Transition and Transformation Fresh Start helps adolescents currently in the prison system to be rehabilitated by means of alternate expression through the arts. Fresh Start began in May 2018 in the wake of New York Raise the Age reform initiative. At the nearby Hudson Correctional Facility, residents work through creative and challenging exercises that help them tell their own stories, discover more about themselves, and explore alternative means for expressing their wants, needs, and desires. In doing so, the inmates reflect on the choices they made in the past and how to make better ones in the future. To implement Fresh Start, experienced professionals lead groups through an 8 session workshop. In addition, young people have the chance to work with world class artists who visit LUMBERYARD to bring new ideas and opportunities for expression. Professionals and the participants themselves know the program is working through the visible change of attitude and behavior. It’s even having an effect on choices participants make about their time after incarceration. We can see more responsible choices and growth beyond delinquent behavior. Fresh Start proves that art really can change your life.

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