105,000 children in New York are impacted by parental incarceration, threatening their developmental well-being. In response, partnering with organizations like Children of Promise, MindLeaps works with system-impacted children in Brooklyn and the Bronx, to develop social-emotional and cognitive skills to increase emotional resilience.
2.7 million children in the US, and 105,000 in New York alone, are impacted by parental incarceration (ocfs.ny.gov). Having a parent in prison has been linked to problems including learning disabilities, behavioral issues, psychological strain, and failure in school. Due to institutionalized and systemic racism in the U.S., children from Black and Brown communities are much more likely to have an incarcerated parent.
MindLeaps' dance program draws children into a safe, positive space, providing support and equipping them with skills needed to lead productive lives. In the context of dance, the program is designed to develop specific social-emotional and cognitive skills including self-esteem, grit, memorization, discipline, and creativity. These skills carry over into increased likelihood of success in school, and the sustained ability to make positive life decisions.
As these children gain skills that allow them to take control of their lives, they will be better equipped to achieve their potential in the future. MindLeaps has seen that 70% of children who complete the MindLeaps dance program perform in the top 20% of their classes. In the 6-month pilot program in NYC, students had a 2.5-point improvement in their skills development on a 7-point Likert scale. Training educators from the community to teach the curriculum increases the efficacy of the program.
