SPEAK Project Ohio
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My name is Joselyn Parker. I am the founder of SPEAK Project Ohio, a non profit here located in Franklin County. Our organization is one that has three initiative. Our Year Won! is an initiative focuses heavily on ninth grade success, understanding that if our ninth graders are successful, then their likelihood of graduating high school increases by 75%. We are a summer learning loss prevention program that again focuses on the education of our young people, particularly those in inner city communities and those children of color. The crisis nursery is an emergency shelter for children 0-5 whose families find themselves in crisis. And so what we are trying to do it to stabilize the families, keep the families together and keep kids out of the foster care system. SPEAK Project Ohio is 100% about advocating for stronger families, developing future leaders and inspiring our communities. Silence Prevents Education And Knowledge therefore we SPEAK!
SPEAK Project Ohio
SPEAK Project Ohio (SPO) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 servicing Franklin County, whose mission is to promote holistic wellness to children and families through innovative programming that focus on positive youth development and crisis support services.
As an organization dedicated to self-empowerment, the acronym SPEAK (Silence Prevents Education And Knowledge) is at the core of what we do. We pride ourselves on being a champion for the advancement of marginalized populations and breaking the cycle of silence through advocating for stronger families, developing future leaders and inspiring our community!
SPEAK Project Ohio has three primary objectives:
Encourage academic success, leadership, social and emotional wellness, and college and career readiness for youth.
Break multi-generational cycles of abuse and neglect.
Advocate for the stabilization of homes by supporting youth and families to achieve financial, educational, and mental wellness.
Our Year WON! initiative engages middle school students in project based academic enrichment, experiential learning activities, social and emotional support and leadership training which allows them to become positive leaders among their peers.
The Nia Arts Summer Program is a 9-week summer experience that immerses youth ages 6-10 in a world of art education that will be as engaging and exciting, as it will be critical in the fight against summer learning loss.
Our Crisis Nursery facility will provide voluntary (non-custodial) emergency shelter services for youth ages 0-5, whose family is in a state of crisis (ie. experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, alcohol/drug addiction, mental illness, etc.).
SPEAK Project Ohio was launched in 2013 in Mahoning County. The purpose of the organization was to provide a platform for youth and adults to make positive changes in their community through education. Throughout that time, SPEAK was responsible for 13 neighborhood clean ups, 4 Teen SPEAK Youth nights, a host of Leadership Retreats positively impacting over 1,000 middle and high school students, 5 summer learning loss prevention day camp programs as well as numerous professional and leadership development workshops.
In 2018 SPEAK re-launched its programming in Franklin County to include their YEAR Won! Initiative which focuses on 9th grade success, NIA Arts Summer Program, a summer learning loss prevention initiative, and our Crisis Nursery which will launch 2021. The Crisis Nursery is 24 emergency shelter for children 0-5 whose families find themselves in a crisis and in need a safe place for their children to go as an alternative to the foster care system.
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