Teen Empowerment & Growth: What an 8-Session Life Skills Program for Teens Actually Covers

Most teens don't get a structured place to learn the practical skills that adulthood actually requires — how to apply for a first job, how to handle conflict with an authority figure, how to spot a manipulative relationship before it becomes a dangerous one. RHTWG's Teen Empowerment & Growth program was built to be that place: an 8-session, peer-informed curriculum for Las Vegas teens ages 13 to 17.

What the 8 Sessions Cover

Sessions run about 75 minutes each, in groups of 6 to 15 teens, weekly or biweekly depending on the site. The tone is intentionally "energetic, direct, and non-preachy" — built around youth-driven group norms and an anonymous question box rather than a lecture format.

1. Who We Are & What This Space Is. Group norms, expectations, and how the anonymous question box works.
2. Know Your Worth: Identity & Strengths. A strengths-based look at identity, separate from grades, family situation, or past mistakes.
3. Getting Ready to Work. Job searching for 13-to-17-year-olds, a sample application, and the message that reliability matters more than experience.
4. Your Resume & The Interview. Building a resume with little or no work history, plus mock interviews and what to wear.
5. Personal Hygiene, Health & Self-Presentation. Puberty and self-care handled matter-of-factly, without embarrassment.
6. Social Skills & Real Communication. Handling conflict and communicating with authority figures — teachers, bosses, coaches — without losing your voice.
7. Healthy Relationships & Consent. Consent as an ongoing, enthusiastic thing, plus warning signs and basic safety planning.
8. Digital Life, Safety & Your Future. Digital footprint, cyberbullying, privacy settings, and closing the program with a personal goal.

What Parents Can Expect Before Session 1

Because this program serves minors, RHTWG runs it under a stricter set of safeguards than its adult programs:

• Parent or guardian consent is required for every participant, signed before their first session, using a separate Youth Intake Form.
• Every facilitator and volunteer completes an FBI background check, a Nevada DCFS Child Abuse Central Registry check, and Mandatory Reporter training before working with the group.
• Two-adult rule. No staff member is ever alone with a youth participant, and there's a sight-line policy against closed-door 1:1 conversations.
• Photo or media releases require both the teen's own assent and a parent or guardian's signature — participation is never contingent on agreeing to either.
• An emergency contact is on file before the first session, and facilitators can collect phones during group time at their discretion.

Who It's For

Teen Empowerment & Growth is open to teens ages 13 to 17 residing in Clark County, Nevada. No referral is required to enroll — families can reach out directly.

What It Costs

Like RHTWG's other programs, Teen Empowerment & Growth runs on a low-cost, sliding-scale, and donation-supported model, so cost isn't meant to be the reason a teen misses out. Call or ask directly about current pricing for your family's situation — a Community Health Worker can walk through options before you commit to anything.

Common Reasons Families Reach Out

• A teen who's about to look for their first job and has no idea where to start
• A parent wanting a structured, judgment-free space to talk about relationships and consent before it becomes a crisis conversation
• A teen who struggles with conflict at school or at home and needs practice, not just advice
• A family looking for something between "nothing" and formal therapy — peer-led, educational, and short-term

Frequently Asked Questions