Welcome to the ASTEP Volunteer Experience!!

Inside this manual you will find a brief but helpful guide to assist you in preparing for your ASTEP Volunteer Experience. This manual covers many things from the need for volunteerism to cultural sensitivity to food in

foreign countries. We here at ASTEP do our best to fully inform every individual who decides to participate in one of our programs but please be mindful that we cannot predict you or the future, so please read this manual carefully

and take time to consider if this experience is truly right for you.

Table of Contents

What does it mean to be an ASTEP Volunteer?The ASTEP way of working.

Individual StoriesCommunity

Arts Education and SustainabilityCreating a Curriculum

Creating Lesson PlansClassroom Management

Cultural Sensitivity 101Cultural KnowledgeComfort ZoneVerbal and Non-Verbal CommunicationRepresentationExpectations and Reflection

Art-in-Action ASTEP Experience HomesteadLocation and Additional Community StatsCreating an ASTEP Communal Class Environment

Collaborative TeachingPreparing a Collaborative Teaching Experience

Step One: Discover One AnotherStep Two: GoalsStep Three: Understanding Roles in the Classroom

Camp StructureExample ScheduleOther Important Information2008 Camp LogisticsExample Packing ListFundraising and FirstgivingFundraising through Personal Letters

Example Letter 1Example Letter 2

Two Page Article about ASTEP for PR

Definition:Volunteer- a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or

undertake a task.

“Can I see another’s woe, and not be in sorrow too? Can I see another’s grief, and not seek for kind relief?” -William Blake; English poet, painter, and printmaker.

Many people volunteer because in the depths of their being lies a curiosity. It is a calling that has ignited a spark that wishes to reach outside of personal gains and aspirations. It is the need to serve others in their pursuit of happiness. People volunteer their time and energy freely, as the definition suggests, because they seek experiences that will uncover truths about themselves and humanity. It is, and has always been, a high-risk undertaking with the serious probability of no tangible return.

What does it mean to be an ASTEP Volunteer?

“In order to create art, community, a classroom, or anything else, you need a situation that is saturated with love and support beyond question. That is what ASTEP has to offer.”-Seth Numrich; ASTEP Volunteer.

Some people volunteer for altruistic reasons, but there are plenty who do not. Some people volunteer because it is exciting, because they might learn something, because they want to meet new people who live lives different to theirs or pragmatically, they might have something to offer someone else.

ASTEP finds the best volunteers are those who feel they have as much to learn as they have to give. Volunteering with ASTEP requires a clear understanding that to ‘serve’ is not simply teaching a skill, but rather the ability to walk alongside our students, learning and creating together.

Volunteering can be a great way for people from different cultures and communities to learn about each other. For this to happen, a person needs to be ready to share and learn from those they visit. As the Head of International Volunteering at Volunteer Service Overseas states, “…volunteers [must] adopt the humility and the commitment to learning that will be crucial if they are to be effective.”

The ASTEP way of working.

ASTEP Volunteer CreedAn ASTEP Volunteer’s mission is to empower each child to have an active, positive role in the development of their own life and the life of their community. Through the arts, the Volunteer aims to develop a synergetic environment

that inspires self expression and innovative solutions to everyday challenges.

Listening to Individual Stories

Whether it is a child’s life story sung in an aria, a father’s troublesome history represented in a set of tableaux, or the few joyful moments in a child’s life shared over dinner, as ASTEP Volunteers we use the arts to uncover and share the truth in our lives and the lives of the children we work with. By pursuing the process of understanding and accepting responsibility for the past, we can take control of our future out of the hands of oppressive circumstances and into the present. Therefore we must create an outlet that allows our students to share their story, free from judgment and persecution. AS ASTEP Volunteers, we guide our students through a creation process that challenges them to reflect on their lives and empowers them to believe that they deserve the attention and respect of an audience.

These are rare and significant experiences in the lives of our students and are therefore fundamental to our work. Whether a personal truth is communicated in performance, during lunch, or in a private journal entry, our job is to create an environment of trust unlike any environment our students have ever experienced. Even if students never reveal their innermost self to you, know that by simply getting them to perform confidently you have done your job.

As ASTEP Volunteers, our duty is to remain objective and facilitate students’ personal storytelling by posing questions that the students can then explore through their work.

As artists who find power in our vulnerability and compassion we often latch on to the suffering of others and take on their struggles. You will be asked by these children to carry their load. That is NOT your responsibility. You are there to help the students understand the therapeutic, often cathartic power of the arts.

Never withhold information that you should share with your ASTEP Program Facilitator or Director. Always report stories of an abusive or oppressive nature to your ASTEP Program Facilitator/Director or Director of the Partnering Organization. As Volunteers, the way we help is through our art. It is not our place to become personally engaged in solving the community’s underlying and embedded issues. Trust that these long-term issues are being dealt with by ASTEP and the Partnering Organization. Always keep in mind that you are an intricate part of something much larger than yourself.

Communities: Standing on Common Ground

The struggle against poverty begins with the individual but must also find solutions at the communal level. Children are entirely dependent on others for survival. If we are to transform society-at-large, we must strive for a synergy that can transform the community as well.

ASTEP Volunteers aim to facilitate safe and supportive learning environments that make each student responsible for the well being of the entire class.

As important as it is for every individual story to be heard; it is also important that we create an audience compassionate enough to listen. By asking students to participate in developing guidelines and rules that assist in establishing a supportive environment, the students develop a sense of ownership for the class experience.

Volunteers should aim to develop communal projects that provide students with a sense of pride and ownership inside of their classroom community.

Stories are interrelated; individual hardships are almost always the function of larger social breakdowns. Our job as Volunteers is to create compassionate and encompassing artistic projects/performances that include as many views as possible. Take some time to speak to other members of the community. Remain open and sensitive to their stories and free of judgment. Before you begin your work remember that based on your own cultural perspective, you may have an agenda which maybe in conflict to the community you are trying to serve. You may find yourself wanting to jump to conclusions and/or confront those who have caused the community pain. However, we must acknowledge that the situation is always far more complicated than we give it credit. If we are to truly serve these communities our agendas must remain outside the picture and our relationship to ideas of right versus wrong must remain flexible.

Take a moment each night to digest and release any frustrations based on cultural or social differences so that you may re-enter the work the following day with an open heart and mind. In order to really connect with the foundation of a community, an ASTEP Volunteer has to be an open channel for that community’s stories, and put aside personal opinions of the situation.

An ASTEP Volunteer strives to engender activism in the students and an interest in the growth and development of the greater community. As the work brings challenging issues to the surface of conversation, often students will begin to react emotionally. It is our responsibility to provide outlets to channel these feelings. We must try and provide the tools necessary to create change. Point those needing help in the direction of the Partnering Organization. Help create realistic action plans that each student can engage in personally on a daily basis. Remember that we are in these communities because there is a need for our presence. Do not allow the frustration over a lack of immediate answers consume you. If the student is already engaged, acknowledge it and reinforce their efforts. Create bridges between and among students and help them continue to cultivate their own common support systems.

