Assembly for Action is a student-run community service leadership conference that pairs fifty Action Scholars with local non-profits to create community service projects. Through five grants of $2,500 each, the winning “Action Plans” contribute to community development by empowering student leaders to improve the capacity of local non-profits so they can better serve Gainesville residents.

​

During my time as an action scholar, I partnered with CDS Family and Behavioral Services, more specifically Interface Youth Shelter. This shelter houses children who have faced trauma or distress in their home life. While they are at Interface they attend their same school if possible and are provided with any further support they may need. This was an excellent opportunity to learn about both the grant writing process and working with at risk youth

​

To gather a needs assessment of Interface, I spent time at the shelter talking with it's residents and staff. Collectively, my partners, the CDS staff, I agreed that there was a need for life skills curriculum in the shelter. Many of the youth did not fully understand all of the possibilities for their future. They did not have access to information on the arts, nutrition, or higher education. Our goal was to implement bi weekly workshops in which the youth could participate and learn new transferable skills. While we were not able to receive funding for this project, my partners and I are aiming to implement this project in some capacity starting in 2020. Feel free to read out full proposal linked below.