KidsPeace - TeenCentral.Net

Cause Area

  • Children & Youth
  • Community
  • Computers & Technology
  • Crisis Support
  • Health & Medicine

Location

4085 Independence DriveSchnecksville, PA 18078 United States

Organization Information

Mission Statement

TeenCentral is a prevention and intervention website designed for youth in crisis. In addition to providing information on a variety of mental health topics, youth can anonymously submit posts when they are in need of support. Post are then reviewed by a group of trained volunteer counselors and interns and a response is provided within 24-hours. All counseling responses are reviewed by Administrators, who are Master's level mental health professionals, prior to being posted on the website.

Description

KidsPeace is a private charity dedicated to serving the behavioral and mental health needs of children, families and communities. Founded in 1882, KidsPeace provides a unique psychiatric hospital; a comprehensive range of residential treatment programs; accredited educational services; and a variety of foster care and community-based treatment programs to help people in need overcome challenges and transform their lives. KidsPeace provides emotional and physical health care and educational services in an atmosphere of teamwork, compassion and creativity.

Reviews

Would you recommend KidsPeace - TeenCentral.Net?
30 reviews Write a review
by Jenny P. from Carrollton, GA (August 17, 2016)
I've been volunteering with Teencentral.net for a few weeks and I love it. There are so many different facets to the website, for teens to find help dealing with issues, besides just the volunteers. Yet, I feel that we still play a very vital role, especially in situations where there are serious issues the teen is having to deal with. The training was thorough enough that I didn't feel too unprepared starting out and the director was very encouraging and helped me settle in. I think teencentral.net is a great place to volunteer and a great place for teens to turn when they need help.
by Sherane B. from IN (March 31, 2016)
Enjoyed volunteering here but was not a lot to do and kind of unprofessional. Also the site could use an upgrade.
by Reema S. (September 9, 2014)
This seems like a really good organization and it will help a lot of teens out!
by JEFFREY L. from Fort Pierce, FL (June 21, 2014)
This is a wonderful organization. This organization gives me the opportunity to give back to humanity through service. I have a chance to make a difference in someone's life every time I counsel someone. You have a chance to make an immediate impact.
by Katherine V. (October 5, 2013)
This organization provides the practice for any potential psychologists or counselors. The teens are real, their problems are real, so you will be getting better on how to improve your responses to their problems and help you prepare when the time comes when you are an intern or in the field. The counselors are great to help you and the director of this program is the most professional and sweetest person you will ever know.
by Tieara M. (July 11, 2013)
I highly recommend this organization to anyone who wants to help teens and make a difference. This experience has been extremely rewarding and the training/support available is awesome. By the time you start volunteering you really feel comfortable and capable of interacting with the teens on the site.
by Cathy G. (March 24, 2013)
This is a great organization to work for. The training is set-up very nicely and it's not hard to learn. I have been with them a short time, but already I have learned quite a bit in that time. It's a great way to help teens. I like learning new things, plus volunteer work in a great way to earn experience and knowledge.
by Joanna B. from CA (February 12, 2011)
I have been volunteering for TeenCentral.Net for a little over 2 years! This is an awesome organization that goes above and beyond to help teens in need! Making a commitment to volunteer for TeenCentral.Net has made my life more fulfilling! Being that I am disabled, being able to counsel online has given me a phenomenal opportunity to help, even when I do not feel so well. The organization has great leadership and a wonderful group of counselors. They are ready to help, listen, and give advice any time to any teen that comes to the website. I could not have asked for a better experience with TeenCentral.Net. It is something that has changed my life positively and something that I am extremely proud of. It has been a great experience, and I hope to continue to keep volunteering for this organization as long as I am able to.
by Kendra S. (February 8, 2011)
I began volunteering for TeenCentral.Net a year and a half ago. It has been a great opportunity and experience for me. It was helpful as a graduate student in counseling to be able to practice different techniques of counseling on this site. Overall a very rewarding experience with great staff support and guidance when needed!
by Esraa H. (February 7, 2011)
I believe TeenCentral.Net is a great resource for teens these days. With different pressures in and out of school, many teens are struggling and usually don't know where to go for help. I feel like the time I spend with TeenCentral.Net makes a difference in those teens' lives, and I'm very proud of the work we (other counselors and I) do to help them. As a young adult, I can clearly remember my teen years and know how much such a site would have benefited me in different aspects of life. I'm glad that today's teens have TeenCentral.Net as a reachable option for support. The director is very nice and has always been encouraging and supportive to the counselors. I've never had any trouble reaching him or other volunteers for questions or help.
