dESIGNER oF THE yEAR pROGRAM
New Life Movement’s Designer of the Year (DOTY) program engages students ages 12-24 in the design, manufacture, and sale of their own clothing, with the goal of cultivating skills necessary for healthy social development and entrepreneurship. Students in the DOTY program increase both their self-esteem and self-efficacy, as well as skills related to leadership, time management, and negotiation by learning how to manage the realities of running a small business (i.e. working with diverse groups of people, tracking projects, meeting deadlines, creating budgets, marketing).
Each session of the DOTY program runs for 12 weeks, with 1-2 meeting times per week in New Life Movement’s STEM lab in the heart of downtown Richmond. Students learn the basics of digital graphic design, web design, screen printing, apparel manufacturing, marketing, and financial literacy from 3 dedicated instructors, culminating in an end-of-session event where students are able to show off and sell their new products. Upon completion of the program, students will also have their own bank accounts and websites set up to continue growing their business on their own. |