WHAT WE OFFER
Eastport Girls Club offers a weekly after-school program held from 3:30-6:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, which includes:
- Fun, meaningful activities led by volunteers and community leaders covering topics related to leadership development, how to identity and express emotions in a safe and healthy manner, physical health, healthy relationships, making wise choices, service learning, and much more!
- Field trips (e.g., bowling, sailing)
- Family nights
- Individualized support, including connecting to community resources on an as-needed basis. If a participant expresses a dream/goal and a willingness to work toward this goal, we will find a way to help make this happen!
- Structured Tutoring Program led every Tuesday from 3:30-4:30 by Valerie Drodz, certified teacher with Masters in Reading and Special Education.
- Support, resources, social skills training and much more from our Counselor, Christy D’Camera, Masters of Education, Nationally Certified Guidance Counselor
OUR APPROACH
Our approach is both relational and skill-based. We also believe that our participants’ families are one of our/their greatest resources and thus, we offer family nights and work in collaboration with families. We began this year with home-visits with each participant’s parents/guardians.
Our programs are based on core Focus Points for all participants, but we also individualize support based on each participant’s needs. Through our relationships with the girls and the services we bring to the after school program, we assist each participant in identifying personal strengths as well as individualized goals. We believe that when youth’s strengths are promoted, through relationships with caring adults, positive changes occur. In addition to our focus on promoting healthy relationships between adults and youth, we believe that effective programs must involve structure and teach life skills. Furthermore, our approach relies on community knowledge and research regarding what works in youth development, health promotion, and community-based services.
We regularly use small group discussion and journaling as a way to encourage participants to reflect on their experiences and to identify ways they can apply new information to their own lives. We also believe it is critical for youth to have frequent opportunities to shine and celebrate their talents and accomplishments with each other, their families, and the broader community. Thus, our programming includes opportunities for participants to share what they are doing and learning with others.