The Summer Leadership Intern Program, (SLIP), provides life skills training, coaching, leadership development, pre-employment career opportunities, volunteer and civic engagement activities, and mentoring by caring and committed adults for pre and young teens ages 11-14. Designed to strengthen social, communication, leadership, critical thinking and career related skills among our youngest teens, SLIP is very intentional in nature, focusing on the application of these strengths and skills to their everyday lives. The overall goal of (SLIP) is to provide youth with meaningful summer experiences that support their social emotional growth as teens and as leaders. Participants in this program will have an internship at a local business, receive leadership and job training, as well as work to use their voices to better their community, meeting with local leaders and elected officials to present and discuss their ideas.
While there are many potential positive role models in the community and among human service staff, too often many of our youth?s most influential models are those who are overwhelmed with life?s responsibilities, those who are not skilled enough to maintain solid employment and/or struggling with substance abuse. Our pre and young teens are not eligible for the summer employment opportunities available to their older counterparts and are at risk for having too much free time and nothing constructive to fill that time. Too old in their own eyes for the traditional summer city camp options and too young for ?real? jobs, SLIP addresses the gap in services for this very vulnerable pre and young teen age group ? providing them with the supports, opportunities and tools they need to build healthy bodies, minds and lives. SLIP teens thrive on the opportunity and challenges of gaining work experience in the adult world, earning a stipend for completing the program and participating in SLIP?s many skill, leadership and team building activities.