How we do what we do
Seen + Heard
Our kids often tell us they feel there's something missing in their lives, meaningful relationships where they feel nurtured and valued. The home lives of many of our youth are unpredictable.
RAW provides a safe space, both emotionally and artistically, for kids to reveal “what is really going” on in their lives.
RAW creates endless opportunities for youth to build meaningful relationships with their peers and RAW staff. Kids begin to see and hear each other, realizing they have more similarities than differences. Many of our youth rely on these trusted relationships to help navigate the complexities of their lives.
“RAW was the eye of my storm in my day or week. There is more comfort here than in my own mind. I have told secrets kept in my throat for over a decade and a half. I know how it is to be an outsider, but here I’m on the inside. I am accepted. I have never loved this hard. I never knew I could love this hard. I never knew I would want to love this hard.”
Art + Therapy
Youth in Lynn experience poverty and crime rates that are among the highest in Massachusetts.
RAW kids come to understand that art can be a powerful way to tell their story. Creating art at RAW can be the first step in talking about their past and current traumas, daily struggles or profound sense of isolation.
In RAW's 2022 exhibit, "The Art of Celebration," our young artists celebrated their dreams and goals, where they have been, and where they are going. There were celebrations of self, of the ride--not the destination--and of the blocks and neighborhoods in which they live and play. They celebrated stillness, their tools for coping, and ultimately all the ways they shine in the world.
“Once I started to experiment with different shapes and colors when creating this mask, I realized I wanted to celebrate the good and the bad days of this year. I’m giving myself credit where it’s due and recognizing the obstacles I’ve been able to overcome. The map on my nose represents the current journey I am on to continue celebrating myself as a young adult.” ”
Connect + Succeed
Our Art Therapists, see how early experiences with prolonged stress, and related trauma, can undermine children's ability to learn, form relationships and function well in a classroom. Each of these affects their chances for long-term success.
At RAW, they learn how to ask for help and strengthen their resilience to keep going. Kids understand and value their individuality, seeing themselves as works in progress. Kids know they are a vital part of an inclusive community where they can be vulnerable, finding ways to heal and to thrive.
In 2001, RAW's art therapy staff began working after hours to help teens navigate the complexities of the college process. In a community where the dropout rates were almost double the state average, many of our teens did not see the possibility of higher education. RAW believed it could change that reality. Twenty years later, we have built a thriving college access and career exploration program - PROJECT LAUNCH.