by Samantha W. (February 6, 2011)
TeenCentral.Net is a great outlet for teens to get some advice in their life. Also, I believe this website is a great learning experience for anyone who likes giving advice. The stories are very different and challenge me to think about how I would handle these situations. I have noticed that some of the tools and questions I was trained to use on this website is similar to what I have learned in my advanced psychology classes! This is a superb resume builder and an overall great volunteer opportunity!
by Elizabeth E. from Fredericksburg, VA (February 5, 2011)
I have been a counselor at TeenCentral.Net for two years and have enjoyed being able to listen to and help teens through tough times. I am a seminary student and the training at TeenCentral.Net has been helpful for some of my classes. It has also helped me be a better parent to my own children.
by Michelle H. from Boulder, CO (February 4, 2011)
Volunteering with TeenCentral.Net is a great opportunity! You get to help so many young people who don't know where to turn at a very important time in their lives. You help provide teens with skills they can use for the rest of their lives to manage stress and deal with difficult situations. It's great experience if you want to be a counselor, therapist, or any job that works with teens.
by Karimah b. (February 3, 2011)
I have been working with TeenCentral.Net for quite a while now, and I love my work! I feel as though I am truly making a positive contribution. I was given thorough training, and receive consistent support. The director, Julius Licata, is a continued source of encouragement and gives his support and approval to the volunteers, making me feel appreciated and wanted. I have some serious health issues going on, so it has been difficult for me to be out and about. TeenCentral.Net has made it possible for me to be able to help others in spite of my health. Recently, KidsPeace opened a new site, ParentCentral.Net, and I am pleased to report that I have been accepted as a volunteer there as well. I have completed my training, and look forward to beginning work there as well. I plan to continue with both these sites indefinitely, God willing, and I am grateful to you for providing virtual volunteer opportunities. This has been a true blessing for me.
by Catherine R. (February 3, 2011)
TeenCentral.Net is a wonderful place to volunteer. Dr. Licata is a kind and helpful director, and he promptly answered all of my questions and has been 100% supportive. This can be challenging work, but you feel good after doing your best to give helpful advice to teens who are confused and/or in pain. You can work from the comfort of your home at your own pace and choose your days and hours. Mental health professionals double-check everything you write to make sure that it's appropriate, so you don't have to worry if you don't feel you're "professional" enough to help. Give it a try! The kids need you!
by Scott B. from CA (February 3, 2011)
Where could I or should I start? TeenCentral.Net is an amazing site for teens to get help on the daily problems they all confront. Julius Licata takes a special interest in the volunteers and especially the teens he is helping. It is very rewarding and highly recommended to anyone who has time to volunteer and wants to do it online.
by Sarah D. (February 3, 2011)
I have had a wonderful experience with TeenCentral.Net. You can see the difference with the teens that you are making when they write in thanking us, and by the responses that others write in. Dr. Licata and the other support staff and counselors are wonderful resources and I look forward to my shifts every weekend. It is a wonderful way to do a service that is easy, well supported and makes a big difference!
by Cindy N. from Dixon, IL (February 3, 2011)
teencentral.net is a fantastic resource for teens. It offers advice to them, free of charge on any possible issue they might be facing. I became a volunteer counselor as a way to help others and fill some spare time. I could not be more pleased with the work I do and with what the site offers!
by Elly H. from Washington, DC (February 3, 2011)
TeenCentral.Net is a great organization to volunteer your time to from your school, office or home. It's an uplifting experience and I would highly recommend it. All you have to do is go through a training process to become a counselor. You even get a certificate for being a teen counselor after completing the training! The admins and Dr. Licata have also been very helpful and their dedication to this site cannot be put into words.
by Patricia S. (February 3, 2011)
After attending an intense diversity training, I felt compelled to make really good use of any free time I had. TeenCentral.Net is the ideal volunteer opportunity in that you can spend your time helping teens on whatever days you have free. There are no rigid schedules, and the volunteer work is very rewarding. I look forward to any time that I can sign on and help someone on this website.
by Jacquelin B. (February 3, 2011)
