Training Institute
The Training Institute has two core components, the Training Program and the Reach Your Potential (RYP) Courses –which share these common goals: to build healthy relationships, to develop social-emotional learning competencies, and to practice self-care for overall mental well-being. The Training Program equips aspiring professionals and youth workers with trauma-informed care and mental wellness. The RYP Courses provide hands-on training for youth, parents and caregivers, educators, and professionals to support mental health hygiene, communication, and professional development. Each component of The Training Institute holds its participants in a supportive environment and empowers them to establish their safe space, practice self-care, and use proven practices to support their well-being.
Reach Your Potential Courses
The Reach Your Potential (RYP) Courses offer structured, hands-on training for a diverse range of audiences. Emphasizing the importance of open communication and self-care, the RYP Courses aim for meaningful engagement among participant groups, thereby establishing guidelines that create a safe environment where participants can discuss mental health and wellness, build resilience, and learn to confidently advocate for mental health resources. Courses also provide practical tools to help identify, support, and empower people facing mental health and social-emotional challenges, including breathwork, mindfulness, and movement. For all, the courses focus on developing self-awareness, emotional well-being, and leadership skills. By partnering with schools and local organizations, GDS empowers adults and youth to work together in creating stronger, healthier communities where everyone can Reach Their Potential.
Youth
Interactive workshops focused on building resilience, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness; empowering young people to better understand and manage their emotions, relationships, and mental health.
Educators and After-School Staff
Practical, hands-on trainings designed to equip those on the front lines with tools to recognize signs of distress, create trauma-informed environments, and support the day-to-day mental well-being of the youth they serve.
Parents and Caregivers
Supportive sessions offering tools, strategies, and relatable guidance to help caregivers foster mental wellness at home, strengthen communication with their children, and navigate emotional challenges together.
Professionals
Advanced workshops for clinicians, counselors, and community-based professionals looking to deepen their understanding of youth mental health, co-occurring challenges, and culturally responsive practices.
Seniors
Designed for older adults and their caregivers, addressing the unique emotional needs, isolation risks, and mental health challenges of later life, with a focus on coping tools, connection, and community care.
Training Program
The Training Program trains staff, volunteers, and aspiring mental health professionals to work therapeutically with underserved youth, adults, elders, and families. Accordingly, this portion of the Training Program focuses on the internal training of youth workers to work with our participants, in addition to mentoring aspiring mental health professionals. Youth workers and aspiring mental health professionals receive certificates upon successful completion of the Training Institute program. Volunteers are eligible for letters of recommendation to schools or potential employers.
We’re proud that a number of our Training Institute alumni have been graduates of the Excel Program and have decided to pursue careers in mental health and youth services as a result of their GDS experience. Many of our volunteers and interns have gone on to pursue graduate-level degrees and become leading professionals in their fields.