A Delicate Balance: Principles and Practices Of Promising Arts And Humanities Programs
The adults working with youth must understand the dynamics of working with vulnerable children. "Problems, big emotional problems, are not solved on our stage," declares Reale. "Leave the therapy to the therapists....The theater is a medium of metaphor, and it is far more beautiful and far more moving when it functions at that level."5 On the other hand, artists and teachers do not ignore the pain, anger or frustrations that may emerge through their work with children. It can be a fine line to tread.
Finding people with all these characteristics is not easy. "It is very difficult because we look for somebody who's skilled in his or her craft. But people who are really skilled can make a lot more money in the industry. So they have to have some inner commitment to work with the kids," says Steven Goodman of the Educational Video Center.
Keeping quality staff also presents a challenge. The pay is low; the perquisites, few; the burn-out, fast; and in some fields, the competition, stiff. "I wish we had more resources to give staff sabbaticals and professional development so that this is a career and not a side thing," says Goodman.
But there are benefits for the teachers and volunteers, which help to create a mutually sustaining community. "I think one of the big linchpins in our success has been creating a program that is both satisfying to the people we're serving and the people who are volunteering," says Reale. "What we're able to do is give people, give our volunteers, a way to use their skills and to serve the community. I think whenever you can do that, people feel good about themselves. And that's it. We're not changing our world. You can't make a policy out of this. We're just a bunch of people who happen to want to affect a bunch of other people. You can't codify it. It's as individual as any relationship is."
Effective programs recognize that positive adult relationships are central to success.
Directors stressed the importance of finding people who care about young people and are comfortable around them. Effective adult mentors choose to work in community programs, are honest, respectful and flexible and able to adapt quickly to individual situations. Directors also discussed the need to locate artists who have a sense of fun, who "put a little wink in the work" and who understand that the program is not about them but about the children. "Ego must be checked at the door before entry," says Reale.4 Terms such as "facilitator" and "shepherds" often were used to describe the role of artists and scholars. The directors considered it essential that the process of creation belong to children and youth.