Get Involved

SHIELD is free for everyone — students, schools, and departments. Whichever one you are, there's a place for you here.

🎓

Students

Two ways to jump in:

  • Join a program — we'll help you find the nearest junior firefighter, EMS, or cadet program.
  • Start or join a SHIELD chapter — promote these opportunities at your school and help classmates find their local department.
Find a Program
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Schools

Give your students access to opportunities most never hear about:

  • Host a recruiting visit — we coordinate a lunch-period or career-day visit from local departments.
  • Bring responders to your CPR unit — real firefighters and EMTs co-teaching health class.
  • Support a student chapter — a SHIELD club for your building.
Partner as a School
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Departments

You want young recruits — we'll get you in front of them:

  • We handle outreach — we contact districts and schedule school visits on your behalf.
  • You just show up — SHIELD isn't present at events; the connection is yours.
  • Zero cost, zero paperwork burden — we exist to make this easy for you.
Partner as a Department

Parents & guardians: your questions are welcome too. If you'd like to understand how junior programs keep students safe before your student signs up, read our Safety & Benefits page or reach out — we're happy to connect you with a local department that can answer everything in person.

For Student Leaders

Start a SHIELD chapter at your school

Chapters are how SHIELD grows — students telling students about opportunities nobody told them about. Here's what starting one looks like.

1

Reach out to us

Email us with your name, school, and town. We'll walk you through the chapter starter kit and connect you with the SHIELD network.

2

Find a few friends & an advisor

A chapter needs a couple of founding members and a teacher or counselor willing to sponsor the club, like any other school organization.

3

Spread the word

Table at club fairs, talk to health classes, and help interested classmates find their nearest department. We support you the whole way.

Contact

Talk to us

Questions, partnerships, chapter ideas — we read everything.

hello@shieldyouth.org