A student with special education needs may require additional assistance than even parents and teachers (or other adults in the child's life) can provide. At Team Up, we find out what types of needs a student has and the best ways to assist the student, parents, and others involved in the student's education and youth development.

Special Education Advocacy

Attending a meeting with school officials can be scary and overwhelming, especially when it deals with the specific needs of children in SPED programs. At Team Up, we are not only dedicated to building strong youth-adult partnerships but also developing relationships with parents and offering support whenever necessary. Our youth mentoring team helps parents navigate through each step of the Special Education process, working with schools, doctors, and specialists to ensure each child has access to the kind of care in Georgia they need.

Helping a student to thrive academically sometimes requires providing alternative educational environments. Through our Georgia mentoring program, Team Up can do precisely this. We are proud to be able to help students attend private schools based on their individual academic needs.

Since mental and emotional health is just as important as physical health, kids in Team Up also receive assistance in accessing counseling services in Georgia. The adults who match with the students are truly invested in their overall health and realize that mentoring with Team Up means more than just occasional tutoring.

Providing an outlet for the youth in our program to grow spiritually is also a vital part of Team Up’s approach to serving them. We pray with children and families and connect them with local churches to participate in services or programs like Vacation Bible School. 

From making sure kids are safe and supervised to creating opportunities for skill development and FUN, Team Up makes sure kids receive seamless services over the summer break. Just because the school year has ended does not mean that the mentoring from our community should stop. We are happy to report that a mentor is always here for our students, even during the hot Georgia summer!

Experiential learning is key to unlocking dreams in the hearts and minds of youths. Team Up provides opportunities to explore the world around us through the day and overnight trips. Of course, your mentor will accompany the student and report on the events of the trip.

Because we understand the impact that a regular, nutritious diet can have on a child’s overall health, we makes sure that the children in the program have access to healthy, nutritious food regularly. No child's report should ever say that they are hungry.

The Teen Leadership Academy is the next step in Team Up’s unique approach to mentoring and empowering young people affected by trauma. Designed to help teens make responsible, healthy, and informed choices, the Teen Leadership Academy provides youths with opportunities to receive life skills, leadership, and personal empowerment training.

Tackling issues related to substance abuse, relationships, personal finance, nutrition, and mental health, the Teen Leadership Academy helps to equip teens with the skills and knowledge needed to step into the driver’s seat of their own lives.

Recent studies report that participating in team sports may significantly reduce the long-term likelihood of depression and anxiety for people with childhood trauma. That's why each night at Team Up, students have the ability to explore and engage with a number of physical education opportunities. On a typical night at Team Up, you might see kids playing basketball, practicing yoga, participating in relay races, or playing capture the flag.