Arts Education & Sustainability

“Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day, teach them how to fish and they feed themselves for a lifetime!”

-Chinese Proverb

In an age where conventional approaches to education are being re-examined and adjusted to our ever changing cultural climate; ASTEP believes collaborative, relational, artistic experiences can provide a solid foundation for long term change. Through the arts, ASTEP Volunteers challenge students to think outside the box, to think in terms of possibilities rather than the probabilities and to create a practical palette of choices that make happiness attainable and failures productive.

Before stepping into the classroom consider taking one moment to articulate for yourself a personal mantra that helps keep you grounded and engaged in the work. Some examples might be:

Life is not about a state of eternal happiness, but rather about knowing how to cope with the constant suffering put before us. If you can think it and believe it, it can be possible.Have faith, life will transpire as it must!

These examples have proven to be effective mantras for helping develop artistic projects that are imaginative, sensitive and liberating. Our students are unbelievably perceptive so we aim to be transparent. It is crucial that you enter a classroom with clarity about where you are coming from and where you are going. Even if you are only participating in a program for a week, it is remarkably helpful to establish a clear process and goals.

ASTEP Volunteers seek to create a curriculum that ends with a performance or sharing that is relevant to the lives of the participants. Below are some helpful guidelines on developing a strong curriculum and lesson plan.

Creating Curriculum

A curriculum is a long term game-plan for approaching your work. A good curriculum will help create reference points and specify class goals for each of your sessions. Use the first sessions of your curriculum to plan general classes that deal with basic skills in your genre, as well as some activities that reveal personal strengths and weaknesses for each student. After these sessions, sit down with your partnering organization to envision a class project(s) based on what you have learned. Unless the Partnering Organization already knows what they want/need for the final presentation, tailor this project specifically to the needs of your class, using what you have learned so far. Then, from this final product, work backwards. Consider how much rehearsal time and/or time to polish and finesse you will need. Consider what skills might be necessary for your students to learn in order to take on the project, and how many classes it will take to cover the

material. Consider social themes you might want to cover. Factor in one or two classes for follow-up and evaluation, post completion of the final project/performance.

Creating a lesson planOnce you have developed your curriculum, you can start building specific lesson plans for each class. These are guides, not laws. Do not become frustrated if you get off track; no matter how detailed you are you might stray from your planning. The more prepared you are, the easier it is to get back on track, the less you will get frustrated, and the better your energy will be in the classroom. ASTEP suggests using the following five activities to help construct a lesson plan:

Introduction and Warm-Up – This is an opportunity for you establish the dynamics of your environment. Consider what your personal favorite artistic environment has been and try to manifest those circumstances. Change up the classroom space, and the manner of relating to teachers, rules and guidelines. Take the children out of the world of their previous lesson. Create a routine that is practiced regularly so that the children develop a vocabulary that they can identify with in your new and liberating work.Mini-Activity/ Introduction of Theme and Class Goal – Vocabulary is fantastic. Introduce arts vocabulary; re-introduce and repeat it all class long. Put the vocabulary into practice through a short and engaging activity. Take this time to role model the activity, and then have all the students partake. This activity should engage the whole class.Main-Activity/ Creative Engagement and Application. – The bulk of your time should be spent on your Main-Activity. From writing adaptations to rehearsals, to researching and painting murals; this is your opportunity to practice newly-acquired vocabulary in the context of the larger project. Allow the students to apply what they have learned individually or in small groups, so you can assess how they have retained the knowledge.Reflection – Often Volunteers become so focused on the project at hand that we forget our primary goal; to focus on the process of what is being revealed to each participant personally. Most volunteers like to build in reflection at the end of class. [Journal writing for example.] Make reflection both verbal and non-verbal -- both are important skills that students struggle to develop. The more opportunities we create for them to practice communication, the more success they will have in the future. Closing and Wrap-Up – Finish on a strong note. Create an activity that reinforces the work they have done, the project they are working toward, and each other as a community. Most of what students retain from a class comes from how they feel at its conclusion. Even if the class has gone in the complete opposite direction of what you intended, that can be a wonderful learning experience if you choose to bring that to light.

Classroom Management

Your patience will be tried. As one ASTEP Volunteer stated,

“The life of our students is equivalent to that of a storm. Any one that attempts to engage them [the students] has to be ready to weather the storm to prove to the kid what no other person has been able to prove…no matter what, they are worth being loved!”

An arts project is a collaborative process that requires complete participation from all students. Try and make the students aware of this great responsibility. Have them own the project and require the discipline to get it done.

Do not take misbehavior personally, and remember the result is not the priority. Be patient, take the time to listen objectively and encourage forgiveness. Classroom management is the most time consuming aspect of the experience. Be willing to weather the storm. Hopefully this information is helpful to you. For some this will prove a bit overwhelming and intimidating. The arts allow for everyone involved to both follow and lead. Use what you know. Go back and ask yourself: what are three areas essential to practicing my art form? Then ask how they relate to leading a positive life. Then ask for help.

We have plenty of staff to help you get back on track if you get lost. Stay transparent, no matter how difficult the situation. Remember why you are in the room – it is not to create performing artists, but to demonstrate that all

challenges are surmountable if we support each other. No matter how simple the activity, we are always subconsciously engaging in the social skills necessary to survive. By bringing them into awareness, we can learn to thrive. What a better way to do so than through the language of the soul – the arts!

Cultural Sensitivity 101

Definition:Culture Shock- sudden exposure to unfamiliar culture: the feelings of confusion and anxiety experienced by

somebody suddenly encountering an unfamiliar cultural environment.

“I guess what I really love about this place is that race doesn't really seem to matter at all. The culture that I'm a part of here isn't one of race or language but of art. I mean it becomes apparent when we noticed that it's only the black facilitators writing the rap in the chant or that only the Spanish-speaking facilitators can actually communicate to the people that we meet in the projects.  But on the

whole, a place like this and an artist culture like this transcends all of that. For the first time, I feel that we are all on the same level playing field.  I suddenly feel like I have a family and a lineage.  Maybe I don't have actual grandparents but they can be Martha Graham and Kandinsky and Lauryn Hill.  This week is the first time that I've actually felt like I was part of a culture that I can be proud of”. -Caitlin Gwin; ASTEP Volunteer

'The world is getting smaller'. Advances in transport, communications and technology combined with the development of world economies have resulted in people from different nations, cultures, languages and backgrounds now communicating, meeting and interacting at speeds beyond our imaginations. Sometimes this new and expedited intimacy can lead to our cultural differences being accentuated as cultures collide without any preparation.

Most of the time people are not even aware culture shock is happening. The symptoms are often exhaustion, lack of patience, irritability, arbitrary emotional outbursts and anxiety. Culture shock is at times an inevitable aspect of a volunteering experience. This can prove to be incredibly eye-opening and/or detrimental if you are not prepared with the tools to be sensitive towards it. Wherever you are traveling, whether it is nationally or internationally, every community is cultivated differently. The lines of communication are different; the food is different; the measures of happiness are different; what constitutes right and wrong is often different. Volunteers often find themselves feeling “outside” of and sometimes “un-welcomed” by the community. We suggest; rather than finding yourself frustrated by, or in confrontation with, the ideas and principals of those who are dissimilar to you; you must see this as an opportunity to do what we do best: Translate- through art- these opposing concepts into universal approaches of understanding. When your truths are challenged by others, keep in mind that your perspective is actually being challenged and broadened.

