How to Start a Club for Troubled Teens
Troubled teenagers are often just kids with no direction and little support at home. Finding an interest, meeting a mentor and witnessing another way of life are great ways to stop them from getting into more trouble. But it is not as though you can just snap your fingers and have the troubled teens in your area show up in your living room, ready to join the "How to be good kids" club. You need to earn their trust and respect as well as meet them in a non-threatening manner. Follow these helpful guidelines.
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Instructions
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Go to your local Boys and Girls Club. Not only will you have a ready made population of teens to work with, you will have a space to use, other volunteers and resources at your disposal. You can ask the staffers what kind of club would be most effective and they can assist you in finding teens to join your club. They have programs for academic help, career counseling and technology already in place.
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Volunteer at a high school. High schools don't get the parent support that elementary schools do, so they always need volunteers. Explain your interest in troubled teens and ask to work with them. As you get to know them, you can decide with them what kind of club to have. Then all you will have to do is convince a faculty member to sponsor the club and choose a time and a place at the school for meetings.
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Work with your church or synagogue. Talk to the youth coordinator about starting a club for troubled teens through the church or synagogue. You may open it to the community or just keep it for members, depending on needs and interest.
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Contact other parents. Call the parents of your child's friends or go to the Meetup website to find other parents having the same problems you are experiencing. Create a club based on the interests of the teens and plan activities based on sharing positive experiences.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't approach teens without an introduction. It is not safe for them to get in the habit of meeting with strangers.
