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| About CRYP | Youth Programs | Family Services | Volunteering | Help CRYP | Contact Us |
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"A Vision for the Future..." The development of the Cokata Wiconi Teen Center, dedicated in August 2006, is gift to Cheyenne River that honors our young people and their potential. CRYP has learned many lessons in the past 19 years; the greatest lesson is that effective programming must be creative to capture the imagination of a young person. It must reach out to them and be relevant to their lives. Ċokata Wiċoni was designed with this in mind. Children have hope when they know options and opportunities exist. Organizational Development To ensure the sustainability of the CRYP, we are currently working on an organizational plan as our roadmap for the future. We plan to analyze the project's mission, staffing plan, policies, resources, programming and services, and to assess our strengths and challenges. This plan will lay the foundation for our organization's future and is planned for spring and summer 2007. The Cheyenne River Youth Project understands that adding a facility such as the Ċokata Wiċoni Teen Center is a monumental undertaking, beyond the construction project. The continuation of quality services and programming will require the bringing together of human, financial, and community resources. CRYP has integrated several entrepreneurial ventures, including the internet café and gift shop. In conjunction with external assistance, these ventures will contribute to a sustainable future. Educational and Creative Advancement At Ċokata Wiċoni and the Main Youth Center, CRYP creates programs that provide learning opportunities in an alternative environment, one which reflects sensitivity to our community's strengths and challenges. CRYP has implemented a variety of learning systems that will impart knowledge through oral tradition, hands-on experience and western teaching methods. The CRYP libraries will offer references that pertain to the cultural, spiritual and political history of the Lakota people, as well as a selection of cross-curriculum books that will open the minds and imaginations of our youth. Already we have initiated projects that will orally record the stories of our elders, which will be used in performance and writing projects and be archived in the library for future generations. The classroom, computer lab and internet café will offer spaces that can be used in partnership with our community and, more importantly, will provide an environment for self-expression and personal development through seminars, art workshops, clubs, talking circles and other learning programs. The art and dance studios will provide much-needed artistic outlets. Participants who wish to learn new skills or further develop existing talents will be able to do so in supportive and accessible environment. Through our network of volunteers and friends, we will continue to recruit educators, artists and professionals who can offer specialized programs in these areas. In addition, local teen artists, from poets to musicians, will be invited to share their talents through performances in the internet café. Personal and Social Growth Healthy social development is encouraged through both CRYP youth facilities through intramural sports programs, education and arts activities and social events that bring adults and youth participants together in an environment that is safe and supervised. By developing these relationships early, our youth will learn how to formulate lasting bonds, strengthen their own self-worth and develop a sense of security in the community. Many of our teens suffer from low self-esteem and peer pressure. Offering activities in which they can engage in healthier relationships and have alternatives to potentially harmful choices will increase the likelihood that they develop into happier, more independent and socially conscious adults. Wellness CRYP believes in a holistic approach to wellness. Through our programs and services, youth have access to healthy foods, physical activity and educational programs in which they will learn how their choices affect their physical and emotional well-being. The gymnasium in Cokata Wiconi will be available for team sports and other athletic activities, such as walking and exercise classes. The weight-training room also will also provide participants with safe, practical fitness equipment. Through the Diabetes Prevention Program we are developing, youth participants will learn to cope with existing health concerns and learn how to prevent diabetes through proper nutrition and exercise. The internet café will serve a selection of healthy foods as well as traditional foods. When available, produce from the 2˝-acre garden will also be incorporated. The Diabetes Prevention Program will collaborate with CRYP's existing garden project to teach teens about the nutritional value of fresh produce. To support our young people as well as the staff who provide these services, an in-house counsellor needs to be available. A Mental Health and Wellness Program will provide an opportunity for our participants to visit a mental health professional on a needs-based system, either through walk-in or scheduled appointments. Additionally, an on-site counsellor will train staff and volunteers on the specific needs of our community and our youth, so that our work can be more sensitive, effective and specialized. Social Entrepreneurship The internet café and gift shop will contribute to CRYP's sustainability by generating revenue that will be reinvested into our programs and services. At the same time, these spaces will create full and part-time jobs for area youth and adults; offer technological access; create a venue for teens to market their artwork and other crafts; and provide an inspiring learning environment. The commercial kitchen will also serve as an economic development center for processing our garden produce. We are currently developing our business plan to bring these economic ventures into reality as we move forward in our organizational planning phases. We still have much to do and you can be a part of it! If you would like to donate to the teen center initiative, please see our section on "Help CRYP" for more information or contact us. In addition, please see our Photo Gallery for pictures of the teen center.
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