ADULT EMOTIONAL FIRST AID FOR YOUTH
The Village First™
It takes a village — trained, confident, and grounded in culture.
The Village First™ equips the adults who surround young people — parents, teachers, coaches, faith leaders, mentors, and community members — with practical Emotional First Aid skills to recognize emotional distress early, respond with cultural awareness and compassion, and connect youth to support before challenges escalate into crisis.
What It Is
The Village First™ operationalizes AMRI's founding philosophy: Not therapy first. Trust first. Adults learn that the most powerful protective factor in a young person's life is a consistent, emotionally safe adult — and that becoming that adult is a learnable skill. Anchored by three commitments: Connection Before Correction™, Relationship Before Intervention™, and Care Before Crisis™. Flexible formats — from a 60-minute awareness talk to a full Village Champion™ certification — let us meet your community where it is.
Who It's For
- Parents, grandparents, and caregivers
- Teachers, counselors, and school staff
- Coaches, after-school leaders, and youth mentors
- Faith leaders, ministry teams, and community members
- Nonprofit staff and workforce serving youth 12–18
- Organizations pursuing Village Ready™ certification
What to Expect
Recognize
Spot the observable indicators of distress in youth 12–18 — changes in behavior, mood, engagement, and functioning — through a cultural and developmental lens.
Respond
Apply the LEAF™ framework — Listen, Empathize, Affirm, Follow through — to real conversations, using validation, active listening, and de-escalation.
Refer
Execute a warm handoff: introduce, accompany, follow up. Navigate school, community, clinical, and crisis resources with confidence.
Renew
Sustain the work — boundaries, self-care, and a community of practice so the adults doing the caring don't burn out.
What You Walk Away With
- ✓Confidence to start hard conversations with young people
- ✓The LEAF™ response framework and a scripted approach for disclosures, suicidality, and grief
- ✓Clear referral pathways into schools, community supports, and AMRI's Care Connections™ network
- ✓Optional Village Champion™ certification — an earned, renewable credential
- ✓A pathway for your organization to become Village Ready™ certified
BRING THE VILLAGE FIRST™ TO YOUR COMMUNITY
Ready to tap in?
Available in formats from 60-minute awareness sessions to 8-week Youth Champion certifications. Grant-subsidized rates available for schools, faith communities, and neighborhood organizations.