Skip over navigation

Programs

Community Development, Health, and Human Rights

The Swearer Center is working with Making Connections, a collaborative effort to build resident leadership and community capacity in Providence, to develop a strategy that would engage Brown students and faculty in this work. Making Connections Providence (MCP) is a ten-year initiative (now in its seventh year) funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation . The initiative focuses on low-income, multi-cultural neighborhoods in South Providence, the West End, and Elmwood section of Providence. These neighborhoods are among the most diverse in Rhode Island and among the most economically depressed areas in the state. Through MCP, the residents of these neighborhoods define the issues that their families are most effected by, and develop strategies to address them on the community and government level. Currently, we have established the following opportunities for student involvement:

The Making Connections Leadership Institute (MCLI) takes place during our spring semester, and is at the heart of this effort to build stronger, healthier neighborhoods. MCLI trains residents in analysis of their neighborhood issues, public policy, the smart use of data, and community organizing. Residents are provided withthe resources and social networks to build their personal leadership capacity in order to influence change in their schools and neighborhhods, on non-profit boards and at community meetings. Brown students participating in MCLI, will be immersed in neighborhood issues, work collaboratively with residents, and come face to face to with the dynamics of race, class and power as they relate to change, coalition building, community organizing, defining relevant issues and engaging in shared leadership. For students who want a closer relationship with Providence residents and issues faci neighborhoods, this is a fabulous and time intensive opportunity. Contact: Claudia DeCesare

Another program to come out of this effort is a financial literacy program:

Providence Business Teens at John Hope Settlement House is part of MCP's "family economic success" strategy. Brown students and the John Hope Settlement House collaborate to provide opportunities for High School students to learn about the finanace and business industries. Participants will learn how to generate revenue through trading stocks and entrepreneurial ventures. At the end of the program, studnets will have researched and participated in stock trading and the stock market as well as have prepard their own business plans and proposals. Providence Business Teens will provide a comfortable and casual environment where learning about these distant fields will be easy, relatable, and fun. Contact: Sanjay Bhatt or Samantha Favis at: providencebusinesstenns@gmail.com

Other Swearer Center Community Development, Health, and Human Rights programs include:

Peer HIV/AIDS & Sexuality Education (PHASE)

PHASE works collaboratively with community-based organizations to provide comprehensive sexuality education for high school students in downtown Providence. Volunteers are trained to implement and develop curricula covering Anatomy and Physiology, Contraception, STIs, HIV/AIDS and Healthy Relationships. We strive to create a safe and open environment dedicated to facilitating discussion and providing honest and accurate information. Coordinators: Cassidy Boesch (Cassidy_Boesch@Brown.edu) and Gina Silverstein (Gina_Silverstein@brown.edu)

AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVOCACY and ACTION (AHAA)

AHAA is a student think tank devoted to addressing the affordable housing crisis in Rhode Island. Members meet every week for 1-3 hours with elected officials, heads of NGOs, service providers, and other relevant people at sites on and off College Hill. At the end of the semester, the group both sponsors events for National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week and produces a report for at least one relevant agency in Providence, the content of which will be determined by the group. This semester’s focus is the broad but critically important idea of homelessness prevention. Coordinator: Fiona Heckscher
Contact: Fiona_Heckscher@brown.edu

HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE EVERYWHERE (HOPE)

Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE) grew out of a 2004 Break Project and has as its mission building solidarity with the homeless community in Rhode Island. Students engaged with HOPE work closely with People to End Homelessness to support their advocacy efforts. HOPE participants also provide direct service to soup kitchens, shelters and other community agencies and help support the Street Sights Newspaper. Coordinators: Megan Smith, Christopher Mendez
Contact: Megan_C_Smith@brown.edu; Meghna_Philip@brown.edu; HOPE@brown.edu

GO! KIDS

Go! Kids is an obesity prevention program that works in collaboration with Head Start, utilizing the parent and children curricula of the Children’s Aid Society. Through a year long series of lessons, the program seeks to convey the most crucial aspects of obesity prevention, including: how and why we need to eat the various food groups, portion sizes, listening to your body, exercise, body image, the food pyramid, shopping for affordable and healthy food, and the importance of drinking water. Coordinators: Juan Najar, Sarah Garcia
Contact: Sarah_Garcia@brown.edu

PROVIDENCE ALLIED CPR EDUCATION

PACE provides low cost CPR education in collaboration with volunteer instructors and community organizations in Providence. The project stresses the benefits of health and youth leadership development in their teaching. Coordinators: Nina Karlsen-Ayala, Ruby Shah
Contact:Ruby_Shah@brown.edu or Nina_Karlsen-Ayala@brown.edu