Teen Therapy Allies: Community Support Showcase Interview with Brigid Cooley, NEST Empowerment Center Coordinator
It’s important to have safe spaces to connect with friends, practice being our authentic selves, and break bread together. The NEST Empowerment Center of Georgetown, TX does just that for teens.
For this post, I interviewed Brigid Cooley, the NEST Empowerment Center Coordinator, on how the NEST got started and what to expect when visiting the NEST for the first time.
Brigid Cooley, NEST Empowerment Center Coordinator
The NEST offers a safe space to go after school for teens in Georgetown, TX who may be experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness.
Read on to learn more about Brigid and how she helps teens!
What kind of services/offerings does The NEST provide?
The Georgetown Project opened our NEST Empowerment Center about 13 years ago, with the goal of connecting with and providing basic needs and resources to GISD high school students who qualify at-risk and/or homeless. We want the NEST to be a safe haven to students after the bell rings, where counseling, academic and enrichment support is provided to them by safe, caring adults who want them to succeed. I often say, going along with the bird theme we have going on here (because: NEST), that we want to be a soft place to land for our students...especially those who feel forgotten or left out.
How exactly do your services/offerings help teens?
The NEST is open to Georgetown ISD high school students from 4-7 p.m., Monday-Thursday during the school year. That means we only operate on days when the school district is in session. Transportation is provided by the school district to the NEST from both East View and Richarte high schools. Georgetown HS kiddos walk across the street to our location, 2201 Old Airport Road. Students are also provided transportation back home by the school district.
Who does The NEST serve?
We work specifically with teenagers enrolled in the Georgetown Independent School District in Georgetown, Texas. I love connecting with people from all different backgrounds and lived experiences. I especially enjoy helping students (especially the ones who seem really shy at first) find their creative side through our daily programming.
During a teen’s first visit to The NEST, what can they expect to experience?
Hopefully, a caring environment which welcomes everyone in. Each day includes some sort of programming (such as learning about internet safety from our partners at the Children's Advocacy Center, playing BINGO, or maybe even trying your hand at playing the Native American flute), a sit-down dinner for all attendees and access to basic resources via our hygiene closet and food pantry. We also have caring adults available to help students with homework if they need it, or even just to be a listening ear. We know through research that the number one contributor to student success is whether they have caring adults in their lives...we want to help make sure they do!
What do you wish people knew about The NEST?
One of the coolest things I've seen during my time here is the way students grow into themselves while participating in our NEST programming. I think we are able to give students a sense of belonging and ownership...when thinking of their future, but also while living in their present circumstances. An example: Last semester, our students created artwork for a student art exhibit at the Williamson County Art Guild's new space off the Georgetown Square. We had over a dozen students participate, expressing themselves through poetry, paintings, collage and all sorts of artistic mediums. Students who first came to the NEST quiet and uncomfortable attended the opening night of the gallery exhibit radiating confidence. How much more could we have asked for, really? It was beautiful to see.
I want people to know that, while we focus on students who qualify at-risk and homeless, we are open to ALL GISD high school students. We understand that teens have lots of different needs, and sometimes that just means a place they can go to feel like they belong. Our doors are open to everyone.
What was your favorite thing about being a teenager?
My teenage years were the ones where I really got to explore how I felt most confident expressing myself (and all my teenage angst, haha!). Thanks to the help of some wonderful adult role models, I developed a passion for writing and performing my own poetry, which is something I do professionally now as an adult. Teenagers are so creative and, when cultivated, the passions we find during our high school days could remain integral parts of our lives forever.
How can people learn more and contact The NEST?
Learn more by visiting The Georgetown Project’s website.
A Free Consultation with a Teen Therapist in Georgetown, TX
I hope you’ve learned about an awesome local resource for your teen to attend after-school in the interview above. Being a teen in Georgetown, TX can be stressful with all of the competing demands from school, home, and online.
If you’re ready to connect with me to see if I’m a right fit for working with your teen, call me for a FREE 15-minute consultation at 737-808-4888. We’ll discuss my style, what you and your teen are looking for, and if I’m the right fit to help your teen practice skills of responding to stress and anxiety with ease and confidence from within.