Youth Advocacy Council at the Institute on Disabilities

Team Building, Leadership, and Collaboration

At the invitation of the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, the Institute facilitated a Youth Advocacy Council (YAC) for high school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Seven students, ranging in age from 16 – 21 and representing six area high schools, participated in virtual, bi-weekly meetings from January-May 2021.

YAC members learned team building, leadership, and collaborative skills by identifying and raising awareness around a social justice issue important to the group. Their zine, Band-aids Don't Fix Bullet Holes, is a collection of writing and artwork that addresses the epidemic of gun violence in our city. 

The Youth Advocacy Council was made possible with generous support awarded to Temple Contemporary at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture from the Philadelphia Foundation's Fund for Children Grants Program.

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Last year Temple University Hospital (TUH) treated over 400 victims of gun and knife violence in its trauma unit, the highest number in Pennsylvania. YAC members ask that you consider supporting one of the following TUH programs working to break the cycle of gun violence:  

Temple's Cradle to Grave program works with at-risk youth to help break the cycle of gun violence.

The Turning Point intervention program takes advantage of teachable moments that exist during the post-injury/pre-discharge period for survivors of violence.

The Fighting Chance program is one of the nation's few initiatives that teach community members how to provide basic first aid to victims of gunshot wounds.

TUH created the Safe Bet Program in an effort to prevent unintentional childhood shooting. To date, Safe Bet has provided more than 5000 gun locks to Philadelphia families.

 

Band Aids Don't Fix Bullet Holes Zine

Read online | Download and print your copy

Band Aids Don't Fix Bullet Holes zine cover graphics include gun, bullet, stylized blood drop. Text - Kill with Kindness, I lost 10 family members to gun violence, Don't shoot us, Rest in Peace to Everyone, 9 out of 10 kids prefer crayons to guns