Submitted by the staff of Needham Youth Services

The Patrick C. Forde Award Ceremony, held on Monday, Jan. 23, was a terrific event. Special thanks to the Selection Committee for a great candidate (Candace Chase). Pictures will be posted on the Forde Award website in the very near future. Learn more at:  www.needhamma.gov/youth/fordeaward.

The fall and early winter edition of the Needham Youth Services brochure is now available as a hard copy; it can also be found online at: www.needhamma.gov/youth/brochure/2011/fall. Registration for programs opened in early January.

VIP Program

The VIP Program is running smoothly. All 12 pairs are meeting weekly at the Needham Senior Center. All students seem to be enjoying their time together. Needham Youth Services is now in the beginning stages of planning next year’s program. For more information, visit the VIP website.

Babysitting Training Seminars

Needham Youth Services has completed the third session of babysitting seminars. They are offering a fourth session in February and enrollment is almost full. For more information about the Babysitting Training Seminars, go to the website at www.needhamma.gov/youth/babysitting.

Peer Tutoring

The Peer Tutor Program is running smoothly. Fifty pairs continue to meet weekly at local schools and the public library. The tutees’ parents completed mid-year evaluations in January and check-ins are being held with tutors early February. Learn more at www.needhamma.gov/youth/peertutor. 

Suicide Prevention

Youth Services facilitated a QPR Suicide Prevention Training for 25 adults at Temple Beth Shalom last month, and a community-wide QPR is scheduled for early February. Learn more at www.needhamma.gov/youth/qpr. 

Needham Unplugged

Needham Unplugged 2012 is just around the corner. The no-homework and no-meeting night will be March 15, E-Mail Free Friday will be held on March 23 and Text-Free Tuesday will be held on March 27. Contact the office for more information or visit the website at www.needhamma.gov/youth/unplugged.

Picture Perfect Workshops

Picture Perfect workshops will be presented to seventh grade health classes this month. This will complete phase 2 of the program. Youth Services will finish the workshops (for the entire grade) in May during the third trimester.   Learn more at www.needhamma.gov/youth/pictureperfect.

Employment Program

For the remainder of the year, Youth Services will be in the Needham High School cafeteria on the first Wednesday of the month from February through May alerting students about employment and volunteer opportunities. Snow shovelers are all lined up and waiting to be called as snow has finally arrived. Learn more about the Employment Program at www.needhamma.gov/youth/employment. 

Bullying Intervention

Needham Youth Services has already had many referrals to its new Bullying Intervention Program. This 10-hour program addresses the following areas of bullying: Assessment (e.g. family history, past and current behavior, media influences, attitude towards bullying, etc.); Education (e.g. definitions of bullying, consequences of bullying for the bully and victim); and Skill Building (e.g. tools for the future such as decision-making). They have also collaborated with the Needham Public Schools on a document entitled “Bullying Prevention and Response: A Comprehensive Guide for Parents in the Needham Schools.  To view a copy of the aforementioned document as well as other information related to BIP, visit www.needhamma.gov/youth/bip.

Suicide Coalition

The Youth Education Committee has been working with an artist regarding a sizeable installation at Needham High School. Please contact the office if you desire information regarding this project. The coalition is sponsoring several programs in the future including one on head injuries and depression. Visit the coalition website at www.needhamacts.org for more information.

Each year, the Suicide Coalition makes many presentations in the Needham community. This month, the group will present to the Pollard PTC and to the Mitchell PTC. Contact the office for an up-to-date listing of presentations.

Safe Surf/Cyber Friendship Workshops

Needham Youth Services will be presenting its Safe Surf/Cyber Friendship workshops to all sixth graders at the High Rock School in February and March. Safe Surf survey results of youth Internet use will be available in the spring. For more information, visit www.needham.gov/youth/safesurf.

Teen Dating Violence Workshops

Needham Youth Services is scheduling Teen Dating Violence Workshops at Needham High School and will facilitate these in March and April.

Loss Workshops

Youth Services is scheduling dates for Loss Workshops at Needham High School and will facilitate these in February and March.

Make A Statement Day

The Youth Services staff is looking forward to returning to Needham High School for Make a Statement Day on March 30, 2012. Regular meetings for the Make a Statement Club began in January where students also took on leadership roles. Make a Statement Day 2012 is generously funded once again by Mark Silverman of Mark’s Moving and Lisa Silverman of Lisa’s Boutique.

School-based Group Update

Staff are running three “friendship” groups at Hillside Elementary School this winter. One is for first grade girls, another for first grade boys and the last for second grade girls.

Graduate Internship Program

Youth Services is already working with area graduate schools regarding clinical interns for the 2011-12 academic year and have received a few resumes. More information will be available in the months ahead.

Conversation for Parents of Teens

The 2011-12 “A Conversation … For Parents of Teens” schedule is available, and staff members expect it to be another sold-out year of this program. The flyer announcing the coming year’s program is available as a hard copy and also online. Below is the schedule of sessions that are coming; evaluations will be available after each program. Special thanks to the Needham Women’s Club for their continuing support of this program.

• Feb. 7 — Make Peace (and Not War) with Your Teen

• March 6 — Teen Secrets: what they are, and what parents need to know about them

Domestic Violence Action Committee

The Domestic Violence Action Committee (DVAC) continues to meet monthly. "The Yellow Dress" (a one-woman show on teen dating violence) was presented on Jan. 11. Two performances were held during the school day for juniors and seniors and an evening performance was held at the Newman auditorium for adults.

Below are the remaining 2012 meeting dates. Please note the anticipated (but not confirmed) location of each meeting. All meetings begin at 5:30 p.m. and are open to the public.

• Wednesday, Feb. 8 — Town Hall, Highland Meeting Room

• Wednesday, March 14 — Retreat at The Lunetta Abode

• Wednesday, April 11 — Town Hall, Highland Meeting Room

• Wednesday, May 9 — Town Hall, Highland Meeting Room

• Wednesday, June 13 — Town Hall, Highland Meeting Room

For more information about any of these programs, contact the Needham Youth Services office at 781-455-7500 ext. 265 or visit www.needhamma.gov/youth.