19 replies to this topic

[patheticgirl43]

For the last few years I have been involved in doing charity work for a few different charities. The last one I was with didn't work out after trying to put together a huge benefit show. (I didn't realize it was that hard haha). Anyway, now I have so much time on my hands, and I want to put together a project that could actually work. I was thinking about starting a non profit that sets up local artists (musicians, painters, photographers, actors) with a special needs buddy. They would work on a project together a few times a month. It could be a painting or maybe having them play a song in your band. I was thinking that maybe once or twice a year there could be a showcase of everything that has been put together. The money could go towards supplying the kids with supplies in their medium to help them continue their expression. These kids could be making friendships they wouldn't have been exposed to without this sort of idea and local artists could network and help out their community. I obviously haven't worked out all of the details but I just wanted to see if any one would actually be interested in something like this. My boyfriend is on this site all the time so I thought I would give it a try.

Any thoughts?

[donald]

sounds very cool, I would be willing to help out any way that I could.

[jeremx]

definitely think it's a great idea. although i'm sure there may be a lot of legal and potential insurance stuff that has to be looked into for someone to spend time with a child. not to mention possible background checks on volunteers so nothing sketchy goes down and ruins the whole thing for everyone.

[JJames]

definitely think it's a great idea. although i'm sure there may be a lot of legal and potential insurance stuff that has to be looked into for someone to spend time with a child. not to mention possible background checks on volunteers so nothing sketchy goes down and ruins the whole thing for everyone.

what he said

ps hi samantha!

[patheticgirl43]

definitely think it's a great idea. although i'm sure there may be a lot of legal and potential insurance stuff that has to be looked into for someone to spend time with a child. not to mention possible background checks on volunteers so nothing sketchy goes down and ruins the whole thing for everyone.

what he said

ps hi samantha!

Hi justin

and maybe if the parents were involved i could side step some of the legal stuff? i dont know yet. again, its just an idea. I mean I actually want to do this. I think I could do this. I just need enough people on board first to get some of the grants/donations in order to get all of the legal crap worked out.

[donald]

definitely think it's a great idea. although i'm sure there may be a lot of legal and potential insurance stuff that has to be looked into for someone to spend time with a child. not to mention possible background checks on volunteers so nothing sketchy goes down and ruins the whole thing for everyone.

what he said

ps hi samantha!

Hi justin

and maybe if the parents were involved i could side step some of the legal stuff? i dont know yet. again, its just an idea. I mean I actually want to do this. I think I could do this. I just need enough people on board first to get some of the grants/donations in order to get all of the legal crap worked out.

Sounds like alot of research before the ball gets rolling. I am not sure how anyone else can really help yet, but theshizz is definitely here to bounce ideas off of and maybe put some ideas into motion.

[Tony]

and maybe if the parents were involved i could side step some of the legal stuff?

as a parent, i would insist on the legal stuff being in place before i signed off on anything. no offense.

have you contacted any other non-profits to see how they deal with stuff like this? groups like make-a-wish or big brothers or anything like that? they probably have some sort of community outreach for this sort of thing - maybe they can even put you under their umbrella for coverage or something? i have no idea. but i'd go to somebody like that who'd done it before to see what resources they might have.

[Jacki O.]

i like it.

it's kinda like freeartsarizonawhich is a cool program, might be helpful to look at their model:

Free Arts of Arizona is a nonprofit organization that brings the healing powers of the creative arts to abused, neglected and homeless children by partnering with over 100 group homes, treatment centers and shelters in Maricopa County.

[jeremx]

in addition to the background check you're definitely going to need a very stringent screening process. someone might think the idea is cool and sign up only to realize it's more work than they thought, or more time consuming, and bail on it a month in. that can really wreck a kid's confidence and trust in adults at that age. i hate to stereotype but artists and musicians are notorious "free spirits" who might not want to commit to something that's going to interfere with band practices, shows, gallery showings, etc. again, i know this is not everyone who calls themselves an artist but it's just something i'm putting out there. there's a big difference between hiring someone on who's working towards a degree in child psychology and hiring the drummer from that band who does tuesday nights at the fish. and parents are going to be very keen on this. although, depending on the situation, they may be willing to take anyone who can spend time with their kid. who, if they're having to reach out for special help from special friends, may have some behavioral issues that will require a particular skillset to manage.

[Jacki O.]

you could also structure it in a way so it's like a music camp for kids

like the Girls Rock Camp

[JRC]

I dig this, and would let us you TS for it, if that would help.
Of course, time & hours and all that being an issue.

But yea, background checks a must.
And, I believe some of the creators will need a little "sensativity training" since it is not an inborn skill--ya don't always know when you'r hurting someone's feelings.

I'd love to do it, but honestly, I'm an impatient d*ck.

[bob]

teachers and human service workers and volunteers just need a fingerprint clearance card, a clean driving record (if driving is required) and depending on the agency, a drug test. i don't see why something like this would be more complicated. i don't see how a screening process or anything else would weed out the flakes. that seems like a necessary part of the process of creating a team of dedicated individuals for something like this. after you get the ball rolling, of course.

it sounds like a really good idea, but really nebulous. the first step might be to research what services are needed and where.

and then seeing if grants are available for what you want to do.

[patheticgirl43]

Thanks everyone for all of the feedback. So, since I have been reading all of this I have started to look more into everything. I got the paperwork so that i could start a non profit and I have been working on writing up a proposal and a mission statement so I can start looking at possible grants and then creating a board. I know that this isnt something that is normally talked about on this board, but I just wanted to post it here because most of the people on this site are or know local artists in whatever form. And because I would be dealing directly with local artists I wanted input to see if anyone would even be interested in this. But! with the legal junk we have been talking about. Because finger print clearance cards are somewhat expensive I could do background checks. They are like 20 dollars less a person. Also, my dad has to run them for his work constantly and I would have access to their database which makes it even cheaper then that. So. I think I am going to actually do this. I took this year off of school and it will be nice to have something to devote so much time to. So please continue with the feedback, suggestions, and concerns because it is helping a lot.

[jeremx]

i don't see why something like this would be more complicated. i don't see how a screening process or anything else would weed out the flakes. that seems like a necessary part of the process of creating a team of dedicated individuals for something like this.

because you don't want to use the "trial and error" process of weeding people out when it comes to those people interacting with children. that's why i mentioned before that if someone flakes out on a kid, it's going to effect that kid a lot.

[bob]

i don't see why something like this would be more complicated. i don't see how a screening process or anything else would weed out the flakes. that seems like a necessary part of the process of creating a team of dedicated individuals for something like this.

because you don't want to use the "trial and error" process of weeding people out when it comes to those people interacting with children. that's why i mentioned before that if someone flakes out on a kid, it's going to effect that kid a lot.

i agree with you totally. i just don't know what that process would look like when you've already made sure they're not a pederast or a drug felon or whatever. not all musicians and artists are creeps or drug addicts (but it can help.) i work in human services and there's a high turnover rate. i think it's part of the gig. the only thing i can think of is an extensive (costly) training program where hopefuls are shown exactly what they're getting in to. but, if poor kids and people with disabilities aren't used to being dumped on yet, they might have a learning disability as well. i mean, this is AZ, baby.