by Shawn Nowlin
Total Action for Progress, or TAP, is a community action agency that serves nearly a dozen localities in the Roanoke Valley and adjacent communities.
The non-profit organization headed by TAP CEO Angela Penn has three primary areas of focus regarding the youth programs. One is education and career development. The other two are housing and community solutions, in addition to business and economic development.
Assistant Director,
TAP This Valley Works
To maximize its effectiveness, TAP partners with other non-profits and participates in various community initiatives throughout the year.
In her official capacity as Assistant Director for This Valley Works, Nicole Ross directly oversees all of the youth programs. Djuan Hankins, the Project Discover U Coordinator, is someone with whom she works closely.
“From our programming, we have launched our NO CAP Zone, Youth Summit and Talent in the Star, which just had its third year this past summer,” Ross said. “Our summits for Tomorrow’s Leaders Workshops meet every first Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We listen to the needs of our youth and meet them where they are. We offer a space where they can grow, thrive and dream.”
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), youth between the ages of 8 and 18 spend more than five hours a day in front of a screen. There is often a direct correlation between how a teen views their future and the resources at their disposal.
“Youth truly are our future,” Ross said. “All they need is for someone to hear them and believe in them. They will do the work to achieve their own success.”
Providing youth with a change of scenery from what they are accustomed to is something that Ross and her colleagues care deeply about.
“For the past three years, our youth have graced the stage at the Jefferson Center’s Shaftman Stage for the Talent in the Star Competition, an experience that built their confidence,” Ross said.
She added, “They have also toured several colleges and universities in the state. These include Virginia Tech, Ferrum, Hollins, Radford, Norfolk State, Old Dominion, Howard and Virginia Western Community College. This summer, they took an overnight trip to the University of Maryland and George Washington University while getting a chance to explore the African American History Museum.”
As the saying goes, “The choices that we make today will determine our future.” For Ross, the importance of investing in the youth and equipping them for what awaits them in adulthood cannot be emphasized enough.
“We hope to partner with local businesses to serve as work sites to allow our students to learn on-the-job training and skills that can propel them into the workforce,” she said.
Visit tapintohope.org for the most up-to-date information on all the available programs.
