ENGAGING families with the COMMUNITY RESOURCES they need
Guiding good choices
Fall 2025:
NEW START DATE: November 3, 10, 17, 24, December 1
6-8 pm
At the VARSA office across from Ace Hardware
(17520 Vashon Hwy SW Suite 201)
Guiding Good Choices is FREE of charge and can help you:
Help your child build resilience skills as they transition through adolescence.
Strengthen family management skills.
Help your child build resistance skills to help decrease risky behavior – including substance use.
📞 Register today – Spaces are limited!
Because parenting teens isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection. 💙
🌟 Parenting Teens Can Be Tough — You Don’t Have to Do It Alone! 🌟
Are you the parent of a tween or teenager and feeling:
Confused by their moods?
Unsure how to set boundaries that actually work?
Concerned about peer pressure, school stress, or risky behaviors?
Join our Guiding Good Choices Parent/Caregiver Skills Class for Parents of Adolescents — a supportive, practical, and engaging series designed to help you strengthen your relationship with your teen while gaining tools to handle the challenges of adolescence.
In this class, you’ll learn how to:
✅ Communicate so your teen actually listens (and talks back—in a good way!)
✅ Set clear, consistent expectations without constant conflict
✅ Support your teen’s independence while keeping them safe
✅ Manage stress (theirs and yours)
✅ Build stronger family connections that last
Guiding Good Choices (GGC) series is for parents and caregivers of children ages 9-14. The series is in-person, packed with helpful information and tools, and is free of charge!
It’s fun! Build parent community by sharing and collaborating in 5 weekly sessions. These sessions help parents gain the skills needed to strengthen family bonds while setting clear standards and expectations.
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Monday, November 10, 2025
8:30 am - 1:30 pm FREE of charge
At the VARSA office across from Ace Hardware
(17520 Vashon Hwy SW Suite 201)
Learn to identify, understand, and respond to mental health and substance use challenges in youth.
Gain skills to assist a young person experiencing a mental health crisis or early signs of addiction.
Help reduce stigma and promote resilience, empowering young people to thrive.
YMHFA is designed for adults who regularly interact with youth ages 12-18, including parents, caregivers, teachers, and community members. The course covers common mental health challenges, adolescent development, and a 5-step action plan to provide support in crisis or non-crisis situations. It is a hybrid class with 2 hours of online pre-class work and a 5-hour in-person training. Thank you to county and local grants this valuable training is free for Vashon Island residents and those off-islanders who have children in Vashon schools!
What is it? YMHFA is an evidence-based training program that equips adults with the tools to help youth facing mental health or substance use issues. Led by certified instructors, the course is tailored to meet the needs of our Vashon community.
It’s engaging! This one-day session fosters collaboration and equips you with the practical skills needed to support youth and connect them to the right resources.
Youth Mental Health First Aid is FREE of charge.
Our next training will be on Monday, November 10, 2025, 8:30 am-1:30 pm in the VARSA office. Please register below or contact us at info@varsanetwork.org for more info and to sign up.
SAFE GRAD NIGHT
Safe Grad Night can help:
Ensure teens celebrate graduation in a fun, safe, and sober environment.
Provide a memorable, once-in-a-lifetime celebration for graduates and their classmates.
Support community efforts to create a drug- and alcohol-free event on one of the most high-risk nights of the year.
Safe Grad Night is for all Vashon high school seniors and is organized by dedicated parents with support from the community. The event is a fun-filled celebration that promotes togetherness, ensuring every graduate has a place to safely celebrate.
What is it? Safe Grad Night is a parent-led initiative aimed at providing a safe, substance-free celebration for graduating seniors. It’s a tradition that strengthens the bond between graduates, their school, and the broader community. With the help of VARSA and generous community support, this event is made possible for all students.
It’s unforgettable! Graduates will look back on this night as a highlight of their high school experience, celebrating together in a fun and secure environment, with the support of their community and classmates.