Sometimes the best classroom for any young person is the very community that they inhabit. As an NYC-based non-profit organization, we are extremely conscious of the unique identities that define the respective communities we serve. Working primarily with children and families, we also understand that we’re part of a larger web of interconnected characters, each serving their specific role in the larger neighborhood.
Engaging Activities at Open Streets Event:
Our Summer Rising and SYEP participants at both PS 115 and Connectemonos had the chance to visit an Open Streets event, where they were able to play chess, volleyball, basketball, and even participate in a percussion workshop. Our SYEP participants, in particular, helped to facilitate the Baby/Toddler Olympics, an event comprising exercises that promote motor AND social skills. At CASW, we believe that events like these help to bolster our communities and bring the amazing people who make up our neighborhoods closer together.
Building Community and Social Skills:
The truth is that events like these serve a larger purpose in both unifying the community AND educating the young people residing there. Of course, an initiative like Open Streets gives back by bringing resources, activities, and information to the whole neighborhood. However, for the young people attending this event, it is also an opportunity to connect with others and build their social skills. When people come to know more about the spaces they occupy, they generally experience an improved mood and better esteem for themselves and the people around them.
Our agency is committed to fostering opportunities that strengthen our communities. Open Streets is just one example of how we and our partners seek to enrich the lives of everyone in the neighborhoods we serve.
