Youth Yoga Dharma :: What We Do

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Youth Yoga Dharma offers yoga & meditation classes to youth on site for a variety of organizations. Organizations we have worked with include:

Below is information regarding how we came into being, what inspires us, and how we hope to be of service. Would you like us to teach at your organization?

OUR MISSION:

To offer the skills of Meditation and Yoga to Youth in a variety of environments, emphasizing disadvantaged situations.

Youth Yoga Dharma embraces diversity in our community. We encourage individuals from all backgrounds to fully participate in our programs to the best of their ability. We do not tolerate discrimination based on gender, socio-economic background, ethnicity or physical ability.

OUR HISTORY:

The inspiration to start Youth Yoga Dharma came out of the experience of teaching yoga in both public and private junior and senior high schools in San Francisco. Repeatedly Cator experienced a lot of enthusiasm for yoga amongst students in public school, but lack of funding meant classes often had to be cancelled. In private schools, funding was never an issue. Clearly money did not have to be a problem. Thus came the intention to develop a fund to make classes available in a variety of environments. Cator has also offered a yoga class for emotionally challenged youth through the Edgewood Center for close to 3 years. This class has proven to be highly successful. The students in the class respond with enthusiasm to yoga, and experience a growth in their self-esteem and confidence. From these experiences the idea for Youth Yoga Dharma was born.

PROGRAMS WE OFFER:

YYD programs respond to the environment in which they are being offered. We develop our programs collaboratively with the organization we are working with. Some of our standard programs are:

Yoga classes for youth offered on site at your facility. Classes can be during the school day, or after school. Classes run from 45 minutes to 90 minutes or more depending on your needs and curriculum, with the average class lasting 1 hour. Classes usually satisfy California state physical education requirements for PE credit eligibility.

Mindfulness meditation with movement. This program offers mindfulness based stress reduction skills to youth through periods of sitting meditation and discussion or council practice. Movement and games are incorporated as appropriate to age group and setting.

Stress reduction and yoga for the staff of youth organizations. YYD is committed to supporting the staff of organizations that serve youth?administrators, teachers, counselors, and support staff. Our teachers are trained to work with adults as well as youth. We offer on site yoga classes, mindfulness-based stress reduction, council practice, and programs which integrate these components in response to the needs of your organization. We are available for workshops, in service trainings, individual consultation, or on-going support.

ORGANIZATIONS WE WORK WITH:

We offer yoga and meditation classes to youth in a variety of environments. We work with both public and private schools, and other youth organizations in the San Francisco Bay area to offer classes either during the school day or on campus, after school. We also consult with youth organizations beyond our region who are interested in creating a program of yoga and meditation at their facility.

In addition we work with at risk youth in residential facilities by providing on site classes. These classes are generally small to allow for personal attention, and may be for just boys or girls to promote a feeling of safety for the participants.

ADVANCED PROGRAMS:

Youth Yoga Teacher Training. YYD offers 2 Youth yoga teacher training (YYTT) programs annually. This weekend program is designed for yoga teachers who would like to expand their skills by working with youth. The YYTT offers a range of skills to support working with youth consciously. Participation in the YYTT program is required for YYD teachers. Click HERE for more information.

Youth Mindfulness Teacher Training. YYD offers 1 Youth Mindfulness Teacher Training Program (YMTT) annually. This program meets for 3 hours one evening a week for 10 weeks with a Saturday Daylong retreat. It is designed for individuals who would like to share the skill of Mindfulness meditation with young people. The YMTT program offers a range of skills for working with youth consciously. Participation is required for teaching YYD mindfulness programs. Click HERE for more information.

Other Programs. Periodically YYD offers programs to the general public or for select groups in order to support further training in the areas of meditation, yoga, and youth mentorship. Watch our website for updates!

Join our mailing list to receive updates on program offerings.

You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
-Mahatma Gandhi

(650) 992 9642 • Youth Yoga Dharma, PO BOX 3452, Daly City, CA 94015