Natural Helpers is based on a simple premise: Within every school, an informal "helping network" already exists. Students with problems naturally seek out other students — and also adults--whom they trust. Natural Helpers are a cross section of students and school adults identified through an anonymous school wide survey. After representatives of all the subgroups in the school community are selected, they are invited to participate in the Natural Helper program. If they accept, they are invited to attend a training Retreat. Students are not trained to be therapist but are trained to take good care of themself, how to listen and help their friends through the problem solving process and how to refer on when situations are serious.

Goals of the program are: 1. To help young people develop the capability to prevent some of the problems of adolescence, 2. To help young people develop the capability to intervene effectively with troubled friends, 3. To help young people develop the capability to choose positive ways of taking care of themselves., and 4. To help young people develop the capability to improve their school and community.

Activities to achieve these goals are Mentoring to third and forth graders at Bradley West School, Presenting to the incoming eight graders at Bradley Central School, Sponsoring speakers in the BBCHS library on various topics such as coping with stress, depression, goal setting... and each Natural Helper who remains active is to volunteer four hours a month. Volunteer hours can be individual time spent at a Nursing Home, Community Resource Center, Exploration Station..... Also, Natural Helpers are invited to attend On Going Training sessions. Training can be a brief presentation during the monthly meeting as well as an all day workshop on anger management.