It all started late last year, as Beatrice Stewart, Executive Director of Flourish Initiative, was watching residents of the Flourish shelter working on art projects at the shared kitchen table. In the middle of the chaos of a busy shared space, they were trying to unwind and relax.
“This will not do,” Beatrice thought. “We need a designated art space; somewhere they can go to escape and work through the challenges and trauma in their lives.” But with space at a premium inside the bustling teen and young adult shelter, they weren’t sure how to turn this vision into realty.
That’s when they connected with Job Point’s Director of Housing, Travis Kroner, and a new idea began to take shape.
“They told me what their vision was and the budget they had to work with,” Kroner said. “I drafted plans for a shed that fit their needs and stayed within their budget. Once they gave the approval, our students got to work.”
Kroner says it was perfect timing for Job Point’s YouthBuild and Carpentry programs. They had just completed construction at their Affordable Housing project on Lynn St. and were waiting for approvals to begin construction on their Garth Ave. project.
“This project gave our students the opportunity to do every aspect of the building process, but on a small scale. We were able to use all the skills we teach when we build a full-scale home. It was a great fit for what we do in our program,” Kroner said. “And we got to help another great community organization.”
Throughout the spring months, students from Job Point’s YouthBuild and Carpentry programs worked together to build the 12’x8’ Art Shed giving the residents at Flourish’s Youth Shelter a new retreat and a place to call their own. This project was supported by generous donations from the Downtown Optimist Club and the Community Foundation of Central Missouri.
“It’s just so exciting to see that this vision we had is finally here. It’s real!” Stewart said. “Our residents really needed this space and we are excited to see them make it their own.”
While some supplies have already been donated for the space by Veterans United Home Loans, additional planning is underway through another collaborative partnership with Access Arts.
“We are looking forward to helping the residents plan the space and hopefully teach some classes this fall. Access Arts is providing ten hours of time with our Youth Programs Coordinator, Stephanie Francis, to meet with the youth in the house, hear their ideas, and then come back with a design for the space, as well as recommendations for basic supplies,” Sarah Catlin, Executive Director of Access Arts, said.
Across the country, communities are having tough conversations about how organizations can better work together to help support youth in crisis. Through this project, Job Point, Flourish Initiative and Access Arts have found an innovative way to come together to serve youth in Columbia and create opportunities for these young people to flourish.
“At the end of the day, we all have the same mission,” John Scalise, President and CEO of Job Point, said. “We want to help people who are struggling get from where they are today to where they really want to go.”
