By Aislyn McKernan – Social Media Editor

The SAVE Promise Club had recently attended Youth Leadership Training with several of its club members. Advocate Social Media Editor Aislyn McKernan interviewed club advisor Ms. Healy about the training. 

Aislyn McKernan: What happens at Youth Leadership Training?

Ms. Healy: At a Youth Leadership Training we get together with other SAVE Promise Clubs in our Connecticut area, whether that be middle or high school clubs. We all get to know one another, share what we’ve been up to and how we can better engage our schools and larger communities in our programs like “Start with Hello” or “Say Something” while also collaborating and sharing ideas we can take back to our own club.

AM: How did the training go overall?

MH: The training went really well. Seeing all the save clubs from around Connecticut was very impactful and helped our trainees with skills, ideas for our club, and more.

AM: How does Youth Leadership Training help students part of the SAVE Promise Club?

MH: I think these trainings are great for students in SAVE Promise because it shows them how many people are involved and care about such an important issue like violence prevention. It also gives them tools to engage their peers in meaningful discussion about change or problems they may be facing. 

AM: Why is Youth Leadership Training important?

MH: Youth leadership training is important for students who want to make an impact in and out of the club. It demonstrates skills to become a better leader and helps them take action in our community. It also helps kids feel more safe in our schools and stands up to violence. 

AM: Is there a next step to Youth Leadership Training? 

MH: After the Youth Leadership Training, we take what we learned back to Law and our Milford community which is great. We can implement programming and activities we got from this training in our communities to make Law, and Milford, a safer, more welcoming space for people. There will be a showcase in the spring for our region that we should be able to attend and share with our peers and other groups what we were able to accomplish this year. There’s also the National Youth Summit in April where we can meet with people in SAVE Promise clubs from across the country and participate in workshops, hear from guest speakers, and encourage, educate, engage and empower youth to look out for one another and prevent violence nationwide.