The Norfolk County Sheriff's Youth Leadership Academies are designed to help youths age 10-to-14 develop the crucial skills needed in the modern world. Using experiential and adventure education, participants in the academy learn to overcome challenges and reflect on what they learned and the skills they needed to be successful. This helps young participants set goals and come up with strategies on how to achieve these goals.
The popular Braintree Youth Leadership Academy for Norfolk County youth aged 10 to 14 years old will be offered this year (2025) from June 16th to August 15th. The academy, which features a low and high ropes challenge course, seeks to develop: decision making skills, problem solving skills, communication skills, goal-setting skills, and provides participants with public safety classes such as fire safety, K9s in law enforcement, etc. The Academy takes place at the Braintree Public Safety Complex at 2015 Washington Street in Braintree.
We are very excited to bring the Youth Leadership Academy to Medway this summer. The Academy will be based at the Medway High School from July 10th to August 4th. The Medway Youth Leadership Academy features all of the exciting and life-changing activities of the Braintree Youth Leadership Academy, including a low and high ropes challenge course, and a focus on helping youth develop decision making skills, problem solving skills, communication skills, goal-setting skills, while also providing participants with public safety classes such as fire safety, K9s in law enforcement, etc.
To register for the Braintree or Medway Youth Leadership Academies, click here.
The Peer Leader Program is designed for young adults ages 15-17 to work alongside college-aged interns in our summer Youth Leadership Academy. Peer leaders will undergo training in ropes course operations and group facilitation to essentially serve as junior counselors in our program. Their role allows them to gain technical skills and knowledge around ropes courses, such as belaying, safety measures, hardware and equipment, and more. Additionally, they are able to shadow counselors and understand how to manage groups and exercise leadership and responsibility for others. Many of our current college-aged counselors participated in the Peer Leader Program, and previously, attended the Academy as campers themselves. This position is unpaid yet the flexible commitment of two weeks means that for many Peer Leaders, this can fit in alongside other jobs or activities for the summer. The first week is dedicated to training to prepare for the second week, in which Peer Leaders will be placed with an Academy group. The two weeks do not have to be consecutive. While all peer leaders must commit to a minimum of two weeks, they are welcome to request to attend more sessions.
