The Ryan Bartel Foundation is seeking 10 to 12 candidates who are passionate about promoting mental health and resilience in teens to participate in the second cohort of its Teen Mental Wellness Facilitator Training program and help expand programs that support and empower youth, families, and the community.
The deadline for applying is Sept. 3.
The training program includes in-person and online instruction, group discussions, and skill-building activities. The first cohort recently completed training and are facilitating the foundation’s after-school, evening, and weekend programs for teens in and around Loudoun County.
“These trained facilitators are essential to our ability to successfully create a safe and trauma-informed space for teens to be their authentic selves and learn resiliency skills,” Executive Director Val Walters said. “They are critical to fostering a community of acceptance, compassion, and inclusion where all young people feel connected and hopeful and have the will to live.”
TMW facilitators engage teens during THE FORT, a safe, healing community space for young people to connect. They lead creative, resilience-based workshops that explore mindfulness, expressive arts, nature, animals, relationships, and social-emotional support.
They also help Loudoun area teens learn coping skills to manage stress, anxiety, and depression; develop a growth mindset from exposure to new modalities for learning stress management; practice healthy ways of communicating when life is challenging; establish connections with peers and adults in a safe, healing, inclusive community; and develop self-awareness of existing strengths.
The foundation is seeking candidates with at least three years of experience working with teens and bring skills that align with its interactive workshops exploring mindfulness, expressive arts, nature, animals, physical activity, and social-emotional support as strategies to promote resilience in teens. The fees for the 20-hour TMW training will be waived for participants who commit to facilitating 10 to 12 workshops in the 12 months following their certification.
Training starts on Sept. 24 and ends in late October. It includes:
• Youth Mental Health First Aid to enhance mental health literacy and skills for supportive conversations and crisis response.
• Grounding in RBF’s Mission to promote resilience in teens while using trauma-informed and culturally responsive facilitation techniques.
• Creating Safe Spaces that foster acceptance, connection, resiliency, and hope in teens.
• Skill Development from peer learning, feedback, and coaching to advance teen facilitation skills.
Applications to be considered must be submitted by Sept. 3 ryanbartelfoundation.org/tmw-facilitator-training.
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