New Victory Usher Corps

Location:  New York, NY
Country: 
United States
Project Description: 

The New Victory Usher Corps is a model creative youth development program that focuses on each teen’s individual education and professional goals while providing paid employment in a prominent Times Square theater. New Victory Ushers take on a wide variety of responsibilities bringing them into regular contact with audiences, artists and arts administrators; and, their work provides them with a first-hand look at a variety of shows from around the world, strengthening their appreciation of and connection to the performing arts. 

 

Awarded the 2014 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award by First Lady Michelle Obama and the President’s Committee of the Arts and the Humanities, the New Victory Usher Corps provides paid employment, job training, academic support, mentorship and an introduction to the performing arts for 50 young New Yorkers each year. These hard-working and enthusiastic young people commit to a rigorous, three-year program in which they are paid for all their time with us as they assist audience members; ensure public safety; work as teaching assistants in arts-based workshops for families; attend job and life skills workshops on such topics as time management, resume writing and personal finance; and interact with professional artists from all over the world. Created to address the urgent need for youth employment in New York City, the New Victory Usher Corps began the day the theater opened and has provided over 400,000 hours of paid employment to over 500 NYC teens from across the city.