PHENND Fellows: Tech, Ed, & Arts (TEA) Integration Fellow

BuildaBridge is a 28-year-old Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing trauma-informed arts programming to marginalized youth and their communities. BuildaBridge uniquely positions creative expression as trauma healing through art-making. We serve 600+ youth annually through partnerships with recreation centers, schools, and human service organizations in Philadelphia's highest-need neighborhoods. Our pedagogical approach, the BuildaBridge Safe Spaces Model (SSM) uses creative self-expression (music, movement, visual arts, writing) to build resilience, self-efficacy, and hope in youth who have experienced trauma (directly, vicariously, and generationally). Grounded in Hope Theory, Polyvagal Theory, and the Capabilities Approach, programming provides accessible alternatives to clinical mental health systems that often create barriers for low-income families. We function as "pre-responders," intervening before youth enter systems that can traumitize and retraumatize. Our evaluation demonstrates impact: 82% increased hopefulness, 85% improved self-efficacy, 91% stronger community connections. With an annual budget under $200,000, our lean structure allows flexibility while maintaining consistent quality through our trauma-informed training protocols. Key partnerships include the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, the School District of Philadelphia (certified supplier), JFCS Mental Health Network, and recreation centers serving violence-affected neighborhoods. We've trained hundreds of teaching artists over 20 years and are formalizing this expertise into scalable certification programs while developing technology infrastructure for sector-wide impact measurement. BuildaBridge envisions a world where all are resilient, experience self-efficacy, and have a vision for their future.