“People reflect their cultural heritage and human context; their knowledge and experience are mediated to them through their language and culture. Anyone wishing to communicate in an adequate fashion

absolutely must take these things seriously. (Art), must challenge culture, it must not crush it; to crush a culture is to maim its people. This means that the task of a volunteer is encounter; a respectful engagement and dialogue with people wherever they are…

Sometimes, in going far away, we go like tortoises, taking our house and home (prejudices) with us. But if we can identify our narrowness, our pettiness, our limitations, and our boundaries, and if we can break through them and into the world of others, we are truly on the verge of (compassionate service).”

-Bread for the Journey

1. Develop a sense of empathy, flexibility and creativity informed by cultural knowledge.

We have to understand that our perspective is based on our own personal experience and not universal truth. It will be challenged. As ASTEP Volunteers, we have to begin by humbly and enthusiastically immersing ourselves in material about the culture we are serving. Learn about those whose stories you want to share. Acknowledge stereotypes about your culture and theirs. Avoid making any generalizations. Choose to embrace rites and traditions as you would a costume or a color of paint. Trust that what you do not understand initially will be enlightened during the experience. Never stop learning and create opportunities for yourself to compare what you learned prior to the experience to what you learn during the experience.

2. Re-define YOUR comfort zone.

Expect to be immersed in the living conditions and eating habits of the impoverished community (i.e. – rice for every meal, bucket showers, hand washing of laundry, bed sharing, limited electricity, and no readily accessible internet!). It will prove to be challenging and will affect your energy levels. Understand that this is an important part of developing solidarity with those you serve. Be appreciative of the fact that, even though these circumstances might be uncomfortable by our standards, our partnering communities are providing you with the best they have to offer. Receive with open arms and acknowledge what you are given. Our counterparts are putting you before themselves because they trust that you are doing the same.

3. Create a common vocabulary that clarifies both verbal and non-verbal communication.

The English language is limited and loaded with baggage. Even though all of our partners speak English you will find yourself challenged by communication. Be aware of idioms and catch phrases that are specific to your personal community and language that can be considered offensive. Be sensitive to how your students and partners receive your language and do not hesitate to rephrase several times for clarity. In return, do not take their descriptive adjectives personally and ask questions about the meaning of phrases and mannerisms. You will learn that there are many different ways of saying “Thank you” and “I’m sorry”; of expressing love and showing frustration and there are many ways of avoiding questions. You will find that people are often afraid of embarrassing themselves and prefer to remain silent over asking questions because they are not familiar with the language. Establish terms that you can use repeatedly. Constantly define terms that you newly introduce. In foreign circumstances, where language is limited, non-verbal communication can be the main way of interpreting feelings and responses. Challenge yourself to be conscious of your behavior and reactions. Pay extra attention when you are tired or overwhelmed. Simple gestures can prove to mean a plethora of things across cultural lines. Acknowledge how you manifest stress, vulnerability, and frustration. Our partners and students are very impressionable and receptive to what could be considered controversial behavior. Learn from the experiences and mistakes of other volunteers and gracefully learn from your partners and adhere to their recommendations. If you feel that an aspect of the work asked of you by a partner contradicts the mission of the experience, write down the question and bring it to an ASTEP Program Facilitator/Director immediately. We will help asses the situation and devise a plan on approaching the Partnering Organization.

4. Walk alongside the community you encounter, do not assume their baggage as your own.

Our impetus for volunteering primarily comes from a place of “giving back.” You will see that there will be those who interpret your actions differently and try to take advantage of them accordingly. It is important to be aware of these misinterpretations of purpose, and immediately address the issue with clarity and sensitivity. Parents have asked our Volunteers to adopt, endorse, stay away, and even marry their children. Community members have asked us to advocate, leave, fight them, and support them. Students have asked for clothing, money, food, sponsorship, defense, driving lessons, and movie tickets. All of these are legitimate requests being that we are foreigners that exist outside their circumstances and clearly have more means at our disposal. We find ourselves, in certain cases, desperately wanting to provide these requests; especially when a jacket for an under-clothed child costs

considerably less in their community than it does in ours. We must remember that our service is not charitable but educational, and unfortunately, we do not represent ourselves individually in the eyes of the community but the organization [ASTEP] as a whole. If we were to provide special hand outs, community members will rightfully request more from our partners and/or simply take offense to our “pity”. We need to recognize that by providing outside our given means of service, we are communicating that the service we offer is not enough. Never make promises, even about returning, even when you mean it. None of us know what life has in store for us in the future. If you find your need to give on a personal financial level to be overwhelming, there are ways to support the local Partnering Organization. Talk to your ASTEP Program Facilitator/Director to see what options are available to extend yourself further.

5. Be mindful of expectations and assume nothing as given.

ASTEP experiences are challenging. They require a high level of vulnerability, humility, and understanding. They will test your patience, exhaust you physically and emotionally, and demand adaptability. Volunteerism tends to be romanticized especially when encountered in foreign countries. There is nothing romantic about suffering. From the moment you receive this manual start to process your expectations for this experience and constantly revisit them throughout the process. Expect to put the children first. Expect to be overwhelmed. Expect to fail and challenge yourself to see beyond those failures. Expect to be uncomfortable. Expect anything to happen. Assume that there are no safe bets and that the foundation you are used to standing on will be rocked. Write out all of the givens in your life to date (from running water, to toilet paper) and no longer assume them to be a required part of your daily routine. Reflect. Make it a priority to reflect on your process and share your experiences daily. The same way your

students learn through reflection in the classroom, you will learn through reflection in your process. Remember that culture shock will manifest itself in many ways physically and mentally and the more aware you are of where specifically the shock comes from, the quicker you will be able to address it. Know that this experience is not for everyone, but by experiencing it you can begin breaking the barriers that limit your own personal life and cultivate a compassionate mind frame that will enhance your life’s purpose.

“My experience in India was overwhelmingly beautiful. I was actually quite terrified to go because I thought that the culture would be too hard for me to adjust to, but Shanti Bhavan had a culture all on its own that I fell in love with. A big challenge that always comes up for me in these environments is opening up the children to their own emotional baggage that hasn't had the chance to be released. In India, the children have faced abuse and/or

suffering on many levels and rarely have the chance to talk about it or work through it. We did an exercise with the older children to encourage them to burn something in their lives that hinders them (whether it’s an experience or a part of themselves) and many of the ninth grade girls could not do it on the first night. I sat there with my arms around them, and all I could do was sob with them. They didn't need me to say anything, and I could feel their pain so deeply that I had no other choice. The next night they each came up to me and said that they wanted another chance to burn their papers; to let go; to start over. It was an extremely powerful experience, and we were only able to get to that point with them through all the sharing we had done in the form of dance, drama, and music for five intense weeks. I believe that I belong to the Shanti Bhavan family now and a part of my heart will always be with them.” -Cindy Salgado; ASTEP Volunteer

ASTEP Art-in-Action Camp Homestead

ASTEP works in collaboration with EnFamilia Inc., a local NPO that has been dedicated to serving the communities of South Dade. Their mission is to build healthy family relationships, examine and preserve cultural values and enrich the quality of life through education and the arts. Our common goal is to empower the youth of southern Florida with communication and leadership skills to help transcend the barriers that they face.

