Organization Need & Populations Served

As labor markets tighten, Milwaukee’s teens are not being prepared to successfully transition out of high school and into the workforce. Low skill-levels and high unemployment stand in the way of even the best students. However, teens who participate in ArtWorks programs build a genuine work ethic and develop the soft skills necessary to succeed no matter what career direction they choose to pursue.

Our programs bridge diverse populations, cultures and classes, and provide meaningful employment to Milwaukee area youth. ArtWorks offers creative alternatives to those who require options within career development that are not necessarily traditional. Youth who participate in the ArtWorks program build a genuine work ethic and are engendered with a greater cultural awareness and tolerance for diversity. Their participation gives them a reason to believe in themselves. ArtWorks for Milwaukee addresses three major problems facing today’s youth:

    1) Unemployment and lack of preparation for the workplace

    2) Reduction of arts education in schools

    3) Limited opportunities for positive adult mentoring relationships.

     

    Our Interns reflect Milwaukee’s diversity. Not only to we track Demographic Differences, such as:

    Gender:

    48%  Female

    50%  Male

    2% Did not identify

    Race:

    64%  African American
    10%  Latino

    10%  Caucasian
    1%  Native American

    9%  Asian
    4% Other

    (2% Did not identify)

    Disability Status:

    19%  Yes Identified themselves as having a disability (Tracked since 2007)

    Intern Grade
    Level:

    17%  Freshman
    25%  Sophomore

    27%  Junior
    18%  Senior

    10% Other (GED)
    3% Did not identify

    School Type:

    84%  Public

    8%  Religious/Private

    6% Other

    (2% Did not identify)

     

    We also track Socio-Economic Differences:

    Yearly Household Income:

    65% earn under $28,000

    Number of family members per household:

    43% live with 5 or more people

    % Receive free or reduced lunch:

    65%  Yes               
    31%  No

    4% Did not identify

     % of Interns who live with:

    Over 20% do not live with their parents.

    In 2010 we began tracking how many live with 1 parent vs. both parents.

    Of the 64% that live with their parents, 2/3 live in 1-parent households.
     % of Interns who have barriers beyond low grade point averages:

    20% identify themselves as being:

    • A Ward of the State
    • Homeless
    • A foster child and/or
    • Are involved with human services organizations such as the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), Wraparound, and REACH.

     

    And we track Geographic Differences by Zip Code:

    32% of our Interns live in troubled areas of the city that have been recognized as having a large majority of “troubled” or “problem” families by numerous welfare reform neighborhood reports and by studies regarding Milwaukee youth in critical need of intervention.