Volunteers and Support
Thank you so much for expressing an interest in Trinity’s Learning Resource Center’s Community Outreach Life Skills Enrichment Programs. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, public benefit, faith-based organization, we are “giving a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11-14) to the children, youth and families of our communities through life skills enrichment education programs; Basic Life Skills, Life Planning & Preparation, and Financial Literacy, “Providing direction to the next generation, equipping them for successful living and impacting generations to come.” Also through RATA “Raising Awareness and Taking Action” a community outreach program that is meeting emergency needs.
Thank you for considering in coming along side to help us in their volunteer effort; to support the purpose and vision of Trinity's Learning Resource Center's Life Skills Enrichment Programs.
As founders, we too are Volunteers and Supporters of the program, outside our regular daily duties. Without volunteers the work would not get done! Volunteers are the hands and feet that bring life, health, and hope, and are greatly needed!
As volunteers, we are equipping youth and families for successful living; helping each individual to navigate through the crisis of adolescence and life. Through this process, we have an awesome opportunity to impact the young lives and families in a positive way. Attitudes are changed. Where waywardness was evident, purpose is realized. Insignificance is replaced with significance. A lack of emotional love that was clothed in rebellion seeking acceptance, is filled with love, acceptance, value, and support.
Through this program youth are awakened to understand the realities of life. It is a place where they can grow in success, embracing purpose, value and potential.
Our generations of youth need someone to care enough to be there each week to greet them with a heart filled with love and acceptance, a smiling face that radiates warmth and care. A heart that cares enough to ask how they are doing in school, in their sports or other activities, at home, etc. Many need a positive role model, because there is a high level of teens who are parented by single parents, or whose parents are present, but absent. They have empty or very low level emotional love tanks which needs to be filled up through deposits of love, care, concern, encouragement, acceptance, praise, high-fives, or a pat on the back. Some of them need someone to embrace them and tell them they missed them. It is vital that our youth's emotional love tanks are filled so that they won't feel they have to look for love "in all the wrong places."
Over 32,000 Arizona youth committed suicide in 2008 and the most recent statistics have not been released. What is the cause? Theory: A lack of encouragement and positive adult care. We have found that youth, no matter who they are, where they are raised or what their families financial or social status is; all youth who do not receive the time, care, and positive attention needed, become "at risk" youth. Our youth just need loving, caring, positive, adult role models who are willing to spend time with them by imparting something positive into their lives that will help them in their future. We recognize the "risks factors for youth problem behaviors, which are characteristics of school, community, and family environments, as well as characteristics of students and their peer groups that are known to predict increased likelihood of drug use, delinquency, school dropout, teen pregnancy, and violent behavior among youth. Protective factors exert a positive influence or buffer against the negative influence of risk, thus reducing the likelihood that adolescents will engage in problem behaviors."(1)
For this reason we partner with parents; providing a positive learning experience by which equipping them with information, skills, and strategies that will help them to properly connect and reconnect them with their children and youth, by giving their youth what they need first emotionally, and grow success by sowing the seeds for success in their lives and that of their youth, thus providing families a hope and a future.
These youth are not looking for perfect people, but individuals who will be there, on time, consistent, and who are willing to admit their mistakes, and who commit to fulfilling their word. They simply need to see positive love in action. They need you and they need me. They need a big brother or a big sister; a friend and mentor.
Is it in your heart to making a lasting change and a positive impact on the youth of our communities?
Many youth do not receive the kind of formal training and education at home where it counts the most; and they are not receiving it in school. Without these life skills, they are pretty much on their own to figure life out and making many mistakes along the way. Many, not knowing what to do and how to do it, what to say and what not to say, often succumb to peer pressure, drugs, alcohol, and gang involvement, while others turn to illicit sexual relations many of which end in unwanted pregnancies, because they are "looking for love in all the wrong places!" Their emotional love tanks are empty. Worse yet, suicide and murder have become "the way" or "end of life" for far too many. Our middle schools and high schools are filled with drugs and many young people have come to "believe" the lie that "everyone is doing it so it should be okay."
In 2008, there were estimated 974,610 juvenile’s ages 8 to 18 years in Arizona who came in contact with the Juvenile Court System (2). Out of those referred, over 50% of these youth were from Maricopa County. Out of those detained, over 48% were from Maricopa Country. More than half of the whole state’s juvenile offenses were processed through Maricopa County. And these are only the ones that got caught!