Youth who grow up in Homestead, Florida experience an America that is profoundly different than the America that most of us know.

The City of Homestead is located on the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula. Located in southern Miami-Dade County, Homestead’s poorest areas have been designated “hyper-poor” by the Department of Children and Families. Tremendous wealth inequalities exist – with the glitz and glamour of Miami highlife juxtaposed with areas of unimaginable violence and poverty. In areas around Homestead, poverty rates are a staggering 44 percent, well above the county’s already high 14 percent average. Nearly 420,000 residents throughout the county live below the poverty line.

Homestead’s poverty has had a devastating impact on family and social structures. One out of every eight children in the County is born to a teenage mother. Marriage rates have declined while divorce rates and rates of separated couples have risen. One horrific feature of this decline in stable families is high rates of domestic and sexual abuse and violence. Miami-Dade County reports over 15,000 cases of domestic violence per year, the reported cases representing just a fraction of the total number of cases.

The population consists mostly of first generation Haitians and Hispanics (including Mexicans, Colombians, and Cubans). Homestead is an integral part of the vegetable, fruit and foliage market business in the United States and relies heavily on migrant workers to tend the fields and groves. As a result, they have become the cheap labor force behind this billion-dollar industry. Tremendous tensions exist between many of these groups. Ethnic, racial, and class-based divisions often manifest themselves in gangs, and gang-related violence – including murder, armed robbery, drug-dealing, and rape.

The high school drop-out rate in the area is an astounding 50 percent. Only 9 percent of high school students go on to receive Bachelor’s Degrees.

In general, this community is culturally under-represented and under-served. However, studies done by local community assistance programs and our own experiences have shown that whatever exposure these children have had to the arts, they connect with it quickly. Popular and cultural music, dance and movies have become a primary means of escape, even if it is only temporary.

Location & Additional Community Stats

Homestead is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, nestled between Biscayne National Park to the east and Everglades National Park to the west.

Homestead was incorporated in 1913 and is the second oldest city in Miami-Dade County next to the City of Miami. It is located approximately 35 miles southwest of the city of Miami, and 25 miles northeast of Key Largo.

Homestead bore the brunt of Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 hurricane, which hit South Florida on August 24, 1992. The city of Homestead was put on the map due to the sheer devastation wrought by Hurricane Andrew. After 10 years, the city is still recovering.

The median income for a household in the city is $26,775, and the median income for a family is $26,409. About 29.1% of families and 31.8% of the population is below the poverty line. The demographic of children ASTEP has chosen to work with are those that come from these migrant-working families whom usually have a combined household income of $10,000-$15,000 annually. Surrounded by mostly farm land and highways, most of these families are forced to reside in government projects.

As of 2000, speakers of Spanish as a first language accounted for 51.10%, while English was at 43.22%, and French Creole made up 4.71% of the population.

The number of female-headed households has risen steadily in the area over the past few decades: between 1960 and 2000, the percentage of female-headed households with children under 18 increased from 10 to 27 percent. Miami-Dade County reports over 15,000 cases of domestic violence per year, the reported cases representing just a fraction of the total number. Women who are undocumented immigrants fear being ostracized by their families or expelled from the state if they report their cases, which makes the real number of domestic violence cases likely exponentially higher.

Youth in Southern Florida that hope to escape their terrible life circumstances find little support in their efforts to do so. For starters, immigrant students face a number of challenges, including language barriers and disdain from some school teachers and officials who would rather not welcome undocumented immigrants into their classrooms.

For children of migrant workers, there is family pressure to drop out of school to help support the family by working. Miami-Dade’s school system is plagued by the ethnic and racial divides seen throughout the county, and de facto segregation prevents students from working together and building community. With a ratio of one college counselor to 400 students, students often remain oblivious to opportunities to further their education. The rate of students who do not complete high school in the area is astoundingly over 40 percent. Those students who do not complete high school are overwhelmingly black and Hispanic.

Empowered with the right communication and leadership skills, the youth of southern Florida will be able to transcend the barriers that they face. The community of Homestead can transcend the poverty, the domestic hardships, the violence of life gangs, the racial and ethnic divisions, coming together to create new and more harmonious communities, better and more hopeful futures.

Creating an ASTEP Communal Class Environment

Definition:Collaborative Teaching- Collaborative teaching is to involve joint intellectual effort by teachers to create and facilitate a class activity. It refers directly to methodologies and environments in which teachers engage in a

common task in which each individual depends on and is accountable to each other.

“We start the day together. First thing in the morning, the entire community gathers in one space, students and volunteers alike, so that we can check in with each other and start the day on common ground. We shake off our sleepiness with some music and games, then we dive in. It's an incredible thing to be around so many people creating in one place -- a volunteer with a camera whizzes past you, filming a documentary. Upstairs, there's a music student practicing violin in the walkway. Another student is still, sketching a plant in the courtyard. At the end of the day, we come together again as a community to recap our days and record any new idea or interesting conversation we might have had, students maybe share some new creations with each other, and then we close it all off in one triumphant voice -- singing a song we all wrote together and one that, by the end of camp, everyone knows by heart.”

- Alelejandro Rodriguez, ASTEP Volunteer

Collaborative Teaching

As defined by Webster’s dictionary, “Teaching” means to show or explain to someone how to do something or a specific skill. The arts are subjects of study primarily concerned with the processes or products of human creativity such as language, literature and history. Our job as teaching artists is therefore to facilitate students in their exploration of all planes of the human experience through a specific art form.

ASTEP believes our work is to use the arts as a vehicle to transform the interpersonal skills of our students. At ASTEP we have created a model that provides a collaborative teaching experience with a small ratio so as to engage the students equally and offer several perspectives for learning. We engage our students through the creative process on a one to one level to give the attention and support they need to build confidence in their skills and in themselves.

Preparing a Collaborative Teaching Experience:

Step One: Discover One Another

Prior to thinking about a project all volunteers should share their histories, interests, and goals. If the goal is to impart artistic knowledge, or knowledge about our individual human experience it is imperative that we know one another. Use the questions below to start conversation:

How did you choose to be an artist? Why do you want to help this community?What is your definition of helping?Who was the most influential educator in your life and why?What do you feel your talents are in the classroom? What do you have to offer a group of students?How do you feel your work will grow by doing this work?

This process should be continual. Try to discover one another regularly, setting up times to check in and see how these questions have changed due to the collaborative work you do.

