Supporting Our Teens -- You Matter: We Care!

This section of our website is dedicated to offering resources to support the spiritual, mental, physical and emotional well-being of our teens with emphasis on faith and spiritual support opportunities along with community resources in the midpeninsula area.  If you have resources or events you wish to add to this page please email the information to diana@councilofchurches-scc.org.

Beginning with the August 31, 2009 forum, Supporting Our Teens: A Multifaith Community Support, faith communities are coming together to do our part to help build "a village" where every youth knows that You Matter: We Care!  We seek to support ALL TEENS, no strings attached, and regardless of your faith or spiritual background or interest.

Web Resources from
Faith Communities and Spiritual Traditions:

Our worth never changes is a 2 minute uplifting talk from the Christian Science tradition

When a heart cries out only G0d hears... Strengthen me O G0d so I am not afraid are words from a song in the Jewish prayerbook.  Click on the title to download the text in English and Hebrew.  The prayer speaks not only to Jews but to everyone.  Click here to hear it sung on youtube.

TMC Youth is a community website of youth and youthful thinkers around the globe united by the healing mission of Christian Science.

First Congregational Church of Palo Alto's Youth Ministry includes weekly gatherings for Middle School and High School youth, and an awesome spring musical production every year.

Teen 12 Step Meetings

Every Thursday, 4PM, at the First Congregational Church of Palo Alto UCC, 1985 Louis Road in Palo Alto.

Many local faith communities welcome LGBT youth.  Just a few of those congregations include:
Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Palo Alto
First Congregational Church, U.C.C. in Palo Alto
First Presbyterian Church in Palo Alto
Ladera Community Church in Portola Valley
Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto
University Church in Palo Alto

Lyric (Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center)
800-246-PRIDE; 800-246-7743
Free and anonymous hotline provides peer support and referrals to youth callers in California; Monday through Friday, 6:30-9pm and Tuesdays, 4-9pm

Community Resources for Youth:

SUICIDE HOTLINE:  800-SUICIDE; 800-784-2433
Calls are connected to the nearest crisis center.

Hotlines for Teens (click to download) includes phone numbers and web links for health questions, drug and alcohol concerns, gay/lesbian issues, runaway help, grief support, rape and sexual assault, self-injury and more. It is provided by the Palo Alto Medical Foundation's teen site.

Youth Community Service (YCS) is a non-profit that engages youth in service learning projects to promote increased awareness of the needs of their communities. YCS clubs are offered at all Palo Alto public schools, and meet weekly at lunchtimes.  Click here for their "The Ethic of Service Can Balance the Ethic of Success" flier, which includes dates to learn more and sign up for YCS at Jordan, Terman, JLS, Gunn and Paly.

Teenpower workshops give teens tools for managing the challenges they face including but not limited to dealing with peer pressure and bullying, managing emotional triggers, and staying safe from verbal attack.  Use the attached flyer for more information or contact Jessica Lewis at 650-329-2390 or jessica.lewis@cityofpaloalto.org.

Mitchell Park Teen Center is free and open to all teens in 6th-12th grade that live or go to school in Palo Alto. It includes a computer lab, homework center and more.  For more information contact Jessica Lewis at 650-329-2390 or jessica.lewis@cityofpaloalto.org. Some activities require membership, which is free.

(Thanks to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto for the photo of youth from their congregation walking the labyrinth.)