Technology Credit Union Supports Expressive Arts Therapy Program at Glide

The Technology Credit Union (Tech CU) has announced its continued support for the Expressive Arts Therapy program's project at Glide Memorial Church's Family, Youth, and Childcare Center (FYCC) with a $5,000 gift. Specifically, funding will support the third and final year of the project's Social and Emotional Art-Based 3-Year Research Study.

Funding will cover project administration, FYCC programming, a final report, and two parent training workshops focused on the effect of parenting practices in the development of children's social and emotional learning.

For the research project, Expressive Arts Therapy faculty and trained FYCC teachers are using the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale, Second Edition (BERS-2) assessment instrument to evaluate the outcomes of arts-based therapeutic services. Measurements over time will show the children's personal strengths and competencies, and identify areas in which strengths need development.

CIIS wants to recognize Expressive Arts Therapy Core Faculty Denise Boston and Program Chair Shoshana Simons for their leadership and dedication to this innovative program. Given the shortage of research in the area of expressive arts and mental health, the final report will showcase the positive impacts of these therapeutic practices, and offer a model for replication around the world.

This gift represents the ongoing support of an ally and partner of CIIS. Since 2012, Tech CU has donated over $12,500 to support the Expressive Arts Therapy program, Chaudhuri Dinner Celebration, and Library move. And they will be CIIS' new neighbors on the First Floor!

About the Expressive Arts Therapy Program at Glide's FYCC

Since 2010, faculty and graduate students from the Expressive Arts Therapy program at CIIS have worked with children who attend after-school programs at FYCC in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco. Expressive Arts Therapy faculty and students use evidence-based art therapy to help these children work through emotional and socio-economic challenges. Expressive Arts Therapy-which is often the only mental health care FYCC children receive-supports social and emotional learning by enabling children to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to recognize and manage their emotions, demonstrate caring and concern for others, establish positive and cooperative relationships, make responsible decisions, and constructively handle challenging situations.

About Tech CU

Founded in 1960 by the employees of Fairchild Camera and Instrument Semiconductor Division, Tech CU has served the high-tech workforce in Silicon Valley for more than 50 years and today has 70,000 individual, non-profit, and business members and more than $1.8 billion in assets. The not-for-profit credit union operates for the benefit of its members and has ten full-service branches in the Bay Area.