The Program
​

   The Experience
​

          Nature
​

           Leaders
​

PROGRAM DETAILS
Please watch the above videos for a glimpse into the life of our village and groups from the past 10+ years.
Below you will find information about Group Structure, Meeting Content & Calendar, & What We Do When We Meet.
You can also check out Coming of Age, Youth Portal, Tuition, & Testimonials for additional information.

Group Structure:

• 2 Adult Stepping Stones Leaders
  • ​always present at every meeting
• 8 Youth
  • ​​​present at regular meetings, daylongs & trips
• Parent Community
  • ​attends all Parent Meetings & supports group throughout with scheduling & snack
• Elder
  • ​attends all Parent Meetings & sometimes joins the youth group

Meeting Content & Calendar

• Groups involve extended mentoring from 6th, 7th or 8th grade into fall of 9th grade and often beyond. Some groups may vary from this time frame, but the long term aspect of our program is essential.

• Groups meet year round on a seasonal Quarter System (3 month period).
• The groups integrate a unique 9-Quarter Coming of Age Curriculum
  
  
• Each Quarter holds 18 hours of group time, typically arranged as:
  • 4-5 meetings with the Leaders/Youth (2-2.5 hours each)
  • 1 Day Long adventure with Leaders/Youth + group Elder when possible
  • 1 meeting with the Parents, Leaders + group Elder
  • (Leaders are committed to another 12 hours of preparation, peer and mentor meetings, and summaries sent to you after each meeting.)

 

• Regular Meetings (Youth + Leaders). Groups have 4-5 "regular meetings" of 2-2.5 hours each Quarter, scheduled in advance with the families. An example might be Wednesday night from 6:30-8:30pm, or 6-8:30pm.
  
  
• The Daylong is once per quarter, perhaps a hike, a ropes course experience, service project, or other local adventure. In some cases a group will choose an overnight instead.
  
  
• The Parent Meeting provides updates for parents about the program, evolution of the group, and an opportunity to share in the adventure of raising a young teen. The group's Elder will be present at each Parent Meeting.
  
  
• The Summer Quarter is scheduled differently. The Summer Quarter includes some sort of camping/nature-based trip and at least one other meeting to touch base with the youth during summer break. Each group chooses how to schedule their summer hours to meet the needs of the group. Summer typically looks like:
  • 2-4 day camping, wilderness or backpacking trip
  • + 2 meet-up's to keep in touch over summer - OR - a daylong instead if it's a better fit for families

 

• Each group ends with a Marking Ceremony that celebrates the development, gifts and belonging of each the youth. Every Marking Ceremony is different, specifically designed to create meaning for every unique group.

What do we do when we meet?

The Stepping Stones Project offers a unique and organic curriculum. What groups 'do' combines the skills and passions of the group Leaders, includes the interests and struggles of the youth in the group, and follows the arc of SSP's Coming of Age curriculum. Every group is offered thematic goals and guide of best practices, but exactly what that looks like is up to each group.

We do this because it is incredibly important for the group experience to feel relevant to the youth, and for the group Leaders to mentor with authenticity and genuine interest. The last thing we want is for Stepping Stones to feel like school or a generic organized activity they're being forced to participate in. We encourage every group to create its own culture and make its own meaning.

Our NEWS page highlights real SSP group experiences. Here are also some examples of topics and activities that may be explored throughout a group:
(Please keep in mind the majority of meetings are Regular Meetings (2-2.5 hrs) about every-other-week, Daylongs (6 hrs) are once/quarter, Trips are in summer (1-4 nights), and the Marking Ceremony is once towards the end.)

Regular Meetings:

• discovering/being our authentic self and feeling a sense of belonging to a peer group
• evolving relationships with family and friends (friends is always a big one)
• practical tools to help deal with stress, anxiety, and growing up in these complicated times
• navigating peer pressure and societal expectations
• developing healthy relationships to technology and social media
• sexuality, gender, and LGBTQ matters (though we are a gendered program - girls & boys groups - we honor self expression and try to be as inclusive as possible)
• a place to grow and apply our awareness around diversity (ethnicity, race, class, gender...)
• a place to be honest and get good advice about relevant real life issues
• groups mix active play with sitting and talking, and often split up inside time with outside (depending on season/weather)
• groups develop simple rituals to grow a sense of connection and establish how we speak and listen to each other, such as lighting and blowing out a candle together, taking a moment to get mindful, practicing the Way of Council, or playing games that show us different ways we can be together to create the kind of trust and intimacy we want

Daylongs:

• facing challenges and building group cohesion in ways we just can't do in 2/2.5 hour meetings
• balancing group energy with individual needs is a collective project that really grows a group's way of being together
• connecting to something greater than ourselves by getting out of our usual context
• daylongs may serve as an introduction to getting outdoors and how to spend time in nature with respect, or be a way to deepen that understanding intentionally with this specific group
• hiking adventures in nature, ropes course, night-time meetings, other outdoor activities as weather permits (i.e. Daylong Adventures of a Marin Girls Group)
• some groups may choose to use daylongs as a service opportunity (i.e. East Bay Girls Group Builds Tiny Homes for Homeless Folks)

Summer Trips:

• bonding and growing as a group by doing everything together - building fires, making meals, sleepovers, taking care of each other (i.e. Testing Boundaries: Epic Tales of an East Bay Boys Group)
• deepening our understanding of how to be in nature respectfully, including 'leave no trace' and primitive skills lessons
• trips often include solo time and may include 'vision fasts', with youth taking anywhere from 20 minutes to 24 hours of solo time on the land depending on their readiness and Leader's capacities
• trips may include backcountry wilderness experiences or more local overnights depending on schedule and the unique abilities of each group (i.e. Adventures of a Marin Boys Group into Camino Alto Open Space)

Marking Ceremony:

• The Marking Ceremony honors the 3 essential components of a 'rite of passage' (separation, threshold & return) and is the culminating experience for youth in the Stepping Stones program
• The MC happens in their quarter, typically during their last Fall quarter, sometimes in Summer.
• It is the ceremonial marking of the rite of passage that has been happening all along for the youth, and often involves extended time in nature, solo time, and/or some sort of challenge.
• The MC is created with the youth, parents and SSP organization, but the Leaders and group Elder really hold the vision (especially the challenge the group decides to face). 
• The group Elder or the SSP organization (if the Elder is unable) support the parents in their participation. Support may include welcoming the youth from an intense experience with a special meal, or helping design what we call a 'Renegotiation Ceremony'. 
• MC's have looked like: all night hikes, 24 hour vision fasts, solo sleep-out's, youth-created altars honoring their transition into adolescence, tending a fire all night, and more. Here are some examples from our blog.

For additional information, please see Coming of Age for an overview, Youth Portal for language and pictures to share with your child, Tuition for financial details, Testimonials to hear what youth and parents are saying, or contact us.

Next Steps:

1. Attend an Info Night this May.
2. Fill out an Application for your child. We are currently accepting applications for groups beginning Fall 2018. 
3. Contact us with any questions
4. Spread the word to other parents you know.
5. We will be in touch once we receive your application.