Step two: Goals

The next step is for the collaborative team to come to a mutual understanding of the goals you would like to set in place for your classroom. Every community has a different set of circumstances and we are affected by them based on our own individual circumstances. It is important that all facilitators are aware of personal agendas that arise and find a common perspective. From there you can create common goals for the classroom that will help you navigate your curriculum. Questions to help you start understanding the community;

Where are these families from?Do they have arts training?What are their immediate financial, political, religious circumstances?What languages do they speak?Are there any themes the community is socially using to inspire?How many children will you have in the classroom? What age? How many male/female?

Once these questions have been answered, it is important to take the time to reflect internally about how the answers affect you personally and how you connect or disconnect from these students, and share that information with your collaborators. It will help you deal with certain topics and issues that might come up in the room as well as knowing who might connect better with certain students.

Step 3: Understanding Roles in the Classroom

There are many ways to teach, and when you are a teacher in the classroom you can safely assume that the students will always see you as a ‘teacher’. If it is not your turn leading the class, know that you are still leading by example. Take the time to listen and to learn from other volunteers.

It is also your responsibility to help manage the discipline of the classroom. While other volunteers are leading the class, assume the role of disciplinarian so they can be free to focus on teaching. Never allow yourself to check out or day dream. If the students have to be present, so should you.

Be aware of what role you play in your dynamic collaboration. What role do you want to play and what role you end up playing most often? If they do not coincide share this with your ASTEP leader and try to find a common ground

by which to approach the work. Share the roles. It is a huge plus of collaborative teaching. It keeps volunteers from burning out during the long days of teaching.

Trust in the other volunteers. If someone is not teaching the way you do see it as a good thing. Students learn in different ways, and can use different methods. Allow room for volunteers to pursue their method without openly contradicting their ideas. Set up an approach on how to disagree in the classroom constructively. This will serve as an example to your students on how to deal with conflict.

CAMP STRUCTURE

On-site Orientation Week- The goal of Orientation week is to establish a strong sense of cultural awareness, develop a unified and clear team dynamic, and create a well-rounded curriculum.

Days usually begin at 9:00am. All meals are eaten communally. Chores and daily duties are assigned for the maintenance of the facilities. By divvying the responsibility and sharing meals ASTEP aims to develop a strong sense of communal inter-dependence that hopefully will translate into the work and the students.

The Volunteer Teaching staff will attend sessions including but not limited to:Camp mission statement development, schedule development, camp chant creation, team creation performance project, open house performance project, collaborative teaching training, lesson planning, counseling sessions, art-therapy sessions, communication development, sensitivity workshops provided by local organizations, site-specific visits to: schools, community centers and neighborhoods. Yoga classes, aerobics and a team mural project.

Two hours are allotted throughout the day for individual rest.

The Volunteer Teaching staff will also be responsible for creating fun and interactive classroom spaces and arrange and execute shopping trips for all classroom materials.

The Teaching Assistants will attend Orientation Week activities from 9am-5pm. At the end of the week they will go on a prep retreat with one of the Volunteer Program Leaders to evaluate their preparation for the experience.

Summer Camp Days (Monday-Friday)

For the students, camp runs from 9am-5pm with morning drop off as early as 8am and afternoon pick up as late as 6pm (excluding any extra-curricular sessions). The class times run between 45 minutes and 2 hours long depending on the session. Morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack are no more than 3 hours apart. The students will explore every art form daily.

The Volunteer Teaching staff begins their day with a communal breakfast at 7:30am and finishes their next day preparations no later than 11pm. Lunch is held communally with the students and dinner is held from 6:30-7:15pm. The teaching staff will be provided with an hour-long break from 5:30-6:30pm. From 5-5:30pm the Volunteers Teaching staff and Teacher Assistants will meet to evaluate the day. From 7:15-9:00pm there is a daily evaluation meeting to discuss the on-going development of the program and the following day’s schedule. During this meeting the staff will be provided with time for personal reflection and group reflection to monitor the mental and emotional status of the team. From 9-11pm the team will be provided with time to finalize curriculum and planning for the next day.

The Teacher Assistants are asked to attend camp and all Volunteer activities from 8:30am until 6pm.

Weekends

There will be no camp offered for students on the weekend. On specifically announced occasions, there might be half-day family activities.

The Volunteer Teaching staff will meet for breakfast at 9am on Saturday and will attend weekly follow-up and lesson-plan development sessions from 9:30-12pm. The team will then have from 12pm Saturday through Sunday off (unless otherwise determined by the team facilitators).

EXAMPLE SCHEDULES

Example Orientation Day Example Camp Day Example Saturday8:30-9:00am - Breakfast 7:30-8:00am - Breakfast 9:00-9:30am - Breakfast9:00-9:45 - Camp Mission Development Session

8:00-9:00am - Setup and Welcome 9:30-11:00am - Evaluation of Week

9:45-11:00am – Getting to Know Each Other Session

9:00-9:45am – Morning Ice Breakers- FULL Camp

11:00-1:00pm – Following week lesson planning & scheduling meeting.

11:00-12:15 – Site Specific Trip: South Dade Skills Center

9:50-11:50am - Focus Class TIME OFF

12:30-1:00 – LUNCH 11:55-12:25pm – LUNCH1:00-2:00pm – TIME OFF 12:30-1:15pm – Taster Class

2:00-3:30pm – WORKSHOP: Collaborative Teaching

1:20-2:05pm – Taster Class

3:30-5:00pm – WORKSHOP: Communication Techniques

2:0-2:55pm – Taster Class

5:00-6:00pm – PLANNING: Genre specific lesson planning meeting

3:00-3:15 – SNACK

6:00-7:00pm DINNER 3:20-4:05pm – WORKSHOP: Personality Development/Community Building

7:00-8:00pm – TIME OFF 4:10-4:55pm – Journal Time/Sharing/Closing

8:00-10:00pm – Jam Session/Open House performance

5:00 – 5:30pm – Team Wrap Up

5:30 – 6:30pm – TIME OFF6:30-7:15pm – DINNER

7:15-9:00pm – Journal Time/Following day preparation

9:00-11:00pm – Lesson planning and Preparation (if needed)

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

AccommodationsThe team will be living locally at a motel in Homestead. ASTEP chooses to stay locally to support businesses and immerse our Volunteers in the community where they are working. Usually Volunteers live ‘dormitory style’ with four people per room sharing two double beds and bathroom with toilet and shower. Space in the rooms is often limited so we suggest you pack light. We recommend volunteers bring personal sheets, bath mats and towels for hygiene purposes. Even though volunteers spend little time in the living quarters we recommend vigilance in keeping them in descent condition to maximize a restful environment. Speak with other volunteers on your team in advance to become familiar with one another’s living quirks. These are definitely lower-end transient motels. We ask that for your safety the “buddy system policy” when hanging around the motel, and keep all doors locked. The community ASTEP works in is very small and deals with has high levels of prostitution and drug dealing. Laundry is done at a local laundry mat at the Volunteer’s expense.

