Our OLD Model

OUR MODEL

At Kids Helping Kids (KHK), our mission is to facilitate the development of leadership skills through youth-led service projects. We empower students to have a proactive attitude toward change by taking their passion and turning it into action. Every project is initiated, managed, and led by youth. This unique approach shows students the power they have to make an impact in the world and in the lives of others. KHK is guided by the following model:

  • YOUTH-LED: Adults provide support, but youth are accountable for and genuinely committed to the project’s success. 
  • PASSION INTO ACTION: Youth explore issues they care about and share their personal interests to create purposeful projects that support the community.
  • PLAN, IMPLEMENT and REFLECT: By coaching youth through the stages of project development, KHK helps them to develop 21st Century skills in communication, relationships, collaboration, critical thinking,  decision making, initiative and self-direction.  We align our skills focus with recommendations from CASEL and the Forum for Youth Investment.
  • PARTNERSHIPS: We partner with other reputable and local nonprofit organizations that work to address the needs of children.

 

 

Our vision is to help meet the needs of our community while fostering personal growth within our volunteers and teaching them social responsibility. By developing leadership skills and encouraging community engagement, we instill critical knowledge: communication skills and empathy needed to enable the next generation to flourish. As KHK grows, we hope to expand our reach to help kids realize their full potential as leaders and change-makers.

OUR APPROACH

Our staff works closely with every volunteer in order to help them through the project management process and to provide the necessary tools to become a stronger leader. Here is how we do it:

LEADERSHIP COACHING
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One-on-one coaching for project ideation, creation and management. Our staff works with students to turn their ideas into projects that serve other children in the community. This coaching focuses on 21st-century skills such as time management, budgeting, goal-setting, self-advocacy, public speaking, and much more! Many students can identify how they want to serve others but putting all the pieces together to build a comprehensive program is where they need assistance. KHK staff works alongside our student ambassadors to help them develop crucial leadership skills for the future, as well as provide opportunities to practice and fortify these skills.
MENTORSHIP
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Our staff acts not only as leadership coaches to our student ambassadors but also as mentors. We create a safe space through positive and uplifting interactions in order to connect with our youth and act as positive role models. Our staff has a genuine interest in the volunteers' success and well-being. In addition to leadership coaching, our mentors can be a resource for academic and professional endeavors. We pride ourselves on offering support and enthusiasm around the important decisions our ambassadors may be faced with. Volunteering with KHK is like joining a family and that family will continue to inspire, uplift, and empower each member as they work towards a bigger and brighter future.

COORDINATION & FACILITATION
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Kids Helping Kids has formed many strong community relationships over the last twelve years of working within Fairfield County. We are able to leverage these relationships in order to provide space, participants, and transportation for projects designed by our volunteers. Once the project plan has been completed, KHK staff members will carefully review all the details with the lead ambassador and then make the arrangements with the partner organization. We meet several times with the lead ambassador to cover all phases of project management. At the end of a project, we will meet to debrief the event and discuss what went well or what could be improved. At Kids Helping Kids, we believe that there is tremendous potential for growth in the planning and reflection of a project. And though we work together to ensure that the project is successful (and it often is), we know that sometimes things don't go as planned. A KHK staff member is on site for all projects and is there to provide additional support where needed. All KHK employees have completed a thorough background check and Virtus certification in order to protect the safety of all children in attendance.
LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP SERIES
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We created these workshops to give youth access to learning and strengthening practical life skills that are not covered in the traditional school model. These Ted talk style seminars focus on a different leadership skill each month and are led by our junior board members, community partners, and other local professionals who are committed to the success of our youth. Students are able to attend the workshops of their choosing and can work towards earning leadership certificates for attending certain clusters of the workshops we offer.
PROJECT PLANNING AND LEADERSHIP COACHING OUTLINE:
Step 1:  Define Project Concept
  • Volunteer fills out Spark-a-Project worksheet and sends to Program Staff
Step 2:  Project Review and Coaching
  • The volunteer meets with Program Staff a total of 4 times to review every piece of the project alongside a mentor
Step 3: Project Launch
Step 4: Project Wrap-up/Closing
Step 5: Reflection/Debrief Meeting

OUR OBJECTIVES

  1. To create a safe and inclusive place for youth to work collaboratively to design, lead, or participate in a service project
  2. To empower our volunteers to recognize their unique potential to make an impact
  3. To cultivate the development of these 21st century skills: