Reflect: Our Overview 

Youth workers are highly committed to the field even though economic reasons force them to move from job to job. This commitment needs to be capitalized on in order to sustain long-term relationships with youth, families, and communities. Defining and clarifying the values youth workers hold helps them make values-based decisions. Additionally, although youth workers are highly committed to empowering youth, families, and communities, many times it is done at the detriment of their own healing and self-care. Efforts need to exist that foster healing, rejuvenation, self-care, and advocacy skill development.

Listen: What We've Heard from Youth Workers

“It’s inherent that people see working with youth as a lower form of professional, I’ve felt like people have seen me as a servant. We should be honored rather than made to feel like less. Having no health insurance for kids, and not paying folks enough says we don’t honor these workers.” - From YDPN Feasibility Study, 2007

Data from 2008 Youth Worker Survey:

Our Path to Peace events that promote both intrapersonal (within yourself) and interpersonal (between other people) explorations of violence, peace, and faith.

• 36.7% of respondents identified this event or activity as priority for the YDPN
• 23.3% of respondents identified this event or activity as important for the field of youth development
• 22.7% of respondents said they would participate in these activities or events

Meetings to discuss ways youth workers can develop a stronger voice to advocate for salary, benefits and worker rights.

• 48.7% of respondents identified this event or activity as priority for the YDPN
• 39.9% of respondents identified this event or activity as important for the field of youth development
• 23.7% of respondents said they would participate in these activities or events

Inquire: Others' that Shape Our Growth

Six Billion Paths to Peace is an effort to inspire people to focus on our interconnectedness and reflect on the daily contributions we are our making to a more harmonious world. Six Billion Paths directly inspired and launched the Our Path to Peace Toolkit. Their Reflection Cards also shaped our Day of Rejuvenation and Self-Care.

Mission Community Council (MiCoCo) is an organization of Mission District community organizations, faith groups, neighborhood associations, and public departments that have united to promote the well-being of San Francisco's Mission District. MiCoCo supported us in developing the Our Path to Peace Event at 16th Street BART Station. To read more, click here.

Interfaith Youth Core builds mutual respect and pluralism among young people from different religious traditions by empowering them to work together to serve others. The Interfaith Youth Core provided us funding through the Days of Interfaith Service to produce the Our Path to Peace event with MiCoCo. They also provided us with a framework for interfaith work that guided the refinement of the YDPN Process. 

Niroga is a non-profit organization that seeks to foster health and well being through the practice of Yoga for at-risk and underserved individuals, families, and communities by outreach, education, and research. Niroga was one of our initial partners in producing a Day of Rejuvenation and Self-Care.

San Francisco Buddhist Center offers a relaxed and friendly place for people who want to participate in a Buddhist community or who want clear, ecumenical instruction about Buddhism and meditation and how they can apply it in their life. San Francisco Buddhist Center was seminal in providing the space and instruction for the first Days of Rejuvenation and Self-Care. 

Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth's mission is to make San Francisco a city of hope, justice and opportunity for all children and their families. We have a pioneering hybrid model of policy advocacy and grassroots organizing, with the leadership development of young people and parents at the center. During this economic downturn, Coleman has been out on the frontlines ensuring that funding remains secure for children, youth, and family services. Their leadership has inspired us to make a direct connection between rejuvenation and self-care, values exploration and clarification, and personal advocacy. 

Connect: How We Are Exploring this Connection

Free Resources:

A Day of Rejuvenation and Self-Care is both a group of people dedicated to producing useful tools for youth workers 3-hours of curriculum that youth workers can do in their organizations, with their youth, or in their communities. To view the overview of this initiative, click here.

Our Path to Peace is an exploration of the intersections of violence, peace, and faith. It was created in the Spring of 2008 with the collective insight, wisdom, and experiences of over 50 youth workers from across the Bay Area. It culminated in the creation of the Our Path to Peace Toolkit - curriculum, articles, and resources - that can be implemented with youth and adults. Click here to learn more. 

Curriculum that is developed through Fee-for-Services Offerings becomes available as a FREE RESOURCE. So...read on to see how you can purchase our services and collectively spread our reach and depth!

Fee-for-Service Offerings:

A Day of… Workshops are arts-based explorations of rejuvenation, self-care, values, and/or personal advocacy that bring people together to reflect, learn and grow (3-hour workshop minimum). These Days can be brought to your organization, community, place of worship, business, or school and are an excellent opportunity to both explore this topic and contribute to the further development of this service.

 Sustainable Self-Care Consulting bridges the work-life divide by working with organizations to create structures and systems that promote the self-care of its workers (2-hour exploration session required). Our Consulting empowers organizations to think creatively and with innovation on supporting and empowering the healing of its workers. It is our belief that through the healing of youth workers, we heal our youth and communities. Role models of healing provide inspiration to others. And organizations that actively promote rejuvenation and self-care will change our communities and world!

 Values Coaching is one-on-one support empowering individuals to place personal core values front and center in work, life, education, and career (8-week session minimum.) Working one-on-one provides us the opportunity to deeply delve into youth worker's lives and help them strike a balance between work, life, education, and career through the exploration, clarification, and demonstration of personal core values.  

Dream: What We Want to See in the World

We dream of youth workers that are empowered because they are connected to their intentionality. We dream of shared spaces that promote reflection; values clarification and development; healing, rejuvenation, and self-care; and advocacy skill development.

Act: What We Are Accomplishing This Year

• Seek funding to fully implement the Our Path to Peace Toolkit -IN PROGRESS
• Develop a values exploration and clarification workshop tied to personal advocacy  - IN PROGRESS
• Integrate values question(s) into Youth Worker Documentary Project interview protocol - IN PROGRESS (Launches June 11, 2009!)
• Host a Day of Serious Fun in Oakland - ACCOMPLISHED - February 2009

Get Involved!

Get involved NOW by becoming a Sponsor, Collaborator, or Supporter. Learn more by clicking here!

You can also learn more about how to purchase our services by clicking here.

Want to get involved in the Day of Rejuvenation and Self-Care Committee? Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Have any other ideas or questions? Email intrapersonal@ydpn.org to get learn more and get involved.