Outreach Services

Outreach Services exist to provide support and information to Glastonbury's youth. To achieve this, prevention and intervention programs are offered and include:

• PEER EDUCATION: Peer Educators are trained high school students available with information and resources to help other students.
• GROUPS: Throughout the year, groups are available as needed. Past groups have included: stress management, support and recovery, and guidance support.
• THE WACY PROGRAM: The Welles Village Activities Council for Youth (WACY) is a summer program for youth ages 7-12. Area teens age 13 and older receive leadership training and supervise youth in a playground setting with summer activities. Click here to learn more about WACY.
• COMMUNITY OUTREACH: Outreach Services are offered to the community to provide support. The Outreach Social Worker is available to make topic related public presentations, as well as, meet with youth informally to talk during and after school hours. The Outreach Social Worker can be reached by visiting Youth and Family Services; calling the agency or asking a school staff member.
• INFORMATION: Glastonbury Youth and Family Services staff are available to the community for teaching, consultation, and public speaking. To find out about our programs or to reach a staff member, please call (860) 652-7661.
• COMMUNITY SERVICE - Click here to learn more about community service support resources.

Outreach Services in Glastonbury Schools

Smith Middle School

Peer Mediation

This program is facilitated by the Y&FS Outreach Social Worker and provides an opportunity for students to resolve their own conflicts by participating in mediation sessions conducted by trained students and monitored by an advisor.

Mediation is a way to resolve conflict in which the disputants have a chance to sit down and voice their personal positions regarding a dispute without being interrupted. After the problem is defined, solutions are created and then evaluated by the disputants and the peer mediators. When an agreement is reached, it is written and signed.

Additional Services

For additional outreach services at SMS, please contact Jacob Carpenter, LCSW, Outreach Clinician at (860) 652-7654 or jacob.carpenter@glastonbury-ct.gov. 

Glastonbury High School (GHS)

For more information on the GHS services outlined below, please contact Amanda Wolfe, LCSW, Outreach Clinician at (860) 652-7656 or amanda.wolf@glastonbury-ct.gov.

Peer Education

This program utilizes high school students as resources for their peers. Approximately 45 students are involved in this program, which promotes wellness and prevention at the high school. Activities include: new student party, red ribbon campaign, suicide skit, presentation to 8th graders on transition issues to high school and community forums.

Peer Mediation

GHS and Y&FS Outreach Social Workers work in collaboration to give students an option for conflict resolution. This program provides an opportunity for students to resolve their own conflicts by participating in mediation sessions conducted by trained students and monitored by an advisor.

Mediation is a way to resolve conflict in which the disputants have a chance to sit down and voice their personal positions regarding a dispute without being interrupted. After the problem is defined, solutions are created and then evaluated by the disputants and the peer mediators. When an agreement is reached, it is written and signed.

Time Management

Through this program, GHS and Y&FS Outreach Social Workers work in collaboration to prevent tardiness (e.g. freshman arriving late to school). A meeting is set with all freshmen who receive five (5) or more tardy slips. Students fill out a Time Management Behavioral Survey. Peer Mediators then meet with each student to brainstorm how they can change their patterns to arrive at school on time. The goal is for this program is to prevent the students from getting 10 tardy slips to avoid a Saturday detention.

Peer Support Groups

The GHS Counseling Department and Y&FS offer extra guidance service to students known as “Student Support Groups”. The group meets for 12 weeks for one period at alternating times during the day.  Students are expected to make up any work missed in classes. They may also choose to attend a class they believe they shouldn’t miss.

There are several different support groups which give students a place to build friendships, receive positive feed back on problems, or simply vent everyday frustrations. Past members have found them to be very helpful in dealing with the typical stresses that accompany adolescence.