More Than Just a Design Firm: To our clients, RiverzEdge studios work together to deliver all the marketing services of a design firm. To our designers and artists, RiverzEdge delivers a paycheck and so much moreIn fact, RiverzEdge Arts Project is a social enterprise that provides talented underserved teens hands-on work experience in graphic design, digital photography, screen-printing and visual arts.
What’s a Social Enterprise: A social enterprise is a business in service of a social ... view more »
More Than Just a Design Firm: To our clients, RiverzEdge studios work together to deliver all the marketing services of a design firm. To our designers and artists, RiverzEdge delivers a paycheck and so much moreIn fact, RiverzEdge Arts Project is a social enterprise that provides talented underserved teens hands-on work experience in graphic design, digital photography, screen-printing and visual arts.
What’s a Social Enterprise: A social enterprise is a business in service of a social mission. All profits from our business go directly to the arts & business programs we offer. Teen participants receive daily education and practice creating work for clients, and are paid stipends for their work, providing many a leg up and out of poverty. To get paid for their work, participants must keep their grades up, be on the path to high school graduation, and apply to college.
Mission Statement: RiverzEdge creates positive educational and economic outcomes for youth and their communities through artistic expression, disciplined effort and self-reliance.
History: RiverzEdge was founded by youth development professionals and community leaders concerned about the patterns of violence among disaffected youth. With help from Boston’s Artists for Humanity, RiverzEdge was established in 2002 in Woonsocket, RI—a city plagued by high teen pregnancy, adjudication and drop out rates, and a persistent cycle of poverty. We’ve grown from serving 5 youth in 2002, to over 200 in 2010. Click here to find out more about founder Michelle Novello and the history of the organization.
The Youth: Participants come to us through referrals from social service agencies and school guidance counselors, word-of-mouth recommendations from friends, teachers and parents, and in response to job listings. Through our Arts & Business, Workforce Development, and summer Keep Woonsocket Beautiful programs, and our MobileStudio art classes, we directly serve over 300 youth and community members each year.
The City: Within the state of RI, Woonsocket has the highest rate of child abuse and neglect; the 2nd highest rate of births to teens; 54% of high school students are eligible for free and reduced lunch; only 44% took the SAT in 2007; and 67% of Woonsocket residents are considered low-income. Woonsocket also has a very high rate of youth with incarcerated parents.
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