FoodEnFamilia will be soliciting catering from local businesses. They will be trying to vary meals weekly from different restaurants for variety. Again, we choose to remain local and away from the larger chains in order to support the local economy. All meals are provided. Hot lunch and dinner will be delivered to the program location (lunch will be the same as that of the students) and breakfast will be re-stocked daily by your Volunteer Program Leader. Daily runs to the supermarket to stock up on fresh fruits, breads and cereals will also be handled by the Volunteer Program Leaders. There is only a refrigerator and microwave for food preparation. Homestead is predominantly a Hispanic community so all meals will have a Latin/Mexican flavor. Please make ASTEP aware of any allergies or specific health requirements ahead of time. ASTEP does its best to serve our volunteers high quality food that caters to a wide variety of tastes. We cannot accommodate everyone’s personal cravings and munchies so please bring extra cash to purchase the particulars you cannot live without.

LocationThe program will take place at ArtSouth of Homestead located at 240 North Krome Avenue, in the heart of Homestead. ArtSouth is a resident Art Center whose mission is to culturally enrich and revitalize Homestead, which is rich in history but deficient in cultural amenities. It is home to over 40 international artists and a few non-profit organizations. It is equipped with gallery spaces, studio spaces for visual artists as well as two large courtyards, 6 bathrooms, and a large performance space. ArtSouth is a 24 hour facility, and you will have access to the classrooms at all times. Please be mindful that since ArtSouth is a ‘Visual Artists Colony’ they are not used to rowdy, rambunctious, outgoing, and loud nature of performing artists. That being said; all Volunteers are to be mindful of behavior as to not overstay our welcome.

Homestead Hot Spots

It is a deceivingly quiet place in the evening. There are no late night hang outs that are in walking distance. About one mile away is Interstate #1, where there is an Office Max, Blockbuster, pizza places and Mega Walmart (open 24 hours for all your shopping needs). Sedanos and Winn Dixie supermarkets are on the way to Interstate #1. There is also a new 24-theatre movie complex a few miles down the street.

The WeatherHot and muggy. Homestead is in a tropical zone, which means daily sporadic rain showers, humidity, a temperamental breeze and a whole lot of mosquitoes and roaches. The sun is intense and can burn a fair skinned volunteer in 30 minutes or less. The heat is also extreme and can dehydrate you without warning. The nights are usually pleasant and temperate except for the mosquitoes. Come prepared with bug repellant.

Work Ethic and Time ManagementOur program in Homestead runs on the idea that every member is instrumental to its leadership and support. Everyone serves a purpose and is required to exude a high level of commitment. Volunteers will find themselves focusing their time on camp activities and post planning. The Program Leaders will be overseeing the experience as a whole. The overwhelming nature of the work and the amount of time spent building the team can often lead to Volunteers needing to decompress late into the night. This only results in a challenge when it gets in the way of sleeping. There are those who need to unwind via creation, and those who need conversation. There are those who need individual time, and those that simply want to sleep. We try to enforce a lights out policy of midnight for the general health and well being of the team. If the children truly come first, we need to make sure we manage our time and energy accordingly.

2008 ASTEP Camp Logistics:

Middle School14 ASTEP Artist Volunteers3 EnFamilia support staff50-60 students going into the 7th grade through the 9th grade8-10 High School Assistants from the Group Leadership program2 On-site counselors

High School15 ASTEP Artist Volunteers3 EnFamilia support staff50-60 students going into the 10th grade through just having Graduated High School.2 On-site counselors

Pre-On Site Orientation Training Sessions (NYC)

There will be 3 Pre-camp Training Meetings and 2 Genre specific curriculum sessions that will most likely encompass: Introduction to Policies and Procedures / ASTEP Methodology Child Awareness and Communication Skills / Cultural Sensitivity Collaborative Teaching and Teaching Pedagogy / Curriculum building and Classroom planning

*For volunteers who cannot attend these meetings, materials will be made available to you via email. We ask that volunteers attend as many training sessions as possible. All the materials will be reviewed during Orientation week.

The Camp Experience – Dates and Details“Arts-In-Action” Middle School Intensive

The team will arrive in Homestead on June 1st and will be picked up by EnFamilia/ASTEP staff. From June 2nd through June 7th the team will be immersed in orientation activities alongside the Teacher Assistants.

TBA: Two days off during orientation week The ASTEP camp runs June 9th through the 27th for 60 Middle School students. Staff will be given 1 day off per week. On the weekend of June 28th, the team will attend an evaluation retreat off-site. The team will then fly out on the

afternoon of June 29th. All meals and transportation are provided for Students and Staff. Staff can expect 2-3 trips off-site to local recreation areas (beaches, theatres, cultural centers). Staff should bring originals and photocopies of health insurance card and photo ID. It is recommended to bring at least $75.00-$200.00 for laundry and recreational excursions. Note: This is not a

requirement. Using coins for laundry should be the only extra expense required on the trip.

“Arts-In-Action” High School Intensive

The team will arrive in Homestead on July 6th and will be picked up by EnFamilia/ASTEP staff. From July 7th through July 12th the team will be immersed in orientation activities.

TBA: Two days off during Orientation Week. The ASTEP camp runs from July 14th through August 1st for 60 High School students. Staff will be given 1 day off

per week. On the weekend of August 2nd, the team will attend an evaluation retreat off-site. The team will then fly out on the

afternoon of August 3rd. All meals and transportation are provided for Students and Staff. Staff can expect 2-3 trips off-site to local recreation areas (beaches, theatres, cultural centers). Staff should bring originals and photocopies of their health insurance card and photo ID. It is recommended to bring at least $75.00-$200.00 for laundry and recreational excursions. Note: This is not a

requirement. Using coins for laundry should be the only extra expense required on the trip.

Example Packing List

Comfortable shoes- Sandals/Sneakers- for nature walks, playing sports etc. (they WILL get wet and dirty)Umbrella- it rains almost every day.

SunscreenBug Repellant- mosquitoes, mosquitoes mosquitoes.

Purell hand sanitizerBathroom Amenities- soap, shampoo & conditioner, face wash, toothbrush, toothpaste etc.

Laundry DetergentClothes LineWater Bottle

Prescription Medication- make sure to bring enough and EXTRA prescription medication you are taking because you never know what can delay/keep you in the country.

Over the Counter Medication- If you take a specific brand of medications that you know works bring it with you as most American/European brands are hard to find in India.

Protein/Granola Bars- good idea incase the food does not agree with you, or you just want a change of pace.Sweets- candy, soda, ice cream are not ‘the norm’ in India. If you have a sweet tooth we suggest bringing a stash.

Sweets are also a SIGNIFICANT and SPECIAL treat for the children so if you feel inclined to bring and share with them that is fine too- always ask the Shanti Bhavan staff if and when this is appropriate.

Photo Copies & Printouts- If you plan on passing out written or typed material to the children be prepared to bring those with you as there is NOT an accessible photocopy machine or printer on premises.

Little Extra Cash- always good to have some on hand. There are ATM’s in Hosur and Bangalore so there is no need to exchange ALL of your money at the airport.

