THE CYPRESS INITIATIVE INC

The SPARK Initiative’s (SI) is a non-profit organization in Tampa, FL that serves youth, sex trafficking survivors, incarcerated juveniles, veterans, and other community members in need. SI was established in 2007, initially delivering programs in prisons, on a mission to cultivate human potential and resiliency through education, mentoring and coaching, centered on an understanding of the mind that SPARKs innate mental health. Through that experience, SI identified the need for young people to have access to a preventative approach curriculum and developed the SPARK (Speaking to the Potential, Ability, and Resilience inside every Kid) Mentoring Program.

Since then, SPARK Mentoring Programs have grown to include four age-appropriate youth curricula, for ages 5-22, in addition to the Insight to Well-Being program for adults in the carceral system. All programs were developed to teach a simple understanding of the mind and mental health, which enables participants to establish a resilient state of mind, develop secure attachments and healthier relationships, and create a deeper sense of community.

In January 2021, we launched our SPARKing Change Youth Leadership Program in which 10 local interns, ages 16-28, receive professional development, training and mentorship, and monthly stipends. Interns from all backgrounds and education levels are welcome. We are committed to providing an immersive learning experience in which interns will learn about their mind, resilience, and mental health. Interns are trained by and shadow SPARK staff to: facilitate curriculum, mentor community members, develop a community passion project. SPARK has seen 3 cohorts successfully complete this opportunity.

We’ve directly served 3,480+ youth and 520+ adults, and look forward to growing these numbers each year.