Youth

The Book Box Buddy Program is an Intergenerational program supported through our Retired Senior Volunteer Program and Community Development.

1. A “youth point person” – would connect with a senior liaison that would identify seniors that want to work with youth. The point person would collect completed RSVP applications and submit them to the Department of Aging and Youth Services. We use the forms to screen the individuals, for their ability to work with children, as well as, track the volunteer time donated to the program. *We do not complete a background check; the program facilitators are ultimately responsible for a safety plan when working with youth from your community.

2. Locate a safe space, create a timeframe (schedule) for when you want to run the program and begin to publish the opportunity in your community. Transporting youth needs to be considered when deciding on time and location. Bathrooms and water source may need to be considered with space selection.

3. Youth that want to engage in fun learning with senior community members will complete a registration form and submit that to the youth point person.

4. Then you select the themed curriculum box that you’d like to borrow and we schedule a drop off.

5. The Book Box Buddy program is very literacy rich and is appropriate for an adult to work with just one or two children at the most. There are books to read, games, activities, a craft etc. It is structured like a tutoring session, a very small group with low level activities – a calm atmosphere. All of the items necessary to facilitate the activities are included in the box.

Theme Boxes available
Box # 1 – 2 Alphabet or Alphabet 2
Box # 3 – 4 Apples or Apples 2
Box # 5 – 6 Bats or Bats 2
Box # 7 – 8 Bears or Bears 2
Box # 9 Caterpillars
Box # 10 – 11 Dinosaurs or Dinosaurs 2
Box # 12 – 13 Ducks or Ducks 2
Box # 14 – 15 Farm Animals or Farm Animals 2
Box # 16 – 17 Fish or Fish 2
Box # 18 Frogs
Box # 19 – 20 Grandparents or Grandparents 2
Box # 21 – 22 Moose or Moose 2
Box # 23 – 24 Pigs or Pigs 2
Box #25 Police – Firefighters
Box # 26 – 27 Trains or Trains 2
Box # 28 – 29 Winter or Winter 2

The Kids at Heart Club Program is an Intergenerational program supported through our Retired Senior Volunteer Program and Community Development.

1. A “youth point person” – would connect with a senior liaison that would identify seniors that want to work with youth. The point person would collect completed RSVP applications and submit them to the Department of Aging and Youth Services. We use the forms to screen the individuals, for their ability to work with children, as well as, track the volunteer time donated to the program. *We do not complete a background check; the program facilitators are ultimately responsible for a safety plan when working with youth from your community.

2. Locate a safe space, create a timeframe (schedule) for when you want to run the program and begin to publish the opportunity in your community. Transporting youth needs to be considered when deciding on time and location. Bathrooms and water source may need to be considered with space selection.

3. Youth that want to engage in fun learning with senior community members will complete a registration form and submit that to the youth point person.

4. Then you select the themed curriculum box that you’d like to borrow and we schedule a drop off.

5. The Kids at Heart Club has high levels of activity and exploration surrounding each theme. It has been built to offer the program to 20 youth at a time, with a recommendation to do small breakout groups/rotations. There are icebreaker games for more youth to learn about the people they are interacting with. Some boxes have a game, a craft, a small motor and large motor component, this offers a mix of sitting/listening vs. moving/doing. These are also more STEAM focused (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.) Again, all of the items necessary to facilitate the activities are included in the box.

6. Through the piloting experience we have found that access to water was an important component for clean up, but the group made due by carrying containers from a nearby bathroom. We have tried to include items that would have been helpful in the moment (such as paper towels.) One of the boxes requires a microwave to pop popcorn.

7. 2 communities have piloted this program so far. One began at school dismissal time and we found the kids want to have a snack and the volunteers personally took on providing a few snacks for kids. The parents pick up at the end of the hour because there is no transportation provided. The second program was held during a drop-in summer park program. The activities were held outside pending nice weather. Kids arrived with senior volunteers or walked to the park in their neighborhood.

Theme Boxes available
1. Box # 32 Kids at Heart
2. Box # 33 Checkers and Golf
3. Box # 34 Bubbles
4. Box # 35 Outer Space
5. Box # 36 Navigate Nature
6. Box # 37 Community Kindness
7. Box # 38 Mosaics and Jenga
8. Box # 39 Dinosaur
9. Box # 40 Hand
10. Box # 41 Bees – The Great Pollinators
11. Box # 42 Bats and Spiders
12. Box # 43 Community Garden
13. Box # 44 Turning Point – Local History