Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office teaching youth to be leaders
Families across Norfolk County and Massachusetts have just completed a familiar ritual: the return to school. While it may look a little different than years past because of the COVID19 pandemic, we go through it because we know how important it is to educate our youth and give them the skills they’ll need throughout their lives. It is, naturally, a time to focus on learning and preparing our children for the future.
But learning isn’t something that only happens within the walls of a school building.
This is why the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office has developed programming designed to help young people learn how to make good decisions and develop the kinds of skills they need to succeed as adults. From our ever-popular Youth Leadership Academy to our training on situational awareness, the NCSO is committed to providing youth with the ability and opportunity to make positive changes in their lives and communities.
For example, we recently concluded our 19th season of the Youth Leadership Academy, which provides leadership training to Norfolk County youth ages 10 to 14. Indeed, one of the biggest impacts of the Youth Leadership Academy is the students who return after they’ve graduated to become peer leaders and interns, ushering younger students through the same programming that helped develop them into strong leaders. This summer, we expanded to pilot a week of the Youth Leadership Academy in Franklin, making this resource available to youth across Norfolk County.
While the Youth Leadership Academy only runs during the summer, the NCSO provides important youth programming and resources year-round. I work from the assumption that young people — indeed, all people — want to improve their communities and make good decisions if given the chance. Our mission is to provide these opportunities to as many young people as we can. For example, our Youth Empowering Seniors program partners area high school students with seniors to help them understand and make use of modern technology. This program gives young adults the opportunity to give back to their community and forge important relationships with seniors in their community.
We also have a number of resources that help young people understand the importance of making good choices and learning about the consequences of their actions in a safe and controlled environment. Our adventure-based programming makes use of our ropes course to guide youth groups and non-profit organizations through teambuilding and leadership exercises. Our school outreach officers are engaging with students across the county to teach them about important issues, including drug abuse and bullying. And our Distracted Driving program gives young drivers a safe and low-stakes environment to learn how distractions in a car can quickly turn dangerous through the use of a high-tech car simulator.
I know that strong families are one of the most important elements in helping young people develop the skills to make good choices, and I want to continue to provide family-friendly events that give families the chance to bond and grow together. This is why we put on our recent Back-toSchool outdoor movie night, and I look forward to organizing similar events throughout the year so families can enjoy some quality family time.
I want young people and parents alike to see the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office as a real and relevant resource for helping them develop into engaged and responsible adults. This is part of my office’s focus on public safety as prevention — keeping people safe is not just about catching criminals. It is also about giving people the means to be productive members who give back to their communities. By investing in our youth, the Norfolk County Sheriff ’s Office aims to give young people a chance to learn the skills they need as they grow into our future leaders.