Project Encouragement seeks to assist young ladies in imagining,
identifying, obtaining and fulfilling their life’s goals. The program
links young ladies in high school with women of diverse backgrounds and
professions. These relationships are formed for mentoring in the areas of
career exploration, financial empowerment and esteem building. They are
also established to promote a sisterhood and a permanent support system.
Background
Project Encouragement began as a desire to improve the images of young
girls in the Washington Metropolitan area and provide direction and
assistance to them as they prepare for their futures. Often times, young girls riding local transportation lace their speech with profanity; pose
unladylike, and sometimes cause unease among riders. Local school
administrators consistently complain of dealing with behavioral issues
that impede their ability to provide the educational direction for which
they contracted. Local media consistently report on young girls wreaking
havoc among the community. Our children are our future. To ignore them
and not give them direction is writing a prescription for a dismal future
for our children and for the societies to come after us.
This program was born from the belief that while today’s society does not
fully recognize, guide or encourage young ladies to aspire to reach their
greatest potential, we can make a difference through reassurance, esteem
building and most importantly, encouragement. Project Encouragement was
born also from the desire to honor those people in our lives who were
encouraging and supportive to us, and who made a positive difference in
our lives.
In 2004, Project Encouragement became a reality, a living, breathing entity.
Program Elements
Project Encouragement is a teen program designed to guide young ladies
into womanhood. The program focuses on young ladies in high school,
freshman year through post-high school, with the older participants
assisting the younger participants as mentors, sharing experiences and
learning. It is a supplemental education program emphasizing self-esteem,
goal setting, cultural identities and heritages.
School personnel, with the concurrent support of counselors and teachers,
identify participants. They must have a minimum grade point average of
2.0. They must be committed to the program for the duration of high and a
minimum of one year post-graduation. They must have a strong desire to
successfully complete high school and identify at least one career
interest. There is no cost to participants.
The Project Encouragement Board of Directors selects workshops and
seminars. Sample workshops are:
- Financial planning workshops
- Cultural activities such as theatres, historical sites, museum
excursions, etc.
- Health and Safety programs
- Job shadowing at various organizations
- Interviewing skills and resume preparation
College preparatory activities include junior and senior high students’
retreats designed to help students with the college and financial aid
application process and participation in college fairs. Life coaches
assist in the development of career objectives and goals. Participants
are required to maintain a journal of their experiences.
Program Goals
We at Project Encouragement have a strong desire to make change within
society. Project Encouragement is a dream realized. Although a local
program, the desire and vision for the program is to expand among cities
across the country. In order for this to happen, funding is a necessity.
The initial program had a benefactor whose personal funds allowed its
implementation. However for this local program to progress and succeed,
funding is needed.
This program can succeed because past experience has taught us that those
with a purpose and direction in their lives can achieve great things. The
child without direction is just that and wanders from one bad situation to
another. Statistics and history have proven this to be true. Project
Encouragement wants to change this prophecy.