Program Purpose: To support NLV residents who are interested in homeownership through counseling and education. TBNHS prepares prospective homeowners to navigate the process and any obstacles they might encounter. They provide information on topics including how to obtain a mortgage; fair housing practices; home inspection; and more. Supporting residents with homeownership furthers our goal of ensuring that families are able to provide children with permanency.
A! SLS Success through Learning & Support
Program Purpose: To provide one-on-one tutoring to help students overcome academic challenges, maximize academic potential and promote student success. We use a variety of strategies which are tailored to each student’s learning style so the students can become confident, independent learners.
Community Stepping Stones & Village Arts Program – Art Workshops
Program Purpose: For NLV children to enjoy creative expression while building relationships with each other through a diverse range of visual arts. With Community Stepping Stones – a local nonprofit organization dedicated to using an arts-infused curriculum to inspire, educate, mentor and prepare at-risk youth to become successful adults – Villagers created a mural on the wall next to our playground and built big, beautiful metal butterflies for our garden, offices and the Village entrance.
Emotional Vaccines
Program Purpose: To connect our community with easy-to-digest wellness wisdom in the form of physician-led, 3-minute videos. These videos provide information on various topics with the aim of normalizing conversations about everyday challenges and equipping our community with practical tools to navigate through common stressors.
Stageworks Theatres – Hip Hop Bucket Drumming Classes
Program Purpose: To introduce at-risk youth to performing arts with a focus on rhythmically attuned movements. This employs the social engagement part of a child’s brain, fostering positive social interactions, healthy communication, and improved mental health. Stageworks Theatre’s master drumming instructor, Alvon Griffin, uses his “Math Music” method – which helps children of all ages learn rhythms, and create their own compositions in a format flexible enough to take advantage ofeveryone’s talents, which may include improvisational rap, spoken word, step or dance.
Pathfinder Outdoor Education – Team Building Retreat
Program Purpose: To build community and develop social and emotional skills. Pathfinder Outdoor Education‘s unique, hands-on, experiential youth programs help build community by getting kids outside in nature. Our annual team-building retreat provides New Life Village children and families a chance to develop valuable life skills, find their inner leader, problem solve as a community, and discover new talents and strengths.
Ebb & Flow – Trauma Based Yoga
Program Purpose: To assist NLV residents in identifying where stress shows up in their bodies, how to calm their body and mind when they become dysregulated, and improve overall health through intentional movements, breathing exercises, and meditation. Some of the health benefits include reduced stress and anxiety, better sleep, increased circulation, and less joint pain.
Sunshine Line
Program Purpose: To increase access to developmental opportunities (health & wellness, recreational, educational) for trauma-impacted children and provide a respite break for Village caregivers through the provision of transportation. Hillsborough County’s Sunshine Line transports Village residents to field trips and community service projects around the County throughout the year. Children enjoy building community with each other and interacting with the Greater Tampa community in ways they otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
Celebrate Birthdays
Program Purpose: To ensure each of our youth impacted by foster care can celebrate their birthday and receive a present, regardless of personal or financial circumstances. Celebrate Birthdays ensures that each of our youth feels seen, valued, and celebrated on this very special day. Creating these positive childhood experiences cultivates positive self-worth, a sense of belonging, and further fortifies those connections they’ve made with the community.
String Program
Program Purpose: To support character development and build resiliency. The String Program has been shown to increase youth self-discipline, emotional regulation, improve communication skills and foster a greater sense of achievement. Youth participating in the String Program share their progress with the community through performances at various New Life Village events.
Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center
Program Purpose: To provide engaging, stem-focused curriculum which encourages life-long learning, advocating for the protection of the environment and volunteerism within the community. The engaging lessons and hands-on activities provided by Tampa Bay Watch Discover Center get our youth excited about Tampa Bay’s unique ecosystem, the wonders of the natural world, and how their choices can make the world they live in a better place.
Selah Freedom
Program Purpose: To provide all residents with age-appropriate tools to prevent sex trafficking. Selah Freedom’s training has increased the awareness of trafficking; educated our community on the common tactics and red flags of exploitation; and equipped our households with the tools to have effective conversations with youth around healthy relationships, boundaries, body safety rules, and how to report unsafe behaviors to a safe adult.
Thornwell
Program Purpose: To provide trauma-informed parenting workshops to support caregivers in meeting the needs of their children. Family Specialists bring an attachment-based framework known as Trust-Based Relational Intervention (T.B.R.I). These attachment-based parenting techniques have helped our families reduce stress, increase caregiver/child connection, and teach behaviors that support child development.
Sisco Stables - Equine Program
Program Purpose: To provide Village children access to horse care and safety camps and horseback riding lessons. Sisco Stables teaches children how to bathe, groom and tack horses. During riding lessons, they learn how to mount, ride, post, walk, trot and canter with their horse. Working with the horses and trainers has been found to soothe children’s anxiety and develop their confidence and self-esteem. Children also get to practice patience while building trust and a bond with their horse, Millie. Children participating in this program look forward to their weekly lesson with excitement and anticipation.