ORANGE COUNTY CHILDREN’S THERAPEUTIC ARTS CENTER 13

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Exhibit A PROPOSAL NARRATIVE for YSPN Membership I. About the Program A. Executive Summary 1. Which WIA population will the program recruit and serve? 2. Indicate how many participants to be served. The OCCTAC Arts & Learning Academy program will recruit and serve 15 out -of -school youth (ages 17-21) with disabilities of limited resources from the City of Santa Ana. OCCTAC will provide participants educational skills and job training, paid work experience, mentoring, tutoring, counseling, leadership opportunities, and support services. 3. Describe how this program fits in with programs currently being offered by your agency. Founded in 2000, OCCTAC has quickly grown to be recognized as one of Santa Ana's leading community builders for children and youth with special needs. We are proud to say that OCCTAC is a unique organization in Orange County. OCCTAC is the only agency in Santa Ana that successfully integrates youth with and without disabilities in a nurturing and supportive environment that teaches respect, disability awareness, cultural diversity and inclusion with an emphasis in the arts and education. Currently, OCCTAC offers a wide variety of educational and therapeutic programs for youth with special needs, including learning disabilities, health impairments, developmental and emotional disabilities. The WIA program is an extension of services to a population that we have already been serving for 8 years! Some examples of our programs include: after -school arts, after school learning academy program, tutoring, media lab and technology training, leadership and support groups, counseling and others. 4. Indicate which of the 10 WIA elements the program will offer. The OCCTAC Arts & Learning Academy program will offer 9 of the 10 WIA elements, with the exception of alternative secondary school services to participants. OCCTAC Arts and Learning Academy program has a strong emphasis on mentoring, tutoring, leadership, support services, counseling and hands-on job training in the fields of education, arts and technology. 5. Indicate planned outcomes. The OCCTAC Arts and Learning Academy program will offer out -of -school youth with disabilities the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills to successfully transition into the workforce, and further their education and training. The goals of the program are to build participants' self-esteem and confidence, academic improvement, leadership skills, workforce preparation and experience through structured educational and job training opportunities in the fields of arts, education and technology at OCCTAC. 6. Describe the basic program approach (workshop/classroom/community). The OCCTAC Arts and Learning Academy program will take will take place primarily at our community -based center. WIA participants will engage in a variety of educational and job training activities, including classroom and workshop instruction, as well as community placements to gain work experience, and further their education and training. Participants will be required to meet individually with key staff, participate in monthly workshops, and engage in weekly "hands-on" job training opportunities in our various programs at the center and community sites (e.i., school district, community centers).