Support
This summer I got the opportunity to work for Valo, a nonprofit based in Yarmouth, Maine. Valo is a retreat-based program centered around the well-being of youth in Southern Maine. Teens gather with peers and adult mentors to connect through conversation, time outside, creating, cooking, and moments alone. They tend to find a deeper sense of self through connection, allowing them to ground themselves.
My responsibilities included meeting with potential teens and sharing the basis of our retreat program in hopes that they apply. I also ran the Valo social media Instagram page by using Canva to create posts about the importance of mental health. Additionally, I got to act as a junior guide alongside the director and one of the guides of the program during a weekend retreat. I was able to observe how they connected with the teens and created a safe environment for vulnerability.
Through this experience, I was able to gain a better understanding as to how nonprofits operate, create professional relationships with my manager and coworkers, and learn the importance of mental health awareness for youth. I am so grateful for my manager, Dana Anderson, and St. Lawrence University for allowing me the chance to explore working with youth and promoting emotional well-being.