Teen Outreach Program
Our Teen Outreach Program (TOP) focuses on helping young people develop like skills and make healthy choices by offering after school service learning projects that promote leadership, generosity, and community connections. Oasis Center currently operates TOP in seven Nashville public middle and high schools (Hillsboro High, Glenncliff High, Bailey Middle, John Early Middle, Cameron Middle, McCann Alternative, and Ewining Park). Each year, over 430 students are served through this year-long program that combines group discussion with out of school community service. Youth apply learned skills and develop a sense of purpose through community volunteer service.
Recognizing that International and refugee youth have special needs and challenges as they grow-up straddling two cultures, Oasis began offering the TOP Program to International Youth in 1992. This effort became known as ITOP and has been very successful throughout the years. Youth work in groups with Oasis staff to identify and address their personal challenges, and also identify ways in which they can contribute to improving their community and the world. Each year ITOP youth contribute more than 1800 hours of community service. In 2008 ITOP youth were honored to receive that Mary Catherine Strobel Award for Group Service. Additionally ITOP was honored in the same year by the Southern Growth Policies Board with the Innovator Program Award for Tennessee, based on its capacity for economic and workforce development.
Summer programs help expose youth to career opportunities through field trips to businesses and colleges, while engaging them in enrichment and recreational activities. As students discover their strengths and talents, they are motivated and supported in making healthy choices regarding alcohol and drugs, nonviolence, relationships and sexuality, education and career aspirations, community building, and volunteerism.
Our programs have been recognized as a national model by the Southeastern Center for the Application of Prevention Technology, the Southeastern Network of Youth and Family Services, and the HCA Foundation. All groups are funded by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities: Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, the United Way and Healthways Foundation. Summer groups are also supported by MDHA, Pey Foundation and the Predators Foundation.
Oasis Community IMPACT (OCI)
OCI works with East Nashville youth to promote educational and economic equity for urban youth, schools, and neighborhoods by cultivating grassroots leadership through youth organizing. OCI youth are currently working on several important issues including work with the Nashville Neighborhood Alliance to fight predatory lending. In addition, they are working to create a Student Bill of Rights for public high school students in Nashville.