Guest User 5/14/22 Guest User 5/14/22

May is National Teen Self-Esteem Month!

May is National Teen Self Esteem Month! This month, we want to help raise awareness of the importance of ensuring that our teens are self-aware and that they feel confident about themselves. Self-esteem is crucial to their physical and mental wellness and we want to make sure we are doing everything we can to support them in whatever way they need.

The teenage years are known for being a difficult time in a young person’s life. In addition to the given physical, hormonal, and emotional changes they are dealing with, teens often have the added pressures of social changes, new relationships, increased educational expectations, peer pressure, and pressure of societal standards thanks to media and oftentimes, parents. Checking in on teens and ensuring that they are being fully supported and nurtured is a great place to start, whether they are family or friends.

Self-esteem is often easy to damage and difficult to repair. Due to the added difficulties that come with being a teen, it is highly understandable that teenagers can be particularly fragile. There are many ways that we can engage more positively with teenagers and there are some really simple ways that we can help promote positive self-esteem. If you are a parent, family member, or friend of someone who may be struggling with this, consider the following actions. You may notice, that these actions do not have to be limited just to teens, and can offer a path to more positive relationships with other people in your life as well.

The easiest place to start is leading by example by avoiding negative self-talk and criticism. Focus on having open lines of communication and ensure that you can be trusted. Give them space, listen to them, and take interest in their developing lives.

Guest User 4/19/22 Guest User 4/19/22

Happy National Volunteer Week!

This week, April 17-23, 2022, is National Volunteer Week. Celebrated annually in the third week of April, National Volunteer Week is about recognizing the contributions made by volunteers and encouraging others to make a difference through volunteerism. This week was first established in 1974 by Presidential Proclamation, in order to highlight the various volunteering opportunities available. It is a chance to thank volunteers across the nation and world who keep organizations running, communities safe, and who provide services that would otherwise not be available.

Volunteering comes in all shapes and sizes. It’s volunteers who keep community fire departments and ambulances running; co-ops, food banks, and soup kitchens open; and who provide food, shelter, medical care, and clothing to those in need. Volunteers can also be someone who will listen or be a shoulder to lean on when it’s needed most or someone who offers advice as a mentor. There is truly no limit to how you can offer your time and services to others.

In honor of #NationalVolunteerWeek, take this opportunity to thank a volunteer, find opportunities to volunteer in your own community or in other communities in need, and share your own volunteer experiences, as it may inspire others to volunteer themselves. People who volunteer develop new skills, build their personal and professional networks, forge a deeper connection with their communities and service organizations, and experience the joy of serving a larger cause.

Take a moment to explore the volunteer opportunities we have available here at LtN. Volunteering with LtN abroad is an incredibly unique and rewarding experience. LtN is an integral part of the communities where we work, providing volunteers with genuine connections, invaluable community development and nonprofit experience, and lifelong memories. You can volunteer for a one-week service trip, a 1-3 month internship, or a 6+ month fellowship as a Program Director at one of our international sites.

You can find more details about each of our volunteer opportunities and apply here! Take the leap in honor of National Volunteer Week and join our LtN team.

#NationalVolunteerWeek

Guest User 4/5/22 Guest User 4/5/22

Celebrate International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is celebrated annually on April 6th. The UN observes and values this day because they recognize the positive influence that sport can have on the advancement of human rights, and social and economic development. With the popularity of sport worldwide, and its foundation of positive values, sport has an incredible ability to contribute to the UN’s objectives for development and peace.

In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, sport’s role in and potential for social progress is further acknowledged: "Sport is also an important enabler of sustainable development. We recognize the growing contribution of sport to the realization of development and peace in its promotion of tolerance and respect and the contributions it makes to the empowerment of women and young people, individuals, and communities as well as to health, education, and social inclusion objectives."

The power of sport and the potential it holds to do good in the world is everything that Lacrosse the Nations is about. Our mission at Lacrosse the Nations is to improve the lives of children across the world. We use lacrosse as our tool and the lacrosse field as our platform to teach students valuable life skills and improve education, while ultimately bringing joy to their lives.

Each of our program sites is built with an emphasis on sustainability. To achieve sustainability, we are committed to having cultural relevance, mindful partnerships, and dedicated staff at each of our international sites. We collaborate with local leaders to identify how LtN can best help their community, and then adapt our programs to address their specific challenges. We partner with schools and organizations on the ground to be our eyes, ears, and trusted advisors. These local leaders help provide us with the necessary infrastructure to bring lacrosse to new communities. Our staff members are leaders in the communities we serve. Through our program model, LtN coaches become valuable mentors and role models for our student-athletes.

You can learn more about what we do and how we do it from our mission to our model here. Day in and day out, LtN is using sport for development and peace in our communities around the world.

“Sport has the power to align our passion, energy, and enthusiasm around a collective cause. And that is precisely when hope can be nurtured and trust can be regained. It is in our collective interest to harness the tremendous power of sport to help build a better and more sustainable future for all." -UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed

#InternationalDayOfSportForDevelopmentAndPeace #IDSDP #UNSustainableDevelopmentGoals #SportForDevelopment #S4D