Military members and spouses have the adult advantage of knowing PCS moves (permanent changes of station) are filled with unknowns and uncertainties, but they always come to a resolution, and we’re still stressed! So it's easy to imagine the stress that military kids go through, move after move, with little say in the decision.
As grown-ups, we try to regain control of our dictated transitions by searching the internet for information about neighborhoods at our new destination and scouring social media to find the best schools. We’ll even reach out to a friend-of-a-friend to snag the perfect rental.
Unfortunately, kids usually don’t have these reassuring prep activities to relieve stress. But, there’s good news: they have a program designed just for their needs, the Youth Sponsorship Program.
The Youth Sponsorship Program (YSP) was invented to give kids a chance to make some decisions for themselves and investigate their new surroundings. The YSP is similar to the traditional sponsor programs the military has been running for years, but the YSP matches kids already located at the destination with incoming kids who are hopeful to start learning the ropes as quickly as possible.
With help from parents to coordinate, new kids are introduced to local kids through phone calls, emails, or events after registering with their gaining installation.
There’s nothing like moving to a new home and already knowing new friends. The YSP can help your children connect with other kids in their area.
Here’s how:
A large component of the YSP is the Military Child Education Coalition’s Student 2 Student (STS) School Transition Support Program. This school-based program is available where military children are present, even on off-base campuses, and is led by current students. The program's goals align with YSP’s intent to ease the transition and provide safe and positive communication between military and civilian children. STS is available at elementary, middle, and high schools.
The law, Title 10 U.S. Code §1785, directs the Secretary of Defense to require a Youth Sponsorship Program at each military base (CONUS and OCONUS), so they should be easy to find. Start with a search within your home base’s page, usually under Child and Youth Services, MWR, or Fleet and Family Readiness Programs. Each base handles registration and YSP programming individually, so activities vary from base to base.
Some examples of Youth Sponsorship Programs:
If you need more help finding a YSP, don’t forget about the DODEA School Liaison Officer near you. They will help you find more youth services geared toward transitions. Or, if you'd like more PCS help online, check out these trusted resources:
Consider this twist for using the Youth Sponsorship Program. This PCS season, if your family isn’t the one to go, but your kids are losing their best friends, think about volunteering for YSP in your area. It’s a fantastic way for your kids to work through the sadness of saying goodbye to old friends by saying hello to potential new friends in their neighborhood.
If you need more help with your overall PCS plan, MilitarybyOwner can help you find a new home and support the rest of your move plans. Our blog has travel tips for the whole family (including pets!) and detailed guides for major military installations across the country.