The YPGF Executive Summary

The Young People’s Guild

In 1977,  Dr. Joyce White-Tasby founded the Young People’s Guild (YPG) in Portsmouth, VA. She began teaching piano and voice lessons in her home. The curriculum soon expanded to other disciplines; more specifically, the YPG offers dance, acting, modeling, instrumental and tutoring. Because of parental requests, Mrs. Tasby began to have summer camps that involved academic reinforcement, enhancing self-esteem, self-expression reinforcement, goal setting and mapping pathways to achievements, filed trips, as well as performing and visual arts. Soon the YPG was able to obtain 501(c)(3) status which enabled the organization to grow in the services rendered to its participants in addition to its ability to reach students beyond Portsmouth city limits to Hampton Roads and the Peninsula. Thus, the YPG Foundation was born!

The Young People’s Guild Foundation

The Young People’s Guild Foundation (YPGF) is a community-based organization that services the Hampton Roads are surrounding cities. Through programs and projects funded by the YPGF, it has been successful in developing and maintaining profound, positive lasting effects which have changed communities. Currently, the YPGF seeks to provide funding for various programs, projects throughout the Bertie County, Herford County and Gates County. Our program and projects focus on developing positive differences in the neighboring communities through education [i.e. arts in education, GED programs, mentorship, etc.] It is the mission of YPGF to encourage leadership by providing successful instructional methods:

• Group sessions and private classes (during Fall – Spring hours are 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm and the summer months classes will be held 9:30 am – 4:00 pm)

• Meeting with parents (guardians)

• Encouraging healthy lifestyles (incorporate etiquette, manners and hygiene)

• Assessing and providing individualized plans

• Provide highly structured, well-supervised group activities during high –risk periods of time such as afterschool hours (2:00-6:00 pm)

• Provide specialized educational / instructional service to youth which address the identified needs of each participant.

The YPGF motto is “we lead by example”.

Program Offerings:

Our commitment is to provide top notch adult education programs, the performing arts, mentoring welfare to work transition, conflict resolution socialization transition, and family training projects. In addition, we will provide:

• Youth Literacy programing,

• Gang Prevention, and

• Character Education Program (referred to as LASP)

These program offerings will take place throughout the entire year-along with tutoring, conflict resolution, academic reinforcement, personal development (life coaching) field trips, and performing arts classes. Classes will be private and/or group. For instance, all piano and voice classes are one-on-one (private) while acting and instrumental are generally private but at times require group settings for performances aimed at showcasing the participants’ master skills. However, the dance and modeling classes are group sessions because corporate learning enhances the skills being taught and learned (as iron sharpens iron, one man sharpens another).

Opportunities provided to showcase participants:

Recitals, concerts, a variety show, and workshops are some of the ways in which our participants have opportunities to perform and showcase their talents. This provides them with a since of pride and gratification which each level of growth and improvement. During the year there will be projects such as:

• Red Cotillion Ball (the Princess Program)

• The Extraordinary Talent Pageant

• Christmas Pageant

• Circle of Time

• Sister Friend Brother Friend

• Evangelist Business Exhibit Community Conference

• Community Day (Every (3) years- Early June or October)

• Youth Political Leadership Academy

In the subsequent sections are two synopses of the programs held to showcase the participants.

Snapshot: the Red Cotillion Ball/Princess Program “The Red Ball”

The YPG produces the annual Red Cotillion Ball/Fashion Talent (The Red Ball). The Red Ball is a project geared towards teaching young ladies as well as young men etiquette and social grace. In October, the young ladies begin the process of becoming princess and junior debutantes. There will be escorts to assist in the transformation of girls into young ladies of class and distinction. During the ball the Junior Debutantes will be presented to the general public. The Junior Debutantes and escorts take preparatory classes, workshops geared toward self-esteem, self-awareness and most importantly, self-love. This is a structured and disciplined approach to teaching the participants goal setting and goal achievement. The ultimate achievable goal, for the young ladies is to be presented as a Junior Debutante in the Red Ball (A Night to Remember) where they will showcase their developed social skills and grace. This particular project does target lower socioeconomic families because the YPGF officials are aware that the majority of these children will not have this opportunity.

Snapshot: The Sister Friend – Brother Mentoring Program

The Sister Friend- Brother Friend Mentoring Program services families by bridging the gap between parents and children. This program provides training for parents through structured systematic courses aimed at improving a parent self-image, self-esteem and goals. The Sister Friend-Brother-Friend Mentoring program obtains its mission through the multi-purpose objectives listed below:

• Enforcing the idea of families embracing each other and one’s community.

• Fashioning better parents.

• Setting the stage for reducing teen pregnancy.

• Directing individuals toward independence; and

• Motivating individuals to recycle one’s newly developed resources back into one’s community by making a positive impact on one’s heritage and one’s environment.

Our organization also has job referral services after participants have completed workshops in duration of 6 -12 weeks. Businesses, companies, in the following areas interview on premises:

• Medical field

• Laborers

• Skilled Laborers

• Administrative Jobs, and Customer Service