People Empowerment Project: Government Belongs to US

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About Us

The People Empowerment Project (PEP) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c) 3 organization located in Dallas, Texas.

PEP was founded in January of 2003 by former Texas State Representative Dr. Harryette Ehrhardt and a group of seventy community leaders. Their conversations focused on developing strategies that would benefit their community, and from these talks emerged some common themes; education and empowerment through knowledge are the keys to a better future for Dallas.

Government Belongs to Us

PEP currently offers a program entitled Government Belongs to Us (GBTU).

GBTU was created to help young people learn how government works through personal participation and the importance of civic responsibility through hands on experience. Working with an existing or new student council, students hold an election, set up a governing body guided by Robert’s Rules of Order, involve the students, parents, and community, work with elected officials, and contribute positively to their school and community.

The main objectives of the GBTU program are to teach students, through the medium of student council, the importance of personal responsibility, community service, and good citizenship. With the hands on experiences gained through leadership camps, issuing constituent surveys, student council elections, officer inductions, writing a constitution, setting an agenda, creating committees, writing and presenting proposals, GBTU gives students an opportunity to develop their voices. Giving students a sense of belonging and the realization that they have an impact, both negative and positive, on their schools and community allows us the ability to enhance the characteristic qualities of today’s youth. Students learn conflict management, diversity training, teamwork and teambuilding, as well as the necessary life skills needed to become successful adults and the realization that they can in fact achieve the loftiest of goals they set before themselves.

At the end of the process each student council member has gained a sense of ownership of their environment (both school and surrounding community), the self-confidence to lead their fellow peers and guide them towards self actualization. In addition, each student is now wholly invested in revitalizing and renovating their schools and community, as well as the assumption of higher goals and aspirations towards success and the eventual ability to break out from under the vicious cycle of poverty.

MISSION

To educate, promote, and demonstrate to school children and adults the importance of personal responsibility, community service, and good citizenship.

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