IHUMAN
BE A HERO TO YOUR CREATIVITY
iHuman Youth Society is a non-profit organization that engages Edmonton’s traumatized youth who exhibit high-risk lifestyles – to foster positive personal development and social change. Founded in 1997, we develop and implement arts-based programming that functions as a positive engagement tool. We seek to re-integrate youth into the community by developing skills, self-esteem and a sense of worth and ability through mentorship, crisis intervention and targeted programming. iHuman serves 500 youth in Edmonton aged 12-24 years. Aboriginal youth make up a significant portion of our clients, but we serve youth from every demographic and socio-economic group.
Our Youth Many of our youth deal with multiple issues that make their lives challenging. Poverty, homelessness, addictions, mental health issues, gang affiliation and familial neglect or abuse means our youth are often known to the criminal justice or child welfare systems. Too often these young people feel no sense of self-worth or that they have nothing to hope for. Yet at iHuman we discover highly talented individuals demonstrating amazing characteristics like creativity, loyalty, ingenuity, perseverance, leadership and ambition. This is the starting point from which we encourage and develop their talents, confidence, self-worth and ultimately their potential to become positive contributing members of the community.
Our youth stay in our programs for an average of three years. In that time, they are introduced to arts-based activities that help them heal and discover their own identity, and they are given constant support and guidance while they transition into independent living and healthy life choices.
www.ihuman.org