Instituto Familiar de la Raza‘s La Cultura Cura offers youth positive alternatives to violence and incarceration through a range of services and cultural arts activities including intensive case management, court advocacy, mental health services and innovative arts programming. La Cultura Cura is noted for providing critical programming for monolingual Spanish-speaking and multicultural Latino youth and their families.
Population of focus
Chicano/Latino youth in San Francisco
About CulturArte Afterschool Program
CulturArte is a place for youth to feel supported and empowered while they participate in culturally-inspiring and relevant activities, such as performing arts, drumming, painting, and theater. Youth are exposed to various types of improvisational theater, poetry and spoken word by people of color and participate in writing, producing and acting in interactive social change plays, youth rights education workshops, and community performances to display their work. CulturArte is available year-round and culminates in an end-of-semester presentation or exhibit of the groups’ work for family members and the community. Skill building workshops provide hands on experience that builds their knowledge of and skills in traditional arts and crafts as they learn about indigenous cultures in the Americas. Outings to community performances and activities such as Dia de Los Muertos and Las Posadas also offer participants the opportunity to learn about Native traditions of the Americas. Project based learning will include developing strategies to promote violence free communities and healthy practices. Program participants learn to express themselves and communicate with others in ways that promoting understanding and healthy engagement.
Other programs
- Latinas Unidas: This leadership development program is tailored to address the unique needs of young Latinas in San Francisco. The program focuses on reducing risk factors and increasing the self-esteem and leadership of youth participants.
- Intensive and Restorative Case Management Services: Violence prevention case management services are provided for Mission District youth or Latino youth citywide between the ages of 12-24 who are experiencing personal, educational, and social difficulties that may lead to formal involvement with the juvenile justice system. Case management services are offered to youth to address emotional and social issues, and to support them in developing healthy behaviors and living skills. Youth participants gain access to a wide range of services including advocacy, informational and skills development workshops, cultural arts activities, and on-site mental health services. Information and referrals to educational, vocational and immigration services are also provided based on the individual service needs of each youth participant and his/her family.
- Intensive Supervision/ Clinical Services: These services are provided to youth who have been post-adjudicated, and have been referred by their carrying probation officer or have been court-mandated by a judge. Services include clinical case management for youth and their families, curfew monitoring, and up to three weekly visits at home, school or in the community, and access to individual and family therapy to ensure compliance with court mandates and adherence to probation conditions. Case managers work in partnership with the Juvenile Probation department staff and with families as a whole, identifying and addressing those issues that put the young person at a higher risk of probation violations and re-offending, all in an effort to reduce the recidivism of Latino youth in the system.
- Trauma Recovery and Healing Services: This service provides short-term mental health counseling for individuals directly impacted by violence in their community or those who are at- risk of becoming victims or perpetrators. Eligible participants are families with youth between the ages of 13-24. Services consist of individual therapy, debriefing following a violent/traumatic event, and crisis response 24 hours after a qualifying event in an effort to disrupt the escalation of incidents. Preventative psycho-educational/support groups for parents and youth may also be available. Peer counseling support services are also provided to the siblings of those impacted by violence.
Contact
2919 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 229-0500
http://ifrsf.org/programs/la-cultura-cura-youth-program/