At Elements of Peace, our core mission is to inspire and empower compassionate and eco-conscious stewards of peace. Through high quality youth wellness programs founded in nature connection and the contemplative arts from diverse wisdom traditions we aim to:

1. Proactively respond to the youth mental health crisis through beloved community, caring facilitators, and opportunities to discover purpose, meaning, and the role of the environment for our well-being. 

2. Bridge divides between disparate communities (based on income, race/ethnicity, legal status, etc.) by bringing together diverse youth and cultivating deep and authentic relationships.

3. Make peace a priority and kindness cool again!

Core Values: Our core values have been inspired by the great work and wisdom of the Love No Ego Foundation (our partner and fiscal sponsor).

1. Love over Ego: We bring awareness to the ego and practice listening, speaking, and acting from the heart. Curiosity and kindness are key.

2. Love over Fear: We promote empathy, radical love and compassion as a way to combat bullying, othering, and polarization.

3. Connection and Community: Our approach centers around authentic dialogue and cultivating community —across cultures, backgrounds, and ideas—to resolve conflicts and achieve shared goals.

4. Integrity and Accountability: We encourage honesty, ethical behavior, and responsibility in both individual actions and community-building efforts.

5. Sustainability: We are dedicated to promoting long-term social and environmental well-being for the local and global community of living beings for generations to come.

6. Uplifting Diversity: We celebrate diversity in all its forms and encourage the exploration of different cultural, social, and spiritual philosophies as a means of strengthening peace and love in ourselves and in our communities.

Expectations for Program Participants: While we do not expect youth to already embody the aforementioned values, our programs prioritize working with youth who are open and curious about personal growth and/or feel inspired to make the world and their community a better, safer, more joyful place for all. Our expectations for the summer program include:

1. Attendance: Participants in the Elements of Peace Summer Program are expected to attend all days of the program. If any unforeseen circumstances arise, we ask that you email or text us as soon as you are aware. Please be aware that spaces are limited for this program, and we want to make sure that youth who register get the full experience and feel the full benefit of the program.

2. Participation: Participation in all practices and activities is not required. We want youth to make their own choices about what works for them at this time in their lives. Participants will be provided with an alternative activity, such as observing, sitting or lying down silently, or drawing/writing in their journal. If you feel that your child’s level of participation may be low, please reach out to us to ensure that this program is the right choice for them.

3. Values: We will take time during the first day to offer some of our key values with youth and co-create our very own community values. Youth are expected to agree to practice these values toward one another and the staff throughout our time together.

Staff aims to follow this process for any behaviors that may cause harm to the youth themselves or to others:

● Staff will speak directly with the child and share concerns. Sometimes this may mean working with the whole group through a restorative approach to conflict resolution. A large portion of our staff has been trained in a modality of peaceful conflict resolution.

● If the behavior continues or escalates, our staff will reach out to the guardian to discuss a plan and continued participation. Removal from the program is a possibility depending on the severity and continuation of the behavior or action. No refunds will be issued. If the youth was recommended through a partner program, we may first reach out to the partner program contact to see if they have ideas for how we may work through this situation together before contacting the guardian.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding our values or expectations, please contact us at elementsofpeaceprogram@gmail.com. Suggestions and recommendations are also highly welcomed. We believe in working together to make the world a better place for all our children.