Peer Advocates is a two part program that trains willing and qualified high school applicants to listen to and to be resources for their peers.
Peer Helpers is for students at Polson and R.H. Brown Middle Schools who are considered trustworthy and helpful to their peers.
The AIDS Awareness Project – is open to all DHHS students interested in raising consciousness and awareness about HIV/AIDS. The group commemorates World AIDS Day each year. Organizational meetings are held at Daniel Hand High School. For further information, contact Taffy Bowes.
Safe Rides – is a community-wide, confidential, student-to-student transportation service, which operates most Friday and Saturday nights between 10:00 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. to provide a safe alternative to driving with or as an inebriated driver by calling 245-8347. Volunteer shifts of 3 – 10 high school students provide passengers confidential and safe ride home within the Madison town limits. A student core group manages much of the nuts and bolts organization of the program. Volunteers do not need to be able to drive. Adult volunteers supervise the shifts. Anyone interested in volunteering please call Melissa Balletto at 245-5656.
Mentoring Matters – The program matches 5th and 6th graders with highly-motivated, well qualified high school students to provide guidance and positive role modeling. Within the bounds of this positive peer relationship and through mutuality of experience, all young people are given further opportunity to thrive and expand their horizons. Mentoring Matters meets every Wednesday at Brown Middle School from 3:00-4:15. Madison Youth & Family Services staff member supervise all meetings. For further information call Melissa Balletto at 245-5656.
Perspectives is a cross-age, student-to-student program developed by an interracial, interfaith group of high school teens to address the ways in which hateful language is used to hurt people. The students who created Perspectives are active in one or more of the following Madison Youth and Family Services sponsored groups: G.A.S.P., (Gay and Straight People), A.R.M.S., (Alliance of Racial Minority Students), and Peer Advocates.
Girls Group - Meets every Monday after school until 3:30 PM at Polson Middle School from November through May. This program aims to promote positive self-esteem, body image and good decision making skills while having fun and meeting new people in a safe and supportive environment. Please contact Melissa Balletto or Peg Butler at 245-5656 with any questions or concerns.
School Based Mentoring - School Based mentoring aims to promote personal and academic development, self-esteem, communication skills and to strengthen relationships with peers and adults in the community. This program is open to any student in 4th-6th grade. For more information please call Melissa Balletto at 245-5656.
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