Nail Essentials is HTCO’s very own social venture!

With a focus on community engagement and self-sufficiency Nail Essentials is a community-based nail salon and fundraising source for the organization. In terms of social responsibility, Nail Essentials also provides an opportunity for young women to access a caring adult and mentor, affirm life skills at a comfortable pace, and gain an extended support system.

MISSION

Heritage Nails Essentials mission is to build long-term developmental relationships with young women in the local community.

Social

Entrepreneurship

Mentorship

Non-Profit Organization

The pursuit of an opportunity to create pattern-breaking social change regardless of the resources you currently control, which may include non-profit, for-profit, or public sector.

Mentoring is most often defined as a professional relationship in which an experienced person (the mentor) assists another (the mentee) in developing specific skills and knowledge that will enhance the less-experienced person’s professional and personal growth.

A non-profit organization serves public or mutual benefits and interests. Being a non-profit does not mean that the organization does not generate profit, but simply that it doesn’t generate revenue for the purpose of harvesting income. They typically serve a scientific, religious, educational, or charitable purpose and, with recognition by the IRS, are tax-exempt.

VISSION

The non-profit sector is experiencing many changes. The nature of grants has changed in distribution, growing challenging for grassroots organizations to access and maintain core and sustainable funding on a consistent basis. Funding organizations are consistently asking non-profit organizations to develop innovative program models that also consider fundraising and revenue generating models. Yet, there are opportunities, as some organizations are now adopting social enterprising models within this their core structure, which creates the opportunity to maintain the integrity of non-profits, while adding revenue (fundraising) generating models.

As HTCO’s program structure is built on youth centered co-creation and innovation. Services must be of interest to youth populations, if not resources are wasted. In an effort to engage with young women in a meaningful and relevant way, Heritage Nail Essentials vision is to do two things: build long-term relationships with young girls in the local community, provide informal counselling and mentorship that encourages positive self image, healthy self-confidence while demonstrating self-sustainability and entrepreneurship

Beneficiaries:

The beneficiaries of this program are clients, as we offer meaningful mentorship combined with mainstream services in a safe and culturally relevant, community environment. Our clients are inclusive of young women ages 14 – 30 years old.

Program Goals

The Heritage Nail Esthetician will create meaningful relationships with young women, establishing on-going one-to-one mutual relationships that nurtures the growth of both parties
The Heritage Nail Esthetician will create an atmosphere of trust and commitment that is always present, encouraging comfort while encouraging mental health and wellness.
The Heritage Nail Esthetician with young women to set holistic goals based on – Identity development, family relationships, life planning, spirituality, health, work and social.
 Build upon strengths and assets of young women
 The Esthetician will support each client’s ability to investigate and identify a sense of passion and purpose as it relates to their educational/career goals.
 The Esthetician support young women’s emotional and mental health through informal counseling and intrinsic motivation.
 Provide affordable (donation based) services at a reduced community rate
 Generate donation based resources to support program supplies.

Objectives

Support young women through a healthy transition from adolescence to adulthood
Connect young women with a supportive mentor, to develop loving and motivational relationships
Foster intrinsic motivation to pursue self-sustaining career initiates
Identity development, self- realization and actualization.
Create strategic networking opportunities for young women, to develop resourceful opportunities with key community players.

Procedure

The program operates in the form of a community based nail salon. Young women in the local community are welcomed through outreach to visit the space and do their nails at a reduced fee. The idea is for the young women be intrinsically motivated to engage with staff at our organization and to build meaningful relationships with the nail technician in particular. The nail services provide two functions: an engagement strategy which indirectly encourages young women in the space, increase self-esteem and personal empowerment, as well as a donation based fundraising revenue stream within the organization.

Heritage Nail Essentials is a culturally responsive engagement strategy and fundraising initiative for young women in the local Don Mills and Sheppard area. With a special focus on identity, accountability, social awareness, resiliency and opportunity provision the program will build long-term relationships with young women as a means to support a healthy transition from adolescence to adulthood. In partnership with Nail Essentials, the program will provide an opportunity for young women to also develop life skills at a comfortable pace, while providing an extended support system, including necessary opportunities which encourage personal and professional growth.

Background:

Through lived experience, observation and extensive research we have identified that many young women who experience marginality, find it challenging developing a meaningful connection within conventional community based outreach approaches. Quite often, they do not see themselves reflected in the activities; therefore, some find it challenging in recognizing the value of participating in life skills programs, along with the need to resolve life challenges related to socio-economic barriers.

Benefits

Young women will build long-term relationships with the Nail Esthetician to set holistic short-term and long-term goals based on: self-determination, family relationships, life planning, spirituality, health, education, career development and social representation.
Access a calm and supportive environment that encourages wellness
Enhance critical thinking, and strategic planning skills.
Gain opportunities to succeed and contribute to their community.
Receive meaningful support from a mentor who understands and relates to students lived experiences.

Heritage Nail Essentials Expectations:

Make genuine attempts to follow through with weekly, monthly and yearly goal planning.
Coordinate their weekly sessions with their mentor, along with other summer programs they are currently registered in.
Maintain all nail appointments or provide (24 hours’ notice when necessary)
Donate to services as it is feasible for client

Contact: info@tubmancommunity.org for more details