Teenagers In Charge Programs Include:
* Weekly Saturday Sessions
Meetings take place every Saturday mornings from 10:30 AM to 2:00 PM. All sessions are youth led and youth driven. Topic sessions are chosen by teens and frequently include guest speakers on topics such as personal finance, decision making, environmental awareness, creating healthy lifestyles, career awareness, conflict resolution, teen sexuality and any other issues that pique their interest.
*Therapy Through Theater
T.I.C.'s Theater Project is part of its leadership component that has been in existence since 1995 that started out as an opportunity in allowing youth participants to display their talents at its annual banquet. Youth participants used their God given talents by creating a form of art that spoke on social change through theatrical performances. After the first annual banquet, youth participants of Teenagers In Charge decided that this should be a program because they have co-written, produced skits and plays on real life issues. Youth participants display their talents through drama, poetry, song, movement and dance.
Today, the program facilitates on a weekday evening for two hours at the Francis J. Myers Recreational Center and also contracts with local social service agencies, community and faith based organizations to provide theater workshops for interested teens during the weekday and weekends for a minimum of two hours. The sessions are very interactive and fun! Teens who are serious minded individuals and want to make a change in their life benefit from these sessions. Workshop sessions include but not limited to conflict resolution, anger management, domestic violence, drug intervention and prevention while also having the opportunity to learn about theater.
*Mentoring
T.I.C. has a mentoring component where adults and former youth participants serve as mentors one to one and as a group to the current youth participants. Mentors are involved in all of the organization's programming and are helpful wherever they are needed. i.e. tutoring, social outings, group discussions and more. Mentoring has been in place since the inception of the organization.
*Trips
The field trips allow youth to see some of the various Philadelphia attractions, i.e. museums, concerts, theme parks, plays, etc. that the city has to offer. Trips are coordinated by youth participants and are related to the themed session activities.
*Community Outreach and Service
T.I.C. endeavors to make a difference in the community by participating in local projects and supporting like-minded groups. Examples include an annual toys for tots drive for children in shelter; book drive, One Book One Philadelphia project, walk-a-thons, collaborative projects with other youth and senior organizations just to name a few. All community service projects are coordinated by the youth participants of T.I.C.
* Youth As Leaders
T.I.C. has a youth advisory board that meet once a month to set the agenda and put into action what the organization needs. Members of this group meet with other youth organizations for training, sharing suggestions on how to plan effective programming, write proposals, communicate and articulate effectively. In addition, they are invited to participate in the center's Advisory Board Meetings once a month to provide them with updates as to what T.I.C. is doing.
*Parent Meetings
T.I.C. hosts a minimum of three (3) Parent Meetings throughout the year. This is so that parents are kept informed about their child's progress and raise any issues or concerns that they may have.
*Annual Recognition Luncheon
T.I.C. adult mentors and members of the advisory board highlight youth participants and graduating seniors from the program who are interested in pursuing post-secondary education. Participating youth receive certificates, plaques and graduating seniors are awarded an academic scholarship and/or book scholarship to the school they plan to attend.