Plane TicketPassport and/or Photo ID’s

Travel Amenities- Emergen-C, Airborne, Earplugs, Sleeping Mask etc.Arts Books- ASTEP has started an Arts Library at enFAMILIA consisting of plays, sheet music, movies and more.

If you would like to bring and donate a text, movie etc. ask an ASTEP staff member and we can provide information about what the kids already have and what they might need.

This Manual

FUNDRAISING & FIRSTGIVING

Donations are, of course, the lifeblood of any non-profit organization. Without them, the youths of Homestead, Africa and the children of Shanti Bhavan would be unable to participate in our programs, our artists would be unable to apply their talents and inspiration, our office would stumble to a halt. Monetary critical support allows ASTEP to function in all of its capacities, providing us with the means to enrich the lives and communities of young people in need across the globe.

As an ASTEP Volunteer artist, you may need funding assistance in order to sponsor your trip overseas. Many of our volunteers choose to campaign for support using Firstgiving.com. Firstgiving.com is a fundraising hub which aggregates personal fundraising pages for each individual volunteer

Without volunteers, ASTEP would be unable to operate. They are the bones, heart and soul of our organization. From teaching impoverished children in rural India, to running errands and answering phones in our New York office, every volunteer performs a key task in the ongoing functioning and growth of ASTEP.

While prepping for your trip ASTEP asks its volunteers to help spread the good word that there IS an organization trying to use art as a communicative catalyst for affecting change. Below are the instructions to begin a personal Firstgiving fundraising campaign. Also, ASTEP can provide you with PR materials for anyone who is interested in getting involved or donating to the cause.

FIRSTGIVING

1. Go to www.firstgiving.com/asteponline2. Click on the ‘Get Started’ button at the end of the page3. Choose the program you are fundraising for by clicking the ‘Select’ button for the corresponding program4. Enter your e-mail address 5. You will be asked to fill out a ‘Your Details’ form6. The server will check and see if a personalized web address (usually including your first and last name) is available7. Your fundraising page has been created! 8. Click the ‘Get Started’ button 9. Personalize the text and the photo on your Online Fundraising Page to express your passions and your purpose. 10. Send the link out to your friends, family, colleagues - anyone you think will help you reach your goal.

Fundraising through Personal Letters

“It is all too easy to forget that fundraising is more art than science. It is people giving to people…the hope of a shared dream…the success of a worthy cause.”

– Ken Burnett, Author of Relationship Fundraising.

The first step to creating a successful fundraising letter is to make it personal. If you make your letter/Firstgiving personal and inspirational it will motivate your donors to give, not just towards your cause, but because they connect with some facet of you.

The second step is the process of following up with your donors. If you want your fundraising campaign to seem like more than just an ask for dollars and cents then you must make an effort to maintain the relationships and keep your donors abreast of their investment. Here are some tips:

1. Consider your potential donors. Every penny counts so do not disregard anyone. It is important to tap into your personal connections. Ask family, friends, fellow artists, family doctors, teachers and others that you have a personal relationship to.

2. Make your ask specific to a product. “For a little as $3.00 you can feed one student during lunch.” OR “For $180.00 you can feed all of the campers for one day.” OR “For $600.00 you can cover the cost of camp t-shirts.” Many times donors like to have a tangible representation as to where their money is going.

3. Be assertive about your ask and relate it to why it is important to you. Remember that you are giving as well. You are giving your time, energy and love.

4. Follow up. Make sure you keep following up until the money is ‘in the bank’.

5. Once the donation has been processed ASTEP will send a formal tax donation/thank you letter to the donor. You should send a personal one as well. Remember they donated because of you.

Example Volunteer Letter: This letter alone helped raise $2000.00 dollars for this volunteer’s trip.

Dear Joe, First of all I want to say I miss you and I would love to hear what you're up to. I plan to call as soon as I get back to the city in hopes that we can reconnect. I hope this letter finds you well and that you can forgive me for writing so much out of the blue. I am writing to you in the middle of my trip to India to tell you a bit about what I've been up to, how you've inspired me, and how I could use your support. My husband, Mauricio, and I have chosen to spend five weeks here at a remarkable boarding school for children of the lowest caste to donate our time and talents to over 200 amazing students from Preschool to 10th Grade who are getting a unique opportunity to be educated well, with the hopes of breaking down the caste system that still lingers here. We've already seen how much the arts have encouraged and inspired them to build their confidence and strength as a community. We have been doing work like this for the past six years and it is incredibly rewarding but also very challenging. I have been able to teach these children so much about dance because of all that I've been given from amazing teachers like you. If it weren't for all of those moments that you encouraged me or opened my eyes to new ways of working, I wouldn't be the dancer or the teacher that I am today. These students keep asking me about my inspirations and I can't choose just one because I've had so many powerful examples in my life, and I just wish I could provide them with the same kind of opportunities I had. Unfortunately, that's impossible, and all I can offer is the knowledge and love of dance that I've gained through the years. In December, Mauricio and I will be on our way to South Africa to work with another special group of children who are growing up in the post-apartheid struggle. We've been there twice before and know just how much these naturally gifted children need someone like us for hope in their difficult situation. This winter we’ve been asked to return to work with these students and continue building their skills. In order to do so, Mauricio and I will need $3000.00 dollars to cover our program expenses. If you could offer even a hundred dollars to this cause it would make a huge difference (and I know its easy to spend more than that on a week's worth of drinks). I promise that all of your donation would go directly to helping us help these children. We are donating a lot of time, energy, and love as well as our own funds to these projects because we believe in them with all our hearts and we believe that being born into an impoverished community doesn't make it okay for these children to be without the gift of art. Please make out any donation you can offer to ASTEP Attn: South Africa and mail it to 165 W 46th Street Suite 1308, NY, NY, 10036. Each dollar you can spare will be a way for you to directly offer these children a piece of your own teaching through me, and I promise to give them my best. Thank you for taking the time out to read this. I hope life is beautiful for you right now! All my love,Cindy

p.s. Please call me if you want more information. I would be happy to share more, but I won't have a phone to answer or regular access to email for two more weeks. If you want to see or read more about what we've done check out our website at WWW.ASTEPONLINE.ORG

Example Volunteer Letter: This letter alone helped raise $5000.00 dollars for this volunteer’s trip.

Dear Friends and Family,

As many of you know already, I have a wonderful year and a half with the most amazing cast and crew of “Curtains”. It has been one of (if not the most) amazing experience that I have had in the theatre, and I feel so blessed to have been part of it. That being said, as of late I have felt a deep calling to give back to the universe in some way. I feel so fortunate and blessed to have the things that I have, and I feel a longing to give something to the world rather than to take something from it.

After doing some research and trying to figure out where an artist like myself could be most effectively utilized, I found ASTEP. Artists Striving To End Poverty (ASTEP) uses the arts as a tool to empower young people with creativity, knowledge, and a strong sense of self-esteem, factors which help them advance their lives and communities. ASTEP provides artists like myself with opportunities to connect with global youths, allowing me to use my gifts to create meaningful and effective change for young people in need.

