Building community
Recently, GirlTalk Therapy posted a GirlTip about the importance of developing a sense of community for our tweens and teens. Since the recent National tragedies in Boston and West, Texas, we’ve been thinking more about this topic and feel it’s time to re-visit it in a new light.
Our youth are powerful motivators for positive change and action. If there is any time for them to be involved in their community, it is now! The devastation of last week’s events have also brought up memories of past struggles our local, national, and global community have faced in its history. We believe we have the opportunity to help each other through this time and heal from the past by participating in outreach and volunteering activities that support community and build relationships.
We mentioned in our last post that community can often be separated by the many tools and devices that run our lives - facebook, twitter, texting, and more. However, these methods of communication can also be the spark that ignites community gathering. If you take some time to look at recent internet activity, you will see ways that our community has united itself to help others and spread the word of positivity. It’s time to get yourself and your teen involved in our current events. Explore some of the ideas below with your adolescent to help them build a caring community:
- Make a donation to the Capital Area Food Bank. They are set up to send help to West, Texas.
- For those who are old enough, consider a blood donations. Locations are here.
- Join in fun fund-raising such as this up-coming event
- Support Boston by buying a t-shirt. You’ll help Boston financially but also show your support with the clothes you wear (engaging other community members to get involved)