Grantees: Social/Emotional Development
Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro
BGCB is piloting our Nurture Nature Days Program in partnership with the Vermont Wilderness School in order to provide structured outdoor learning and recreation environments for youth and their families. This program will operate free bi-weekly on Saturdays from 10AM through noon during the fall of 2023 and spring of 2024. Each session of the program will be operated on a drop-in basis at a different outdoor location around Windham County. This structure creates better access to programming for families in Windham County’s rural towns, allowing youth and parents/caregivers to attend the sessions that align best with their schedules. Each program session focuses on different outdoor skills and includes a healthy snack for all participants.
Encore After School & Summer Program
NCSU Encore runs afterschool and summer programs out of nine elementary schools in the NEK. A goal of the program is to keep 6th-8th graders in small rural communities engaged, help them build community, and to leverage their leadership in program, school, community and state decision making. This project would support the establishment and sustainability of a middle school SU-wide GSA (for LGBTQIA+ youth and their allies) that meets for Saturday retreats throughout the year. In these retreats youth will learn advocacy and leadership skills, connect with the local community through service and stewardship, and build community with other youth that they will
eventually attend the centralized high school with.
Enosburgh Public Library
The Enosburgh Public Library is the center of the community here in Enosburgh Falls. We are planning a twice a month Night Out event at the library here at the Enosburgh Public Library. One night each month will be for our Teen's only to have a safe space where they can come and enjoy some food, have a space to socialize with friends, participate in the nights events, watch a movie, play games and have a safe spot to hang out. We will also do one night a month for our whole families to have a "Night Out" together, where they will be fed, play games, watch a movie and socialize. We will have a special performer that will differ for each event.
Milton Town School District
The Milton Elementary School located in Chittenden County is one of the largest elementary schools in the state; it has 650 students in pre-kindergarten to 4th grade. Coming off the heels of the pandemic, MES has seen a large increase in behavioral issues affecting students’ academic and social experiences. In an effort to help our students in need of social-emotional skill development and their families, MES seeks to create specialized Social Emotional Learning (SEL) support services. The Monarch Classroom will provide guided mindfulness and sensory activities for students to learn
and practice regulation, optimistic thinking, self-awareness & personal responsibility, and provide resources to continue this practice at home.
Moonrise Therapeutics
MoonRise Therapeutics (MRT) is a farm-based nonprofit healing psychological trauma and promoting mental health and well-being. MRT offers prevention and psychotherapy intervention, integrating horses, art and movement, to create a uniquely effective setting for healing and growth. Success will be leveraged by using MRT’s Family Support Services, utilizing the CIrcle of Security attachment based model, as a channel to pilot more intensive clinical intervention services provided to families in crisis. The goal is to help caregivers/children develop healthy secure attachments, which are the foundation for success in school, social relationships and predictive of a general sense of competence and well-being.
Partners in Adventure
Partners In Adventure is a year-round, one-of-a-kind non-profit program which offers a wide variety of adapted & inclusive recreational and social programs for young people with disabilities &friends. Our mission is to honor diversity while providing unique experiences that foster independence, self-esteem, & build social & community connections. We have implemented a highly successful music therapy program through grant monies received from VCF last year. We have been able to offer this at no cost to participants & with the amazing work of a trained music therapist we have approximately 20 people every session. Music is highly motivating tool for increased communication skills, social skills, creativity, and self expression.
Prevent Child Abuse Vermont
Unfortunately, in 2019, 27 % of Vermont high schoolers admitted to either receiving or sending a sext in the past 30 days (YRBS). This can cause youth legal involvement and emotional and social distress. PCAVT’s Project SELFIE (Safe Expression onLine for Internet Empowerment) will decrease the numbers of youth who engage in and are
harmed by sexting. The program is a developmentally appropriate, trauma informed, sexting prevention program to increase digital safety for youth. It includes presentations for middle and high school students and training for adults on decreasing the digital risks: sexting, online grooming, inappropriate digital communications by adults to youth,
and online pornography. Evaluations show the program works!
Second Growth, Inc.
Second Growth provides counseling, youth programs, prevention education, and recovery supports for youth and families in our community. We seek funding from VCTF to continue providing FREE registration to middle school students who wish to attend Camp, thereby eliminating barriers to entry for low- and moderate-income families. Our
long-standing summer programs are designed to provide social-emotional learning, prevention education, develop leadership skills, and offer other enrichment through experiential learning activities. Each year we update the curriculum to include new research, best practices, and improve efficacy. In recent years we have expanded into
new towns and offered additional weeks in order to reach a broader audience.
Teen Center - ConnecTeen 2
The Teen Center is a community space for teens serving the ACSD school district. We are seeking funding to continue a program piloted last year, ConnecTeen. ConnecTeen was designed to bring teens and parents together for a fun night of food, games, crafts, or projects. The idea was simply to make it easier for teens to connect with their trusted adults. This year, we'd like to expand our idea of 'parent', and invite trustworthy community members to our events.. For those teens who are reticent to invite their parents (and many are, because, well, they're teens), we will provide more social
connections with adults in the community, with the hope of strengthening our teens' sense of belonging, ability to seek guidance, and access to support.
Vermont Family Network
Vermont Family Network (VFN) empowers and supports all Vermont families of children with special needs. VFN’s program Puppets in Education (PiE) uses life-sized puppets to teach children how to keep themselves safe and healthy and to appreciate each other’s differences through educational programs for PK–8 students. PiE programs model
effective leadership and problem-solving skills and demonstrate respect and inclusion in all communities. For 41 years, PiE has connected with children through powerful puppet programs that address social and emotional issues. PiE reaches 10,000 children annually in VT & NY schools. We promote empathy and kindness while educating students about strategies that break the cycles of abuse and bullying.