The Art of Yoga Project
Non-Profit or Education (non-religious)
Palo Alto, CA
The Art of Yoga Project
Teen Girls, Yoga, Meditation, and Jail
4/17/09 2:46 PM
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You see those four words and it’s not hard to figure out which one doesn’t belong. To me, they all fit together perfectly. That’s my work. It’s a non-profit 501(c)(3) called The Art of Yoga Project (theartofyogaproject.org) and the way it all went down is a story indeed.
I am a family nurse practitioner. I had been working for several years in family practice. I treated many young women with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, and other self-harming behaviors such as self-cutting and unsafe sex. I often felt that the medical approach fell short in its scope of treatment. I realized that unless a girl had a reverence for herself and her body, she was unlikely to change her high-risk behavior. In other words, prescriptions and health education only went so far. I wanted to work on a more fundamental level---her very thought patterns. I felt that a girl would not “just say no” or practice safe sex or perhaps even take the medication I carefully prescribed unless she had developed three things: self-awareness, self-respect, and self-control.
I targeted the program to the girls I felt needed it most—those within the juvenile justice system. And believe it or not, after just 3 years, The Art of Yoga Project (AYP) has earned the support of key decision makers within the system — Judges and Chiefs of Probation! That’s because our programs are profound, powerful and effective. We have a problem with overcrowding in our California prisons. The Art of Yoga Project has an innovative solution!
Today, we serve over 500 girls a year in 3 San Francisco Bay Area County detention centers as an integral and mandatory part of their rehabilitation program. Our vision is to guide these young women toward life-long accountability and wellness.
Today AYP is thriving; our business now requires program development, strategic planning, marketing, operations, and fund development. We have a strong team of professionals and dedicated volunteers; board members with expertise in law, educational policy, management, and institutional fundraising, a Harvard doctoral graduate led research team, a diverse pool of certified yoga, creative writing and art teachers. The Art of Yoga Project where Nothing is beyond her reach!
“Before I participated in the program, I didn't care about my life… (AYP) made me realize I am doing all this stuff, and I could end up dying from it. It makes everybody else suffer... It showed me how to care about my life." ~ AYP participant
Advice for others:
The curriculum I created combining health education, yoga practice, meditation, breathing techniques, creative arts and writing is the cornerstone of our work. We use it as the basis to expand nationwide through our Affiliates network. We offer a portfolio of classes to bring our services beyond the juvenile halls to our community. These initiatives strengthen our organization by providing a revenue stream to supplement our funds from donors, foundations and the communities in which we serve.
This link to find published article by The Art of Yoga Project:
http://community.intuit.com/contests/aV6DDYFoKqllvkab8P4pmk
www.theartofyogaproject.org
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