Teen mental health focus of training session at Vienna church
Trending
VIENNA -- On Monday, April 28, the community is invited to attend "Backpack Basics to Building Healthy Relationships," a free, in-person training aimed at volunteers, coaches, mentors and anyone who regularly works with young people.
The training will be held at Vienna Baptist Church, 3401 Grand Central Ave., Vienna. Attendees are invited to enjoy a free Olive Garden dinner from 5-5:45 p.m., with the training running from 6-9 p.m.
The event originated from a simple but powerful idea shared by Vienna City Councilman Tony Morrison.
"I ran for council because I wanted to focus on kids and teens," he said.
After attending a presentation last November about creating trusted adult relationships with youth, Morrison connected with an instructor who had taken an in-depth eight-hour course and distilled it into a concise three-hour version, making it more accessible to busy volunteers. This revised training is now being brought to the public thanks to a collaboration between the Wood County Prevention Coalition and the Vienna Recreation Improvement Association (VRIA).
Part of Morrison's motivation behind the effort is due to his worry about teen and youth mental health. According to Morrison, a staggering statistic reveals that over 3,700 high school-aged teens attempt suicide every day in America.
"It doesn't seem real. It's easy for us to think, 'oh, that doesn't happen here', but we've, unfortunately, recently seen young children take their lives," said Morrison.
The session is more than just a lecture; it offers evidence-based training with different activities and workshop elements. Geared toward volunteers who interact with youth, the course states it will help participants:
* Recognize signs of emotional distress in young people.
* Understand the power of being a "trusted adult."
* Help youth discover their "spark" (interests and passions).
* Build consistent, positive relationships.
* Increase youth engagement and decrease risky behaviors.
* Reach those who are most vulnerable or likely to fall through the cracks.
While the course is brief, its impact is designed to be long-lasting. Organizers hope this will become a regular offering in the community, potentially held twice a year.
"This is something I'd love to see offered every year," Morrison said. "If we can get more adults to understand and apply for this, we'll raise a generation of kids who grow up with adults who know how to support and help them thrive."
* Stella Moon, a retired Region V Coordinator for the Adolescent Health Initiative, Moon has over 14 years of experience promoting positive youth development across local schools and communities. She helped launch the STARS initiative to address students' social, mental and physical well-being. Moon is a certified trainer for numerous youth programs and also has 12 years of experience as the executive director of the Wood County Family Resource Network.
* Idress Gooden, a retiree with 23 years of service as AHI's Region VII Coordinator. Gooden is known for her work promoting positive youth development using the Search Institute's frameworks. A former nurse and school health advocate, Gooden continues to train and serve on boards across the state. Like Moon, she's a certified trainer in several proven youth development models.
For more information or to register for the training, go to www.viennarec.teamsnapsits.com.
Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com