Youth

Every child and young person deserves equitable access to tools that support physical, mental, and emotional health and wellbeing. Our trauma-sensitive programs for young people combine mind-body practices like yoga and mindfulness, experiential development of core competencies of Social Emotional Learning, and collaborative learning to promote connection and community.

Through a strengths-based and resilience-building approach, we provide a space for young people to learn and practice skills that support their holistic wellbeing and their continued growth toward their highest potential.

View fact sheet

120

Youth classes served in X counties
so far this year

Number of Partnered
Facilities

300

Number of Participants so
far this year

View annual report

The practices we share are proven to increase:

Resilience
Focus and concentration
Self-awareness
Mental and emotional wellbeing
Self-esteem
Purpose, hope and compassion
Restful sleep, relaxation and energy
Sense of community

Our program offerings include:

Ongoing weekly trauma-sensitive yoga and mindfulness classes;
Flexible and adaptive curriculum-based programs focused on our four skill building Learning Modules for young people;
Staff development, teacher in-service, and professional trainings for people working with children and adolescents seeking to adopt trauma-sensitive practices, share yoga and mindfulness, or explore teaching models based on co-created space and collaboration and mutuality with learners.

“I like how it helped me escape a little within my day. It helps me relax and focus. The most helpful part of yoga was that it lifted up my mood.”

– Participant at a Youth Detention Center

“Yoga class helps me because it’s the one opportunity I get to leave the unit and focus on myself. It’s the only class where you allow your body to teach you and to guide you. You get a chance to leave the drama behind at the unit and allow your body to move freely without judgement. It’s a class where you get to be yourself. In yoga, you get to make your own decisions. Yoga class is a reflection of life, and you can carry what you learn in yoga outside into the real world.”

– Participant at a Youth Detention Center

Program Highlights

A justice program for youth found improvement in emotional awareness and regulation.
A program evaluation using an emoji rating for satisfaction found the students enjoyed the class and found the guided relaxation to be the most helpful.
An evaluation of a justice program found that there was an increase in the youth’s ability to pay attention to how they feel.
An evaluation of a justice program found that young people had increased confidence in trying new things, and an increase in feeling able to try again if they do not succeed at first, a key component of resilience.
Evaluations at a Youth Detention Center showed that 100 % of youth who gave responses to how they feel after taking the class described themselves as either calm or relaxed.

Learn more about Youth Studies

Youth Studies

Interested in bringing Transformation Yoga to your site?

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Katy Kopnitsky

Youth Director

Colleen DeVirgiliis

Director of Training

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