This generation is different and it appears to be on a downslide into immorality...but not just the youth...look at the seven mountains of culture and those who are currently in authority: media, education, government, business/economics, family, religion, arts & entertainment...what are our families being fed nightly on TV, the Internet, and ipods.
We believe it is due to the fact that many of this generation lack the knowledge and understanding, the Truth of the matter, as well as, the temperament or time needed to properly teach, train, prepare and develop their children for successful living. It's just not about developing skills; it's about the Truth they need to know how to live life in such a way that leads to success and prosperity, rather than allowed to "have it their way," an attitude of expectancy and selfishing, breeding rebellion, immorality, juvenile delinquency, death and destruction.
Too many parents have depended upon an educational system to fulfill their role and responsibility in teaching and training their children to become responsible citizens. It starts at home with parents teaching and training their children, and if our youth don't receive it from home, they are left to their own devices; or yet the devices of darkness that seek to ensnare them.
Too many parents have "busied" themselves or have been seduced by the circumstances to believe that they "don't have time," that they must work in order to survive. The reality is the fleshly desires of man have ensnared many to consume, and this strong desire (or lust of things) has enslaved many to pursue "the dollar," "mammon," because of too much debt. Far too many are pursuing things in exchange for their children's lives and future; or the stress and strain of life [the cares and worries of life] have "stressed them out" emotionally and physically where they are thinking only of "themselves" and "their" peace of mind and rest, and not for the care, welfare and well-being of their children. Many parents themselves are not equipped to successfully deal with daily challenges, and therefore are not equipped to teach their children. And the hard reality is these children and youth are hurting, lonely, needy, needing love, care, attention, and support in their daily lives and are found wanting...the result: there has been an increase in juvenile crime and it is linked to a lack of parental care and concern to provide the time, care, support, teaching, guidance and training that is needed. A lack of personal responsibility has produced a generation of youth who lack purpose and direction resulting in wrong associations, a lack of life vision, lack of concern, lack of knowledge and understanding in planning and preparing for successful living, and therefore unable to identify the thieves of their dreams. The pressures of the day leave many parents at a loss as to what to do and where to go.
We need caring people, like you, who will donate a minimum of 1-2 hours a week. Facilitator/ Instructors will require additional time to prepare class lessons.
We are asking for individuals who have the chosen to receive God's heart and mind (care, concern, and compassion) for these youth, who understand that our youth are seeking for and needing the love, care, support, and encouragement of those who will rise up and teach them the skills they need, those who will also model a positive character of integrity, and those whose desire to help equip parents & families so they are empowered to guarantee their youth's success.
All volunteer Facilitator/Instructors are trained in the program curriculum with hands-on training, aides and big brothers and big sisters, are asked to just be willing and available for the youth and assist instructors as needed, or help youth during the Big Brother/Big Sister Hour with homework, playing a game, and just hanging out with them in a positive, loving, and supportive environment.
We want you to be equipped and confident. We know that anyone with a willing and yielded heart can accomplish much in the lives of our young people.
Volunteer Positions Available:
Administration:
Computers (data entry), Proof-reading, Printing & Mailing or Brochure Folding
Instruction/Facilitator Instructors:
For Children, Youth, and Parent Coaches, aides (to help lead facilitators)
Fund Development:
Fundraising Event/Planning, Donor/Business Solicitation (Request from local businesses gift cards/certificates, donations & sponsorships, pick up donations, supply pick-up/deliveries)
Community/Public Awareness:
Presentations, Material distribution, Public relations/Networking,
Special Events/Coordination:
Fundraising events, Graduation/Benefit &Awards Banquet, Spaghetti Luncheon & Auction,
Photography/Video tape
Board of Directors:
Council Board of Directors, Committee Chair/Member
Application Process is as follows:
1) Fill out Application.
2) Upon receipt and review of your application, we will reply to you with any necessary information based upon your cited interests.
3) Fax, email or Mail your application.
Print Volunteer Application
Foot Notes:
(1) Phillip Stevenson, SAC Director, Arizona Criminal Justice Commission
(2) http://www.supreme.state.az.us/jjsd/juvenilesproce/Juveniles_Processed_FY08.pdf
