Cultural Diversity

Furthermore, we want to reduce the incidence of youth violence related to racial tension or bias. The workshops will include information on resisting drugs, alcohol, violence and other negative peer influences. With this program, The DOT Organization will advise and counsel youth through a series of workshops, seminars, and activities, culminating with an outdoor Diversity Festival.

OBJECTIVES
The DOT Organization will:

• Provide staff members to advise and mentor youth, formally and informally, through sound, positive example and structured group activities

• Teach and reinforce required skills for leadership, resiliency, and responsibility so that youth can resist negative peer influences when faced with difficult choices.

• Host several sessions for youth ages 8 to 17 to cover pertinent aspects of ethnic diversity, tolerance of other cultures, and resistance to negative peer influences (including prevention of violence, drugs and alcohol).

• Promote self-pride with respect to one’s own heritage and differences.

• Educate youth on different ethnic backgrounds and heritages, including ethnic heroes, and specific stories of accomplishment for each.

• Educate youth on other culture’s practices, holidays, events, ethnic foods, and dress.

• Encourage open dialogue so that participants can express their current viewpoints and relevant experiences.

• Explore commonalities among our diverse cultures and our identities as Americans.

• Arrange field trips and/or events to further expose them to different cultures.

• Help youth process learned knowledge and demonstrate their understanding by making a group presentation at the culminating event. Each presentation will highlight a particular ethnic group.

• Seek out opportunities to partner with other minority groups, as appropriate, to further enrich the offerings of diversity and cultural awareness of this program.

• Help youth develop and/or strengthen feelings of self-worth and self-confidence.

• Work with qualified organizations to obtain speakers and literature to distribute to youth.