1. The Arts Contribute to Self-Esteem: acquisition of skills: Creative thinking; Problem-solving: Communication skills; Critical thinking skills; Decision-making Group work; Academic skills; Flexibility; Goal-setting Self-expression THE ARTS Soft Skills for Employment Interpersonal skills Oral communication skills Team work Problem-solving Decision-making skills Human Capital’s Role In the New Economy Creativity Academic skills Intangible assets: Flexibility; Problem-solving; Interpersonal skills The Arts and Workforce Readiness One strategy in the Arts in Prevention Projects, utilizing the arts to offer hope, possibilities and options. Programs incorporating the arts have proven to be educational, developmentally rich, and cost-effective ways to provide students with the skills they need to be productive participants in today’s economy and the future economy. Today’s employer’s are looking for individuals who can not only read and write well, but who think creatively and find creative solutions to difficult problems Center for the Arts: Prevention; www.center4arts.org