Step by Step

Step by Step Program Areas

Arts & Culture
Step by Step promotes arts & culture programming through various community mural projects and by bringing in local musicians and artists to community centers and after schools programs whenever possible.  One of our biggest Arts & Culture projects has been the Patchwork Dreams project. Click here to see all of our blog articles related to Arts & Culture.

Bullying Awareness & Prevention
Step by Step is committed to preventing bullying and spreading awareness about this serious issue.  Step by Step has conducted numerous workshops on the subject at conferences, community centers and after school programs.  In October 2008 Step by Step passed a proclamation for West Virginia Bully Awareness & Prevention Week.  On August 31, 2009, Step by Step released a poster, designed to encourage people to speak out against bullying.  Click here to see all of our blog articles related to Bullying Awareness & Prevention.

Education Support
Step by Step recognizes the power of education while at the same time acknowledging that sometimes education institutions are unable to provide their students with all that they need to be successful.  For this reason, Step by Step works with the schools to augment the education experience through programs like our WV Dreamers Afterschool & Summer program, placing VISTAs and counselors in the schools, and partnering with other area afterschool and summer programs like the East End Family Resource Center and the Beards Fork Community Center.

A core component of Step by Step’s education support involves an emphasis on promoting literacy.  Step by Step recognizes that having access to books and being able to read them is a powerful tool.  That’s why Step by Step runs the Big Ugly Community Center library, the only public library within 45 miles of the center.  During the Summer, the Big Ugly Community Center participates in the Energy Express program, where children work with AmeriCorps volunteers to practice reading and create related arts projects.  A full lunch is served to the participants.  Step by Step also heads Operation Read WV, a statewide book drive and campaign to fulfill wish lists for organizations in need of books.  Click here to see all of our blog articles related to Education Support.

Health & Wellness
Step by Step promotes physical and mental health with our campaigns to prevent substance abuse, promote fitness, and provide support for health & welnness related issues.  We help people’s basic health needs be met by providing meals in our programming whenever possible. The Lincoln County Youth & Prevention Coalition, MIHOW, Natural Helpers, Too Good for Drugs and Violence, WV Dreamers Afterschool and Energy Express are all Step by Step programs that address health & wellness.  Click here to see all of our blog articles related to Health & Wellness.

Leadership Development
Step by Step sends community members to leadership-building conferences such as the Brushy Fork Institute, to help stimulate local leadership.  Other conferences and trainings have included Share the Vision, Family Leadership First, Create West Virginia, Faces of Leadership, and Strength Finders.  Click here to see all of our blog articles related to Leadership Development.

Life & Job Skill Development
Based on community needs, Step by Step works to incorporate life and job skill training into our programming.  To assess these needs, Step by Step is currently conducting a Listening Project on this topic.

Step by Step believes that Service Learning is a great way to learn new skills because participants develop skills through experiences, while improving communities at the same time.  One of the biggest examples of Step by Step’s support for service learning includes its placement of AmeriCorps VISTAs (Volunteers in Service to America) throughout Southern West Virginia.  Step by Step programs with service learning elements include the Service Learning Internship program, the Summer of Service program, Front Porch, Project FLOW and the Green Team.  Click here to see all of our blog articles related to Life & Job Skill Development.

Senior Opportunities
Step by Step supports programming for people throughout the life cycle, working with seniors to go for the gold as part of the annual GeriOlympics, helping them to get computers through the Computer Rebuilding Program, and educating them on their role in prescription drug abuse.  Click here to see all of our blog articles related to Senior Opportunities.

Sustainability
Step by Step realizes that sustainably minded communities are the ones that survive and thrive.  For this reason, Step by Step has several Sustainability VISTAs that focus on projects such as the Sustainability Fair, the Green Team, and Project FLOW.  VISTAs at various partner sites also work towards sustainability by trying to save Coal River Mountain, creating green jobs, and organizing high school and college students around sustainability.  Click here to see all of our blog articles related to Sustainability.

Technology
Step by Step technology VISTAs work to make sure our afterschool programs and community centers, whenever possible, have access to computers, digital and video cameras, audio recorders and other relevant technology.   We also provide opportunities for community members to expand their technology skills by teaching them how to create digital stories or build computers from reused parts.  Click here to see all of our blog articles related to Technology.