learning experience through visual arts workshops in which they learn not only artistic styles and techniques, but work on projects tied to their career goals.

Yoga
WORKSHOPS

“I learned to calm my mind and try new things.”
~ GCJJC Boys Yoga Participant

Through our healing arts program, YAU brings weekly trauma-informed yoga workshops to the boys and girls at GCJJC. Focusing on both physical and emotional health, our highly trained teachers guide the youth through thoughtful and intentional stretching and strengthening exercises as well as relaxation and meditation techniques. As the youth progress in their knowledge of yoga poses, they gain confidence and an awareness of how their minds and bodies can work together.

“The teachers are kind & understanding.”
~ GCJJC Boys Yoga Participant

As in all of our programs, the building of trusting and positive relationships between the teaching artists and the youth, as well as amongst the youth themselves, is an important and essential aspect of the yoga workshops.

YAU’s yoga programs are made possible through the generous support of the Genesee Health System, Flint ReCAST, and the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. 

“Yoga and breathing helps with my stress and anxiety.”
~ GCJJC Girls Yoga Participant

Theatre
WORKSHOPS

“Acting makes me feel AWESOME.”

In our theatre program boys learn and experiment with different forms of dramatic expression. The workshops enhance the ability to work cooperatively, improve verbalization and problem-solving skills, and increase awareness of body language, while at the same time giving the boys an outlet for creative expression. The teaching artists use various improvisation techniques ranging from short form Improv to longer partnered scenes. As in all of our programs, the building of trusting and positive relationships between the teaching artists and the youth, as well as amongst the youth themselves, is an important and essential aspect of the workshops.

SHAKESPROV

In Shakesprov, our newest series of theatre workshops, popular works of William Shakespeare serve as catalysts from which the youth explore universal humanities themes. Using theatre exercises, Improv, and storytelling, this engaging format enables the boys to discover, discuss and relate to themes from Shakespeare’s plays in order to reflect on their own lives and experiences, and to tell their own stories.

This project is part of Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

IMPROV-OLOGY

“Improv-ology” is a trauma-informed program in which diverse literary works and world mythologies are explored through theatre exercises, Improv and storytelling. Interactive activities enable youth to discover, discuss and relate to universal humanities themes in order to reflect on their lives and experiences and learn to tell their own unique stories. The program also fosters self-confidence, improved public-speaking and cooperative skills, and the development of cross-cultural connections. 

Improv-ology is made possible in part by a grant from Michigan Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.