Nashville Inner City Ministry, Inc.

About three hundred at-risk youth and adults have an opportunity to develop leadership skills through various hands-on activities and age appropriate segments of learning. These skills provide a better understanding of their peers as well as adults. Lessons regarding diversity of culture and faith are included with an intended consequence of reducing bullying behaviors.

The summer academic day camps serve 80 youth each day, ages 5 to 12 from selected inner city communities, during five weekly sessions.  These at-risk youth participate in lessons on honesty, sharing, anger management, conflict resolution and setting boundaries.  Sessions are led by Metro Nashville public school teachers and involve reading, math and comprehension training. Weekly field trips, arts, crafts and other activities are a part of this program as well.
 
The program staff is assisted by 20 inner city teenagers who are chosen to be junior interns.  These interns serve as mentors and positive role models to the younger children.  Along with coaching their leadership skills, we teach interns to budget their money and practice delayed gratification by saving their money for future expenses such as school clothes and holiday gifts.

It does not take long to realize that unattended youth are vulnerable to crime, violence and becoming a statistic. So, in providing a safe place where children can be validated, loved and mentored good things will come of it. Our facility was built for ministry. Activities are loud, large and learning. Imagine walking into a crowded restaurant, the noise is overwhelming but you sit at a table and are able to carry on a conversation with the folks seated around you. This is the format of our learning center: around a table, eating a meal, in a crowded room, but at every table learning takes place. Additionally, basketball, laser tag, gaming stations, and food are a part of most every event.