Teach Pongo
Pongo Poetry Project offers an array of resources to inspire new poetry projects.
Pongo Field Guide
Written by Pongo’s Founder, Richard Gold, MA, Writing With At-Risk Youth: The Pongo Teen Writing Method (2014) is a time-tested, essential field-guide to starting your own poetry project. It explains:
- How trauma affects youth
- How you can guide the writing process in the most therapeutic way
- How poetry enables healing
- How to start a writing project
- How to keep youth writers safe
- How to use Pongo’s specific techniques for facilitating poetry with youth affected by trauma, including one-on-one and group activities
Pongo Training
For hands-on experience practicing Pongo’s techniques and to gain the confidence to start your own project, visit our Training Page to attend one of our seasonal training events.
Anyone, including individual counselors, teachers, and community members can participate in our training. Additionally, your organization, school, or group can work with Pongo to schedule a custom training for your members. To bring a Pongo training to your organization, email ashley@pongopoetryproject.org to discuss options and pricing.
Consultation
Need help with your writing project for youth? Though training registration comes with 2 free hour-long consultations with a Pongo trainer, additional consultation is available! Pongo currently offers consultation in the following forms:
- One-time
- Recurring
- Site Visit & Observation
Please email ashley@pongopoetryproject.org to inquire about consultation pricing and options.
Advice from Pongo Pros
Learn from the pros in these two essays which give their own take on the experience, methods, and effects of running a Pongo-inspired poetry project:
In this essay, Program Manager Shaun McMichael reflects on his years running a Pongo-inspired program with youth who were homeless in Seattle’s U-District.
In this essay, Pongo Project Leader, Ann Teplick reflects on her years running Pongo’s project at the Child Study & Treatment Center, WA State’s only state-run residential mental health facility for youth.