WaylandCares
ABOUT US:
WaylandCares is a division of programming run by the department of Youth & Family Services.
Our department offers mental health services to the youth and families of the community as needed, and as a department we remain dedicated to supporting the overall health and well-being of our entire community.
WaylandCares is dedicated to offering programs and services that are open to all youth in the community of Wayland. For more information, feel free to contact us. We are happy to let you know how you can help support WaylandCares and the youth of Wayland!
EMPOWER '26 & StoryCore Youth Summer Programs
We have limited spots remaining for these free programs! Apply to register now!
We are excited to be offering 2 weeks of EMPOWER this summer and the Introduction of a NEW 3rd Week of offerings!
EMPOWER is available for students entering grades 7-12.
Week One will run from July 13-17
Week Two will run from July 27-31
EMPOWER focuses on teaching youth:
* Communication Skills
* Problem Solving
* Collaborative Work Skills
* Identifying and Addressing Community Norms
* Campaign Development
* Using Data to Tell Your Story
* The Power of the Youth Voice
EMPOWER incorporates game play, problem solving and educational experiences to strengthen youth skills and offer new opportunities.
We currently have 8 open spots for each session remaining and the program is free of charge. If you have youth that would be interested in participating, we are happy to have them. We will register youth on a first come/first served basis. We ask that any youth registering, commit to the entire program and are available for all sessions during the week.
We ask that you talk with your youth prior to registering for the program and answer all questions together.
Click here to apply for EMPOWER WEEK ONE
Click here to apply for EMPOWER WEEK TWO
StoryCore
StoryCore will run from July 20-24, 2006 from 10AM-2:30PM at WHS
StoryCore is for rising 7th-12th grade Wayland Students
In addition to EMPOWER, we will be partnering with our good friends at the Great Meadows Health Collaborative to bring you a week dedicated to the craft of storytelling, visual arts and capturing your experience with how substances have made an impression on your life. For this session your experience with substances could be from witnessing and being impacted from peers, friends, and/or family interactions with substances (alcohol, nicotine, opioids, etc.), first hand experience, community norms, or any other intersections you have experienced. You absolutely DO NOT need to have ever personally engaged with substances to participate in this session.
Through the art of storytelling and the creative expression of visual arts, we will assist participants in organizing their stories, sharing their message, connecting with audiences and encouraging reflection, action and change.
Click here to apply for StoryCore
If you have any questions about the application process, EMPOWER, or the StoryCore Programs, please send an email to J Verhoosky or call Youth & Family Services at (508) 358-4293
THREE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONVERSATION AND CONNECTION WITH OTHER WAYLAND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Friends,
In these troubled times, we need one another more than ever. Below you’ll find three opportunities for conversation and connection with other Wayland community members. All programs are free, and registration is required. Click on the links below for more information and to register.
In the spirit of community,
The Wayland Human Rights, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee (HRDEIC)
Learn & Discuss
Who Gets to Belong… and Who Decides?
Reflecting on James Baldwin’s Stranger in the Village
Part of the Conversations for Change Series
March 25 | 7–8:30 PM
Wayland Free Public Library
Explore belonging, exclusion, and how division takes root, in a guided conversation led by Wayland resident Dr. Eden-Reneé Hayes of Pluralism Solutions.
tinyurl.com/wyl-change5
Learn & Laugh
Conversations with People Who Hate Me
March 30 | 7–8:30 PM
Wayland High School
A night with Dylan Marron - creator and host of the acclaimed podcast Conversations with People Who Hate Me and viral TED speaker - on how to to stay in conversation across differences. Open to ages 11+.
Learn & Practice
Conversations, Not Confrontations
April 14 & May 12 | 7–8:30 PM
First Parish in Wayland
Learn and practice skills for engaging across differences, thoughtfully and constructively, with jamele adams, educator, facilitator and community peacemaker.
tinyurl.com/ConversationsWayland
Domestic Violence Roundtable to Present “Who Am I and Why Am I Here”
Join us for the Opioid Project:
Changing Perceptions through Art & Storytelling on September 16, 7PM - 8PM at the Community Center.
Health Story Collaborative is an organization "committed to the therapeutic power of storytelling." In the spring of 2025, they held a workshop where people from Wayland and surrounding towns created works of art which reflected their experience with addiction - whether their own use or the use of a loved one. Their artwork and accompanying audio will be on display for the last two weeks of September, in honor of Recovery Month.
At this event, one of the artists will speak and light refreshments will be provided.
Presented by the Wayland Council on Aging and Wayland Health Department in collaboration with the Great Meadows Public Health collaborative.
In honor of Recovery Month
Join Lauren Keating, Co-Response Clinician at the Wayland Police Department for the following events:
HITT Class with the Phoenix | September 18 | 5PM
Join for a FREE HITT workout! HIIT stands for high-intensity interval trainings which include short bursts of intense exercise that are followed by brief periods of rest. The class is open to all, whether or not they are in recovery. No experience required and rests can be taken as needed.
The Phoenix is a national non-profit that organizes events and activities that "build on the power of community and belonging to change how society approaches addiction and recovery.
Yoga Class with Joe Scianna | September 24 | 5PM
Wellness is an important part of recovery, and life in general! In honor of Recovery Month, join us for a free yoga class with Joe Scianna who teaches yoga for the Council on Aging. The class is open to all. Bring your own yoga mat or contact Lauren if you are in need of one.
Questions? Please contact Lauren Keating, Co-Response Clinician at the Wayland Police Department at (508) 258 -1715 or LKeating@wayland.ma.us
Wayland Cares Community Coalition
Next Meeting: Tuesday, October 21, 9:00 am
Join us for discussion in the Wayland Cares Community Coalition!
Meetings are held once a month in-person in the High School Faculty Lounge, at 9am on the last Tuesday of every month. Open to all community members who are interested in making change for youth in the community. For any questions, please feel free to contact Jason Verhoosky.
