General Description
TIPTeens is a program which involves young people (ages 14-21) as active volunteers in the Trauma Intervention Program. It is expected that involving teens in the local TIP Chapter will directly benefit the teens and will also enhance the capability of TIP to serve youth who have been traumatized.
The goals of the TIPTeens program are threefold:
- To increase the awareness of teens about the plight of victims and to increase their emotional first aid skills.
- To give teens a meaningful volunteer opportunity in the community.
- To increase the effectiveness of the local TIP Chapter to help traumatized children and adolescents by using young volunteers (TIPTeens) who can establish “a connection” with young victims.
How the TIP Chapter Will Use TIPTeens
TIPTeens may be involved in a number of ways in the TIP Chapter. Following are examples of how the TIPTeens will be involved:
- As members of a TIP intervention team responding to a crisis situations.
- As “backup” volunteers when there are traumatized teens or children on scene.
- As volunteers with special skills (bilingual, for example) who are called out by a TIP volunteer when those skills are needed.
- As members of the TIP Speakers Bureau who assist in speaking about the TIP program in schools.
- As “eyes and ears” of the TIP program in the community. For example, a TIPTeen may deliver helpful materials to a teen who has experienced a traumatic event in a local high school.
- As National Trainers.
Policies and Procedures
- TIPTeens will be recruited from Peer Counseling Programs in schools, from police and fire Explorer Programs, from families and friends of active TIP volunteers, and from non-profit organizations who serve youth.
- TIPTeens will attend the same Volunteer Training Academy as adult TIP volunteers.
- TIPTeens will sign a Volunteer Contract similar to the TIP Volunteer Contract and will be expected to attend monthly continuing education meetings.
- Each TIPTeen’s involvement in the TIP Chapter will be contingent on written permission being granted by parents or a guardian. The parents or guardian must accompany the potential TIPTeen to the Orientation Meeting of the Volunteer Training Academy. The potential TIPTeen and their parents or guardian will be interviewed by a TIP staff person prior to the teen being accepted into the Volunteer Training Academy.
- Each TIPTeen will be assigned to a TIP volunteer who will be that teen’s mentor. This mentor will be responsible for:
- Reminding the TIPTeen of upcoming continuing education meetings and arranging transportation, if necessary.
- Debriefing the TIPTeen after a TIP intervention.
- Generally, the mentor will be responsible for the overall welfare of the TIPTeen in the TIP program.
- TIPTeens will be scheduled on the monthly schedule with an adult volunteer. If a call comes in, the TIPTeen will respond to the scene and will await the arrival of the adult volunteer. TIPTeens will never respond to a call alone and will never be left alone at a scene.
- A TIPTeen may be called as a “backup volunteer” who is requested by a TIP volunteer already on the scene. The requesting TIP volunteer will notify on scene emergency responders that a TIPTeen will be arriving, and the TIP volunteer will ensure that the TIPTeen is properly greeted and briefed upon arrival.
- The TIP volunteer(s) will make every effort to provide guidance and protection (if necessary) to the TIPTeen while on scene. Generally, TIPTeens will work closely “side by side” with the TIP volunteer(s) who requested their assistance.
Expected Results
TIPTeens will report that they use their TIP skills in other areas of their lives beyond the TIP program. For example, the TIPTeen may report:
- “I used my TIP skills to help a friend at school who lost his father.”
- “I was able to help on my job after a robbery because of my TIP experience.”
- “I now listen a lot more when my friend has a problem.”
TIPTeens will serve as a link between the TIP Chapter and local schools and youth organizations. TIP will more effectively serve children and adolescents who have been emotionally traumatized because of the addition of TIPTeens to our volunteer corps.
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