30-05-2025
Youth job training program promotes emotional well-being in kids
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Thursday at Wilson Commencement Park, teen mentors stepped up to teach young kids about emotional wellbeing and mental health.
Teens from the WellVentions program worked with kids ages 6 to 12 on creative ways to express their feelings through games, puppets, and arts and crafts.
They talked about how to manage feelings such as anger and sadness in an interactive and playful setting.
The program was done in collaboration with Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield's Health Equity Innovation initiatives which are dedicated to fostering healthier communities.
'Kids listen to other kids for whatever reason,' Vice President of Health Equity and Community Investments Dr. Simone Edwards said. 'So it's important to sort of leverage the ability to sort of latch on to that to make sure that they feel comfortable, right? Listening into someone whose close in age with them, they've recently probably gone through similar experiences, they're better able to communicate with their peers so I think that alone is very important to the success of the program overall.'
As for WellVentions, it's a youth job training initiative run by the 'Prosper Rochester' nonprofit, the region's longest-running youth-managed business operating for over 12 years.
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