With you Giovanna Taormina today Executive Director and - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

With you • Giovanna Taormina today Executive Director and Co-Founder, provides national training, materials, consultation, and technical assistance related to gender responsive services to non-profit agencies, government, state supported programs, institutions, and systems that work with youth. Started Girls Circles with her own daughters in the early 90’s. • Kiku Johnson Customer Relations & Office Administrator

Mission Statement OCF promotes resiliency and healthy relationships in children, youth, adults, and communities with evidenced based, gender responsive, restorative circle program models. We provide training, curricula, and consultation to all sectors of youth serving organizations in the United States and internationally.

The Girls Circle and Council for Boys & Young Men are researched based, structured support groups for youth 9-18 years. Provided weekly for 1-2 hours segments

Theoretical Foundation Developing Male/Female Brain Rites Gender of Passage Transformative RELATIONSHIPS The programs offer healthy, safe ways to Trauma develop - as individuals Resiliency Responsive and a community

Foundational • Gender-responsive, gender transformative • Relational, Resiliency & Assets Practices of • Trauma-informed Programs • Culturally responsive • Restorative • Strengths-Based • Motivational Interviewing • Cognitive-Behavioral • Social-Emotional Learning • Experiential - Relevant topics Designed for adolescent developmental and learning styles

Why Gender Violence and trauma are the primary pathways into the school-to-prison pipeline Specific Groups?  Gendered risks for girls and boys are uniquely different  Rigid gender norms are harmful; LGBT youth are at greatest risk  Youth experience behaviors such as bullying, violence, harassment that impacts school engagement  Our circle programs recognize gendered differences  Youth need safe spaces in order to build trust, be themselves, let their guard down, realize they are NOT ALONE, and build relationships with each other and adults

Our Programs Are SECTORS: Education Utilized in All Areas of Juvenile Justice Prevention and Behavioral Health Intervention Child Welfare Community Based Orgs Police Departments & P.A.L . • Schools: Elementary, Middle Schools, High Schools, Alternative • Gang Prevention • After School Programs, Clubs • Group Homes/Foster Care Nationwide • Residential Treatment and in Canada • Workforce Development • Service Learning and Leadership • Camps, Outdoor & Adventure Programs • Pregnancy Prevention

Girls Circle Girls Circle is the first gender responsive program in the country proven to reduce Research delinquency for girls! 2016 OJJDP FUNDED STUDY: Research was conducted in Cook County, Illinois for 3 years with girls on probation Outcomes resulted in significantly greater reductions in recidivism. Additional Outcomes: • Significant increases in use of condoms • Increases in educational expectations and educational aspirations of self

Girls Circle Initial Studies showed significant increases in: • Self-Efficacy Research • Body Image • Social Connection (JJ girls had greater gains in this area) (cont.) Additional Studies had same findings and significant increases in: • School bonding • Communicating Needs to Adults • Positive peer interactions and peer selection And significant decreases in: • Alcohol Use • Self-Harming Behaviors

The Council Results from two studies conducted by Portland State University: Research • First Study: – Significant increases in boys’ school engagement in middle schools, community programs, and probation • Second Study: – Significantly impacted harmful masculinity beliefs for young men in a secure juvenile facility. More sessions = greater resistance to unhealthy masculinity beliefs – High Satisfaction rates amongst boys *Mary Elisabeth Gray, PhD Dissertation, Successful defended, PSU, Oregon May, 2012

What boys • “How to solve problems without violence.” say they • “To respect others even if I don’t know them.” learned in • “ I learned that I can share my thoughts with my classmates and I learned more about my Council classmates. Also I noticed that I do some things that might hurt people even without knowing .” • “I could say mostly what I was thinking about, and wouldn’t get judged or anything .”

What Girls • ” To stop being so self centered and be more considerate of others and open minded .” Say About • “That I’m more respectful than I was.” Girls Circle • “ That I can sit back and listen to girls and hear what their saying instead of judging them.” • “ I noticed that I can work on myself and get positive comments .” • “ I learned that everyone goes through something during their lifetime .”

What “The boys are very engaged. They have developed relationships with Facilitators each other and it’s been a huge success. We’re going to begin an Say About additional Boys Council at our family respite center.” Council ~ Daniel Bland, Trainer, Facilitator, New Haven, CT “ The boys are communicating honestly and openly within the group, and working together in team activities. We’ve been talking about father figures, and role models, and they are expressing things they never did before .” ~Juan Gomez, Trainer, Facilitator, Salinas, CA

Upcoming • San Francisco Girls Circle Training : Nov. 2-3, 2016 Trainings in • San Francisco Boys Council Training : Nov 9-10, 2016 California • San Diego Boys Council Training : Nov 9-10, 2016 Hosted by San Diego Office of Education

• Giovanna Taormina Q & A Giovanna@onecirclefoundation.org 415-847-9194 • Kiku Johnson Thank you Kiku@onecirclefoundation.org 415-419-5119