Arts for Youth - A4Y

The IU Center for Rural Engagement in co-authorship with the Healthy Jackson County-Mental Health and Substance Use Taskforce will collaborate and co-design an Arts 4 Youth (Middle school-aged children (11-14yrs old)) Book which is a bilingual (Spanish and English), interdisciplinary (human rights, social work, art therapy, play therapy, and community health) designed therapeutic guidebook to aid in improving well-being through arts-based exercises infused with social work and art and play therapy practices, and other wellness resources. A4Y Books are accompanied with art supplies. Evidence based research shows that arts-based wellness can reduce symptoms related to anxiety, depression, loneliness, post-traumatic stress, sexual trauma, substance use, and suicidal ideation. The A4Y Books also contains psychoeducational material regarding suicidal ideation, bullying, social media, harassment, future planning, life goals, and healthy relationships vs. domestic violence.