Creative Arts and Community Programs
At Center for All Abilities (CAA), we envision a community that embraces diversity and celebrates our differences. Our Creative Arts and Community Programs offer a unique blend of therapeutic and expressive arts, with a strong focus on building community. Through art, music, dance, cooking, sewing, mentorship, physical recreation and more, participants build self-confidence, enhance emotional well-being, and strengthen social connections in a supportive and inclusive environment. Join us on a journey of nurturing creativity and fostering community bonds, while celebrating every person's potential.
Creative Arts Programs: Music, Art, Dance/Movement
Individual and dyad music or art sessions for children and youth of all abilities.
Board-certified creative arts instructors are trained to customize their approaches and activities to match each participant's developmental and cognitive levels, energy, and emotional state. This individualized approach helps to effectively support participants in developing skills such as self-expression, social interaction, communication, language, creativity, motor skills, impulse control, adaptability, and self-esteem.
Creative Arts Therapy Residencies
CAA offers Creative Arts Therapy Residencies in which our creative arts therapists work with children, youth, and young adults at your site for a minimum of 8 - 12 weeks.
The residency allows for tailored therapeutic interventions that utilize various modalities such as art, music therapy, dance/movement. Past and current participants in our residency programs have included students with diverse challenges in social-emotional learning, behavioral issues, trauma histories, and autism spectrum disorders.
Community Programs: Community Arts, Youth Mentorship, Lifeskills Training
NEW PROGRAM: SMiles
A pilot program by CAA, SMiles aims to impact lives one step and one mile at a time through inclusive physical recreation. SMiles offers youth opportunities to engage in activities that promote fitness and neighborhood exploration, while building a strong sense of community. On days with extreme weather, SMiles offers indoor stretching and strength-building exercises to enhance balance, flexibility, and resilience. Join SMiles for a fun, supportive way to stay active and connect with others!
Outshine Community Arts Group
Outshine takes place in a small group setting with teens and young adults across neurodiverse and neurotypical backgrounds. Session time is divided between art, music, movement, and other creative activities, each designed to encourage participants to collaborate and interact, establishing meaningful friendships through the playful and purposeful process of creating together.
Participants learn social skills such as turn-taking, active listening, cooperative play, and role flexibility. Outshine performs at community events and participates in art shows throughout the year, helping members to build confidence and integrate more fully in society.
Walk With U Mentoring Program
Walk With U provides guidance and care for children and youth of all abilities through Bible-led and virtue-based teachings by hosting topical discussions, social activities, group outings, volunteer opportunities, cultural immersion, and one-on-one mentorship.
Blue Hat Cooking Community Classes
Cooking and barista training classes for youth and young adults of all abilities. Participants gain knowledge of cooking and baking techniques, food and nutrition, and other life skills. Interested participants may also participate in the barista training track. Working with industry experts and volunteers in a small group setting, participants develop skills, confidence, and socio-emotional awareness while having fun and building friendships through the collaborative process.
Programs in Partnership
Project A: Sewing Vocational Training With ALIVIA
In partnership with social impact womenswear brand ALIVIA, CAA offers a fashion-focused vocational training program. Project A’s mission is to provide specialized education and employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, teaching valuable skills that will prepare them to work within the fashion industry. From cutting and sewing, to sales and customer service, Project A develops different pathways in a journey towards creating fashion’s first fully-inclusive supply chain.
Photography, Cooking, and Glow Girls Programs with Extreme Kids and Crew
As of July 2024, CAA and Extreme Kids & Crew (EKC) have begun a three-year partnership to broaden our reach and promise new experiences and opportunities for neurodivergent children, youth and families!
This ongoing collaboration, made possible by the New York Community Trust, brings more enriching programs, including photography, cooking, as well as programs that empower neurodiverse girls, to our communities in Manhattan and Brooklyn!
