Goals & Results

GOALS

1. Provide Mentorship and a Supportive Environment for At-Risk Youth
   Workshops emphasize ensemble building, collaboration and the completion of a group project. The ensemble exercises are integral in helping youth who have experienced extreme feelings of isolation to release their inhibitions and establish trust in a group. Caring adult mentors model good behavior and respect, helping youth to build positive social relationships.
2. Engage At-Risk Youth in a High-Quality Dramatic Arts Program
   The in-depth theater workshops provide a meaningful introduction to the dramatic arts and give youth the opportunity to take part in many aspects of playwriting and production over the course of the total 20 weeks.
3. Teach Violence Prevention Techniques to At-Risk Youth
   Youth learn to manage conflicts in a constructive and non-threatening environment. Rival gang members often become friends as a result of the program.
4. Provide Educational Support for At-Risk Youth
   All workshops follow our original curriculum, which is certified under California State Standards for both Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) and English Language Writing (grades 9-12).
5. Provide Alumni with a Support Network
   The Unusual Suspects has an alumni program in place so that graduates of the program can reconnect with the organization and continue with their theater studies. This is in addition to reunions, which we hold at each partner facility, as a follow up to the program. Through our partnerships with local social service agencies in Pacoima, we are able to provide referrals.
6. Build Community
   Youth’s families and other members of the community are central to the success of the youth. Our performances provide a safe forum in neighborhoods that have been torn apart by violence where families can gather and support each other.
7. Collaborate with Other Agencies
   The Unusual Suspects works with social service providers in order to provide youth and families with referrals and access to other services they may need. An active collaboration with local government agencies and other local nonprofit organizations also helps us maintain an active presence within the complex juvenile justice system.
8. Require Professional Training for Teaching Artists and Volunteers
   Professional and in-depth training for all workshop leaders is necessary so that the programs can best serve the needs of this special youth
population.

RESULTS

Evaluation is a corner stone of our program to ensure the activities are tied to the needs of our community. In 2008, we hired UCLA Professor Laura Abrams, Ph.D. to develop a survey tool to measure changes in youth over the course of the program. The surveys test self-esteem, attitudes toward the correctional facility, and criminal thinking (or pro-social attitudes). Initial results show positive changes in all areas. Based on qualitative program feedback from our 2005-06 program evaluations, results include improved conflict resolution skills, improved communication skills, increased confidence, and increased knowledge of theatre arts.

• 71% of participating youth agreed that the program increased their commitment to school
• 64% responded that their grades and test scores had improved
• An average of 80% of participants agreed that US helped them learn how to avoid physical confrontations

Nearly all attributed their public speaking skills to their participation. In addition, results to date show participants learn to achieve goals such as writing and acting in a play, anger management, improved literacy skills, overcoming public speaking fears, and improved attitude toward authority.

Additional research on arts education and mentoring support our findings:

1. Research shows that the performing arts mentoring programs delivered by The Unusual Suspects improve self-esteem, confidence and communication skills; and, increase tolerance, coping skills and positive perspectives. When surveyed, participants agreed the program increased their commitment to stay in school, improve their performance and avoid physical confrontation. Plus, most reported their grades and test scores had improved.
2. Mentoring has proven to be an effective means of combating a range of complex issues:
   98% of youth mentored stay in school
   98% of youth mentored did not become a teen parent
   98% of youth mentored avoided gang participation
   85% of youth mentored did not use drugs
   Based on study conducted by the California Mentoring Foundation
3. A UCLA study of 25,000 youth revealed that involvement in intensive theatre programs is associated with the following outcomes, regardless of socioeconomic status:
   • Higher scores on standardized tests, particularly reading proficiency
   • Higher self-esteem and motivation
   • Higher levels of empathy and tolerance for others
   • Higher sense of self-efficacy
4. Annually, it costs $30,000 to support one individual in a drug treatment program, $40,000 to incarcerate them*, but only $1,700 for each of The Unusual Suspects’ participants. This again proves the cost benefit of mentoring from both a monetary and sociological perspective.
   *Figures provided by The California Mentoring Foundation
5. Among youth who participate in arts enrichment programs in Los Angeles County detention camps compared to those who do not:
   • The rate of re-incarceration is 58% lower
   • The rate of re-arrest is 45% lower
   • The rate of probation violations is 37% lower
   • The rate of successful completion of probation is 22% higher
   RAND Corporation data for New Roads New Visions Community Partners

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THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS THEATRE COMPANY | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2009,2010,2011
617 S. Olive Street, Suite 812 | Los Angeles, CA 90014 | Tel: 213.488.8488  Fax: 213.488.8498 | admin@theunusualsuspects.org