ENLIGHTENING THE YOUTH
CHISPA: MENTORING PROGRAM
a transformative experience
CHISPA is a non-profit organization, founded in 2011, dedicated to assisting at-risk youth in Mexico, ages 12-24. Its primary goal is to help these youth create transformative change in their journeys, communities and world views by teaching them life and career skills in a safe, compassionate environment. CHISPA emphasizes prevention and intervention instead of suppression and enforcement to light a new path for youth in Mexico.
-- THE SECRET OF CHANGE IS TO FOCUS ALL YOUR ENERGY
NOT ON FIGHTING THE OLD, BUT ON BUILDING THE NEW --
CHISPA PROGRAMS: AN holistic approach
CHISPA programs employ a holistic, equine and canine guided-psychosocial approach that combines the professional industry, performing arts and animals for facilitating change in at-risk youth.
This approach recognizes the important influence of mind, body, heart, and spirit in the ability to turn problems into opportunities and create balance in life and community. At the heart of our mission is developing individuals who want to create sustainable change in their lives, their communities and the world.
MIND
Train your mind to be stronger than your emotions or else you will lose yourself every time.
BODY
It’s not about about being perfect. It’s all about effort.
heart
A change of heart, changes everything.
SPIRIT
Spiritual health is the path to inner peace regardless of the turmoil around you.
THE GOALS OF CHISPA
CHISPA was founded in 2011by Francesca Fisher and is located at Los Senderos in San Miguel de Allende, Gto. México. CHISPA’s main objective is to help transform at-risk youth through the development of cultural and artistic activities.
The goals of CHISPA are twofold:
1) to help at-risk youth raise their confidence in themselves by teaching them job skills, providing remedial education and emotional support to build self-esteem and communication skills, and more importantly
2) to provide them with career skills that will help them transform their lives, their communities, and Mexico.
CHISPA believes to make a real difference, everyone must get involved because –“If you want a drug and violent-free community, you must begin with the areas you can control–your homes, streets, neighborhoods, schools and businesses.”
PHASE 1: MENTORING
CHISPA HAS THREE MAIN PHASES:
First, youth are removed from detrimental influences and placed into safe environments with the help from CHISPA partners. Once youth reach a certain level of accomplishments during the initial rehabilitation program, they will then come to Los Senderos for the CHISPA program.
Mentoring, at its core, guarantees young people that there is someone who cares about them, assures them they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges, and makes them feel like they matter.
Chispa, in Spanish, means spark. A spark is the beginning of something, of an idea or a fire. Giving them the ability to generate their own spark and build their own fire is an invaluable resource.
PHASE 2: ANIMAL-ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY
During the phase 2, the process of working with the animals, the AAP team and youth engage in talk therapy, processing feelings, behaviors, and patterns.
Benefits of Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy:
- Breaks down defense barriers
- Time effective
- Challenges youth in a non-threatening manner
- The horse and dog is a non-judgmental, honest partner
- Promotes a motivating learning environment
- Builds the therapeutic relationship
- Enhances problem-solving skills
- Provides immediate cause-and-effect situation
- Decreases feelings of hopelessness
- Stimulates creativity
- Encourages responsibility
- Captivates and holds the attention
- Helps teach empathy
- Empowers and gives a sense of control over self
- Develops social skills
- Teaches better communication skills
- Promotes both teamwork and individual leadership
PHASE 3: CAREER DEVELOPMENT
The ultimate outcome for the youth is to build skills such as personal responsibility, assertiveness, non-verbal communication, self-confidence, and self-control. The final phase of training will involve career development by designing a social and cultural program that combines scenic art, graffiti, construction, music, performance, gymnastics, craft, and horsemanship.
This approach will provide a catalyst for social change as well as providing a source of employment and economic stimulus for the region.
Youth will transition from education/counseling to career skill development and employment by working in the development, implementation, and production of an interactive dinner and show.
CHISPA will provide the infrastructure – including physical installations, administration, and academic and social programs, on which to base the show. The breadth of training the youth will include set construction, technical training in lighting, sound, learning stunts, wardrobe design, event management, marketing, multimedia development and more – all of which will set them up with more career opportunities in the related fields of film, theater, cirque and more
Improving Conditions and Creating Opportunities
CHISPA provides opportunities for at-risk youth to participate in athletic, educational, cultural, and community enrichment programs. The program enables youth to build confidence and self-esteem and encourages them to say “no” to gangs, drugs, and violence and “yes” to hope, learning, and life.
BECOME A CHISPA PARTNER and help transform lives. Your support will create sustainable and lasting impact for children, families and the entire community.