One of the places that ASTEP sends their volunteers is called the Shanti Bhavan school in Bangalore, India. The project started with 48 children and will eventually enroll up to 336 children. The project targets children from the poorest families, and orphans, who have a reasonable chance for success based on their level of intelligence. Shanti Bhavan is a boarding school for children of deprived backgrounds. Given proper care, support and educational opportunities, these children will have a good chance of being successful in life. It is ASTEP’s belief that only through institutions such as Shanti Bhavan, the cycle of poverty and social deprivation can be overcome for most poor people. The multiplicative impact of major successes for those who are trained in Shanti Bhavan and their families will be permanent for generations.

While I am there I will be teaching piano lessons, English, doing choral work, theatre games and whatever the day calls for. I pray to God that they don’t ask me to play sports with the kids, but if they do I will be able to conquer some of my own ghosts of the past as well:) I am there to be of service in whatever way that they need me to be.

You are probably wondering “well this is really great, but why the hell is Matt writing me to tell me this?” Well, I am asking for your help to try and offset a portion of the expense of my volunteering there. The money you would donate would go to help with the cost of the airline ticket and travel to get there as well as the materials I will be bringing for the kids. Expenses unfortunately don't stop while I am in India and of course I will not be able to earn money while I am there, so this is why I am asking for your help. I am trying to raise 3000.00 dollars of the 5000.00 it will cost me to go. Know that ANY amount would help and that if you can’t help, that is TOTALLY ok as well. Your good thoughts for me will suffice. But if you are able to give something (anything), it would be very appreciated.

Your donation is fully tax deductible and will be going towards a great cause. The web site you can go to donate is http://www.firstgiving.com/mattfarnsworth .

Again, PLEASE don't feel obligated - as I don't want anyone to have to try and avoid me because you don't want to contribute! “Run here comes Matt!” I don't want that at all. However if you can give anything it would be so greatly appreciated. I love you all and wish you the best!

Here’s to India!!!

Love and Gratitude,

Matt

Artists Striving To End Poverty (ASTEP) uses the arts as a tool to empower young people with creativity, knowledge, and a strong sense of self, factors which help them advance their lives and communities. At ASTEP, we provide artists with opportunities to connect with global youths, allowing them to use their gifts to create meaningful and effective change for young people in need.

Program Overview- Program Overview- One billion children – one of every two children worldwide – live in poverty. Fifteen million children are orphaned each year due to the rampant HIV/AIDS pandemic. In India, which has the largest number of AIDS orphans of any country, over five

million people are HIV-positive and over 30,000 babies are born with HIV each year. Africa has more than 5.3 million known AIDS sufferers. By age 20, one in three women worldwide is infected with the virus. With such statistics, it can be difficult to be optimistic about the future but from its inception, ASTEP has striven to help reverse these trends.

ASTEP’s programs take place in communities with populations of disadvantaged children who have limited access to arts education, cultivating safe spaces in which these children can learn to communicate, express, and develop constructive decision-making skills by interacting with our participating volunteer artists/teachers. Topics covered range from self-empowerment and positive future-building to HIV/AIDS awareness.

Artists from all over the globe, including recent and current Juilliard, New York University, Miami University, Santa Clara University, University of the Arts, Columbia University and Furman University students, Broadway professionals, and local talent serve as volunteer teachers for ASTEP.

Each ASTEP experience caters to the needs of the community at hand. Every workshop or camp centers on a new theme that challenges the children and the volunteers to find fresh and exciting ways of further developing essential life skills that will help these youths deal with the difficult circumstances that surround them.  

Homestead- Florida- Homestead- Florida- ASTEP has been working hard to establish a venue for teaching ART to today’s youth and using it as a catalyst for education and awareness. The ASTEP arts camp in Homestead, Florida aims to do just that as we break down the barriers of racism, confront negative issues pertaining to our diverse population, and to increase awareness and empower the feelings of individualism.

The ASTEP Art-in-Action Experience has been built to offer its participants artistic alternatives for channeling their emotions as opposed to drug abuse, violence or crime. It serves as a safe environment where the arts are used as a vehicle of self- exploration and expression and where young people are taught the motivational skills to care for and love themselves. 

ASTEP works in collaboration with EnFamilia Inc., a local NPO that has been dedicated to serving the communities of South Dade. Their mission is to build healthy family relationships, examine and preserve cultural values and enrich the quality of life through education and the arts. Our common goal is to empower the youth of southern Florida with communication and leadership skills to help transcend the barriers that they face. 

The ASTEP Experience (Homestead) provides dance, drama, music, poetry, playwriting literature and visual art workshops for the children of Homestead during summer break (June and July).  The month-long intensive session starts daily at 8:30 a.m. and ends around 5 p.m.  During that time, the students are able to work with arts professionals in a safe and inspiring environment. Throughout the day, there are numerous opportunities for the sharing of new work among the students and the teachers. For many of the students, this will be their first exposure to the arts. The ASTEP experience is offered free of charge for the children who participate.

Since the program's inception in 2003, EnFamilia & ASTEP have partnered with 8 nonprofit organizations. In the past five years, 60 ASTEP volunteers have, alongside 45 local high school volunteers and 60 family members, contributed over 30,000 hours to the community of Homestead. Over 50% of our Students and Volunteers return to the program on a yearly basis. Our year-round Youth Leadership program has mentored 20 students, and many of our graduating seniors have moved into secondary schooling and are pursuing the arts on a meaningful level.

Project Shanti Bhavan- Project Shanti Bhavan- Project Shanti Bhavan was launched in August 1997 to provide educational opportunities and support to children from the poorest families and orphans. It is an original project of The George Foundation, which was established in January of 1995 in Bangalore, India to help shape the future of a select number of poor children in rural India.

Currently, ASTEP is recruiting and training, then sending volunteers to enhance the curriculum at Shanti Bhavan with arts education classes. Therefore all volunteer artists will teach in the specific art form that they are qualified in while providing support and guidance to the children both as an artist and as an individual from a different culture. This interaction requires one-to-one and group interaction with the children.

Shanti Bhavan was created to empower and educate the severely disadvantaged children of India. Shanti Bhavan meaning 'haven of peace,' is located in the village area of Nelamangala, which is 40 km northeast

of Bangalore in southern India.

Currently, ASTEP, in association with The George Foundation, is in the process of orchestrating a capital campaign in an effort to build additions to the dormitory and dining hall so we will be able to provide housing for the children and our volunteers.

Donations are the lifeblood of our organization. Without them, the youths of Homestead and the children of Shanti Bhavan would be unable to participate in our programs, our artists would be unable to ply their talents and inspiration, our office would stumble to a halt. Your critical support allows ASTEP to function in all of its capacities, providing us with the means to enrich the lives and communities of young people in need across the globe.

Please donate online at www.asteponline.org or via mail at ASTEP, 165 West 46th Street #1308, NY, NY 10036

or visit www.firstgiving.com/asteponline to donate to an ASTEP volunteer’s personal campaign.