Summer slide is real and when teens experience boredom or unsupervised time, they tend to get themselves into potential problems they have a hard time getting out of. Therefore, since our main goal is to prevent problems for teens, here are some ideas to keep them busy while developing life long skills to help them succeed in life.

Tip 1: Get a Summer Job

Jobs help teens develop many skills such as team work, responsibility, time management, confidence, independence, financial literacy (aka knowing how to manage money), and many more skills to list here. If you have a working aged teen (15 and up), the guidance counselor office at their high school will be a great resource. Subscribe to their newsletters as well, if they have one. Job opportunities will pop up frequently through their office. The office will have the working permit applications, too. On their website, they may even have them to download. If your teen is hired, you and the teen fill out the sections for that, then have their new employer fill out their section. Once complete, turn it into their guidance office for the official permit.

For young adults, ages 18 to 28, check out Hope Builders (see link below). It’s an apprentice program for people who would like to build a career skill while getting paid. This is an alternative option to college bound high school graduates.

Tip 2: Volunteer Work

This is an option for younger teens who are unable to get a job due to age restrictions. Not only is volunteering a great resume building activity for a first job, it provides all of the same opportunities a job provides as listed in Tip 1. Employers love to see volunteer work on resumes. See below links for volunteer opportunities.

Tip 3: Learn a New Skill

Learning new skills keeps teens minds engaged and their bodies active. It helps them get new knowledge-based perspectives on the world around them. Teens gain new experiences, and train their brains to handle a wide range of challenges, and keep their neural pathways active. Also note, that the willingness to learn new skills increases many teens confidence and nurtures a growth mindset. This helps them grow as individuals and professionals. To build skills, a lot of communities have a center in which to enroll in classes, such as leadership classes, etc. There are also cooking or art classes at private studios as well.

Tip 4: Get Active

Many teens go through ups and downs in life that cause stress. Staying physically active helps to control that feeling of “being overwhelmed” and can relieve the feelings of stress and anxiety. Finding a fun sport activity such as martial arts, cooking, boxing, hiking, riding a bike, yoga or playing basketball with friends is a great way for teens to be outdoors, staying healthy mentally and physically. Encourage your teen to join/ start a team with friends this summer.

TIP 5: COUNSELING WITH CYS

Many teens often feel at a loss of what to do next either while still in school or as they are on their way towards college. CYS counselors are here to help directionless teens stay or get on a straight path. Our counselors can be a useful resource for many teens by providing a safe space for them to express themselves and work through growing stages confidently and strategically. They have the ability to help teens find volunteer opportunities, apply for jobs, encourage new ways to get active and assist in learning a new skill. CYS also makes counseling affordable as we have counseling grants for those going through economic hardship.