ABOUT US
Thank you for visiting the Invest in Children Global website. We exist to bring healing and hope to war-torn and traumatized youth around the world.
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We are dedicated to offering solutions to the problems threatening adolescent's mental and emotional well-being by developing programs that bring rehabilitation and healing.
Most teens find it difficult to verbalize their thoughts and emotions, especially as it relates to traumatic experiences affecting their lives. We have found that using music and the arts can reach into areas that words alone cannot touch, giving youth a voice when words are not enough.
For this reason, we design and host camps that utilize trauma-based curriculum, along with music and the arts, to help adolescents work through the damaging and traumatic events they have experienced. Each day at camp we provide the children breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack. We also provide classes that teach income generating skills such as, jewelry making, knitting, and photography. IiCG also provides limited scholarships on an as needed basis to help cover education fees. We have found that our camps bring healing by equipping kids with coping tools and resiliency skills.
With this in mind, we work hard to establish long-term community relationships. This provides mentoring opportunities where trust, respect and love are fostered and grown.
Our current programs have been developed and implemented in the USA, Russia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya, Turkey and Greece. As well as art and music therapy camps, IiCG also provide staff training workshops with the intent of educating volunteers, teachers, organizations, and their staff about the damaging effects of trauma and post-traumatic stress on the brain. Our staff training workshops have been effective in educating teachers and youth workers about how to help youth cope with the effects of trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and also how to teach coping and resiliency skill to their students. These workshops have also been effective with the attendees themselves, as many of them have experienced trauma and suffer with PTSD.
In 2014, 2015, and 2016 Invest in Children Global was selected by University of Pennsylvania’s Masters of Applied Psychology department to participate in their student learning program. Through this partnership, IiCG has incorporated a relatively new field of study, Positive Psychology, into it’s curriculum. This branch of psychology was developed by Martin Seligman in 1998 and seeks to emphasize the positive characteristics and traits inherent in an individual, as well as a community, to help foster healing, rather than only treating the symptoms of mental illness. IiCG and UPenn’s MAPP program worked together on curriculum development and activities that allow traumatized youth to recognize and build upon the skills they already have in order to become more resilient.
As a result, IiCG is excited to implement this new Resiliency curriculum in war-torn and poverty stricken countries throughout East Africa, Turkey and Greece.
Invest In Children Global was known as Invest in Children Africa, however since our scope has expanded, we felt the need to change our name to IiCG to embrace the fact that our organization is now global in it's mission. IiCG operates under Invest In Children, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on serving children and youth regardless of race, religion or social status.
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We develop and host programs that use trauma focused curriculum, as well as music and artistic expression programs to bring healing and hope to traumatized adolescents. We also educate volunteers, teachers, organizations and their staff about the damaging effects of trauma and post-traumatic stress on the brain through our workshops. Our goal is to empower these traumatized teens with the tools and knowledge they need to overcome the trauma that has disrupted their lives.
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Thank you for taking the time to visit our website and learn more about our organization and this important cause. We invite you to partner with us as we reach out and encourage this next generation of youth around the globe.
Countries Where We've Worked:
USA
Moscow, Russia
Gulu & Kampala, Uganda
Kigali, Rwanda
Nairobi, Kenya
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Istanbul, Turkey
Athens and Thessolonica, Greece
