Here are some resources (for both youths and their parents) that I hope you'll find valuable [this page was last updated in 2006 and some links may be out of date]...
- Summary of the independent findings of Dr. John Astin of California Pacific Medical Center (based on the three-year pilot yoga/meditation/council programs at Hillcrest Juvenile Hall and Glenwood Boy's Camp)
- Research on effectiveness of meditation courses in prisons (and on reducing the rate of recidivism)
- Confidential Teenage Resource Line: 1-888-711-TEEN (free hotline where adolescents can get confidential info on health and wellness, sexually transmitted diseases, eating disorders, body changes and other health issues)
- Bay Area Council/Wisdom Circle:
For teens who wish to continue participating, after release, in a
monthly "Council" meeting, which also includes meditation. (Also
open to parents!)
- Parents Leadership Institute (see the great pamphlets [eg, "Supporting Adolescents"] in the Literature section)
- Parent Information & Referral Center/Stanford: 1-800-690-2282
- Music for Meditation (among others, we use "Inner Journey" and "Winds Over the World" MetaMusic in our programs)
- More Great Meditation/Study/Focus Music: Tibetan Chakra Meditations, Inner Dance, Solaris Universalis, Love is Space, ReTURNING, and just about anything without words from Tangerine Dream, Steven Halpern, Astarius, or Jean Michel Jarre
- Teen Program at the Insight Meditation Center - Redwood City, CA (free/dana)
"An opportunity to learn and practice insight meditation, and to meet other like-minded friends."
Fridays, twice monthly. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Contact Tempel Smith, tempel@ureach.com (415) 643-8338 - Teen Group and Monthly Family Program at the Insight Meditation Center - Redwood City, CA
Contact Amy Saltzman, (650) 326-0701 - Teen and Children's Meditation Courses at California Vipassana Center (free/dana)
- Teenagers' Meditation Courses - various locations (free video intros)
- Spirit Rock Teen Programs - Woodacre, CA
- Challenge Day (take a stand to stop the violence, abuse, alienation and isolation that so profoundly affect the youth of our world: Award-winning programs designed to tear down the walls of separation, inspiring participants to live, study and work in an environment of compassion, acceptance and respect)
- Customized Coaching for Teens and their Parents (Youth Horizons instructor provides personal tutoring/mentoring/coaching to navigate adolescent challenges and identify/realize goals, gifts, talents and dreams)
- Teen Homepage
(Teens: Find out how you can be a positive influence in your school or
neighborhood. Be a tutor, mentor, or volunteer and make a positive
label for yourself and your peers in the community.)
- Vision Youthz (community, mentorship, personal development, skills & relationship building, inner awareness, wilderness trips, rites of passage)
- Children's Health Council (Palo Alto: weekly groups of 4-6 youths, ages 6-17, catering to students with delayed language skills, Asperger's, autism, or ADHD; teaches impulse control strategies, anger management, general friendship skills, and how to join groups and deal with rejection and teasing)
- Friend Smarts (Palo Alto: weekly groups of 4-5 youths, ages 5-14; youths are matched with others whom they might actually choose as friends in their everytday lives; teaches how to initiate social contact and enhance the scope and quality of their social interactions)
- Talking Playhouse
(Redwood City: for infants to teens with high-functioning autism,
Asperger's, and Nonverbal Learning Disorder; coaching in social skills
using drama therapy; teaches social awareness, language skills and
visual cues by participating in vignettes, 3-act plays, role-playing
exercises and creative scripts; also has a summer camp)
- Yoga for Youth
- Challenge Learning Center (youth leadership and community building programs)
- Parent Helping Parents (fantastic family resource center)
- Parent Resource Hotline and Video (Programs for Struggling Teens: Pamphlets, Schools, Treatment Programs, Group Homes)
- Parental Rights and Procedural Safeguards (assessments, tutoring, etc. that you've already paid for--how/where to ask)
- Family & Children Services (continuing the work of the Adult & Child Guidance Center and Family Service Mid-Peninsula)
- San Mateo County Regional Occupational Program (Career/Job Skills Training - Free for High School Students!)
- San Mateo County Child Youth & Family Services (Homework assistance, drug education, AIDS/STD prevention, etc.)
- Nova Services for ages 14-24 (employment workshops, job referral service, Hire learning center)
- Youth at Work (free service to link job seeking youth with hiring employers)
- Santa Clara County Office of Education (Special Education Local Plan Area resources)
- Life Skills (teaching youths the skills they need to create the life they want)
- Lifebound (personal coaching for teens to define, plan and successfully realize their goals and dreams)
- Lifebound (parent seminars and resources)
- Online Meditation Course
- Insight Meditation Center of the Midpeninsula - Redwood City, CA
- Vipassana/Insight Meditation (online audio/video, courses, retreats)
- San Francisco Zen Center
- Buddhist Peace Fellowship Prison Program
(youth and juvenile justice rights, resources for adult and youth
prisoners, post-release job/education/re-entry/meditation resources,films/books/classes/training, volunteering)
- Insight Meditation for Youths and their Parents - Gilroy, CA (many online resources, too)
- California Vipassana Center - North Fork, CA (many online resources, too)
- Insight Meditation Society Youth Outreach Program - Barre, MA
- Access to Insight (readings on Theravada Buddhism)
- DharmaNet International (online Buddhist resources)
- Dharma Talks (online audio programs on meditation and mindfulness)
- Meditation Community - San Jose, CA
- Sati Center for Buddhist Studies - Redwood City, CA
- Tricycle Magazine
- Barre Center for Buddhist Studies - Barre, MA