TeenCentral.Net is a great place for teens to be given helpful advice that will aid in enlightening their lives. I have been a volunteer at TeenCentral.Net for about six months and there is nothing more rewarding than making such a big difference in a teen's life. Currently, I am a student at Lehigh University and I plan to attend either Harvard or Duke Medical School. I am almost positive that having TeenCentral.Net in my resume played (and will play) a huge role in my admissions decision. Being a counselor at TeenCentral.Net will help me relate and communicate with my future patients. I will continue volunteering at TeenCentral.Net for many years.
by Morgan C. from Monaca, PA (February 3, 2011)
TeenCentral.Net is a great place to help teens with their issues. As a Master's student in counseling, TeenCentral.Net has given me so much experience in working with youth. It has actually made me want to pursue school counseling, to help the teens in need. There are so many teens out there that are brave enough to share their stories, and it needs volunteers like us to keep this site up and running. The teens need us, and I love going on everyday and helping them out! All they ask for is your commitment two days a week, but I find myself going on almost every day! Dr. Licata is a great administrator. He answers any and all questions that I may have, and he is very supportive. He truly makes me feel like a competent counselor!
by Maria F. from Secane, PA (February 3, 2011)
I have to start by saying that the job these people do is not easy. Dealing with teenagers' problems and doubts can be very overwhelming. This organization virtually trains you to give your best answer to each of these honest stories using your common sense and knowledge. The rewarding sensation you'll feel after counseling will keep you excited about the future of this world. We have to understand that all vicious cycles our current teenagers find themselves in, can be broken. Most of them should understand that there's always a different and better way to approach whatever it is that is bothering them. Unfortunately, most of the people around them might not be as supportive and understanding as a perfect stranger that just wants to sing: "A change is gonna come". What a better way to start than to open your heart and hope for the best.
by Christie H. from WInter Haven, FL (February 3, 2011)
I started this volunteer as a requirement for my Honors graduate status with my college. From the beginning, I have been supported, assisted, trained, received positive feedback, and truly felt as if I was helping others. I can offer advice and support, but not feel intimidated because whatever I post will be vetted by professionals before being sent on to the teens. Dr. Licata and the other administrators have taken the time to answer any concerns or problems I've had. The only e-mails that could have been possibly construed as negative were sent in response to the fact that apparently people were not logging in on their assigned days, meaning that stories were being left un-answered. And even those e-mails were not rude, simply making us aware of the fact that there were stories that needed to be completed. Although this was a requirement for graduation, it is a volunteer opportunity I plan to continue for years.
by kimberly g. from Stafford, VA (December 1, 2010)
I felt the organization was a bit unorganized, not much support offered, as well as many of the emails passed to volunteers seemed angry and abrupt. I gave the organization several months, but never really felt a positive connection with the staff and/or director. Working with the youths who wrote in was somewhat positive. I am a Registered Nurse by trade who works at in inpatient unit in Virginia, mostly with children and adolescent populations.
by Natesha C. from Grand Forks, ND (September 1, 2010)
Unfortunately, I was surprised by how disorganized they were. I'm a little upset because I really wanted to help counsel teens...oh well. Based on my experience with them, I would not recommend this opportunity to others. But if you do try them out, I hope your experience goes better than mine did.
by Nancy D. (September 9, 2009)
TeenCentral.net is highly organized and provides in depth training. I will admit I was intimidated in the beginning because I might say the wrong thing. However, after completing a couple of counseling sessions, I felt more comfortable. I felt as though I were standing right there with the teen, facing the problem with him/her. It is a great way to flex your counseling muscles. I also feel comfortable doing it because I know someone is going behind me to make sure I am saying/doing the right thing. Very rewarding!
by Andrew M. from MI (March 23, 2009)
I comepleted the test and they even used my "test" repsonse for a teen. But they never officially accepted me. Also, I got a feeling of rudeness from them. Would try again, but I lost the motivation.
by Jane C. from Lynn Haven, FL (November 12, 2008)
This opportunity is very rewarding! The training and support is good. Volunteering for TeenCentral.Net makes one feel like he or she is making a difference to kids who are searching for help on a large range of issues.
by Reverend Neal M. from Joppa, MD (July 8, 2008)
TeenCentral.Net is a fantastic way to share our wisdom with teens who are going through similar situations that we, as children did. Although the times have changed the problems and challenges are very much eaqual to ours of yesterday.

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