Created in 2020 as a non-clinical, youth-friendly response to youth mental health and wellness needs, MindOneSix includes a facilitated mental wellness curriculum, facilitator training program, and a peer-to-peer model. Based in Positive Youth Development principles, MindOneSix provides opportunities for young people ages 12 to 24 to discover, explore, discuss, and obtain tools to better manage their mental health and wellness. Our training model builds the capacities of youth-serving organizations and schools to effectively deliver the MindOneSix curriculum to young people in their communities.

The Curriculum: A Comprehensive Approach

Grounded in positive youth development theory, the MindOneSix curriculum is designed with a culturally responsive lens, inspiring hope and ensuring a sense of belonging for all participants. The curriculum recognizes and addresses the diverse experiences of youths, fostering healing and resilience through trauma-informed practices. The program actively engages youth in learning activities that support social and emotional awareness and the development of resilience skills. Each lesson is designed to provide opportunities for youth to understand themselves, harness their strengths, and identify what personal and community wellness means to them.

MindOneSix Initiative

Program Goals

  1. Define mental wellness
  2. De-stigmatize mental health and wellness
  3. Create a safe space for connection and conversation about mental wellness
  4. Empower participants to advocate for their mental wellness and that of others
  5. Learn that mental wellness is the intersectionality of biological, psychological, and social health.
  6. Increase awareness of alternatives to the medical/clinical model of mental health support
  7. Encourage a growth mindset
  8. Increase SEL competencies: self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, social-awareness, and relationship skills

86% of youth participants learned new things about mental health and wellness

70% of youth participants felt more confident to talk with peers about mental health

74% reported feeling hopeful or very hopeful about their future.

77% increase in routinely taking time to care for their mental wellness (e.g., practice self-care, use self-soothing techniques, coping with stress in healthy ways, etc.)

97% agree or strongly agree that the adult leaders took time to help us learn about why mental health is important

MindOneSix Transformative Impact

  1. Connection and healing through conversations
  2. Techniques/skills/tools to manage stress
  3. Mental health and wellness resources (local and national)
  4. Increased confidence to advocate for mental wellness for themselves and for their peers
  5. Alternatives to the medical/clinical model of mental health support

Training Programs

MindOneSix In Your Community

The MindOneSix Facilitator Training Program equips adult educators, leaders in youth-serving organizations, and peer-to-peer youth mentors with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively deliver the MindOneSix curriculum. The PRO team will work with you to develop a customized plan to bring MindOneSix to your organization and support youth to become ambassadors for mental wellness on campus and in the community. Designed with a culturally responsive, community-based evidence practice lens, the MindOneSix facilitator training goes beyond the fundamentals of the curriculum, and includes classroom management and facilitation techniques. Together we can create a network of support that empowers young people to develop mental wellness knowledge and skills.

Mentoring

Peer-to-Peer Mental Wellness Advocates

Our peer-to-peer mentoring program is designed to foster meaningful connections and provide support for young people as they navigate the challenges and opportunities of adolescence. Through mentoring relationships, we create a safe and supportive space for youths to learn mental wellness practices that they can share with their peers.

Collective Wellness

MindOneSix and the Youth & Family Collective

PRO Youth harnesses the power of our Youth & Family Collective model to support youth and their mental wellness goals. In collaboration with our partners who implement the MindOneSix curriculum in their communities, we cultivate a community of practice where shared experiences, challenges, and innovative solutions converge to establish a holistic framework for youth mental wellness. Guided by our partners, youth create service learning projects aimed at deepening their comprehension of mental wellness concepts while making a positive difference among their peers and within their schools through knowledge-sharing initiatives. This allows us to continually refine our MindOneSix curriculum to ensure we are meeting the diverse needs of youth in a way that is culturally responsive and adaptable to individual communities.

Want more information? Contact MOS@proyouthandfamilies.org

Amplifying Youth Voices

Hear what our youth have to say about our programs.

“I like how I was able to be in a group with peers, who are already friends or strangers, and talk about mental health which is already a difficult subject to talk about. So sharing my thoughts on mental health with individuals my age has been a wonderful and insightful experience.”

Amplifying Youth Voices

Hear what our youth have to say about our programs.

"I love how the program is incredibly welcoming and calm. The tranquil atmosphere is so gratefully needed and appreciated after a stressful, extensive school day. I can speak my thoughts without having to worry too much!"

Amplifying Youth Voices

Hear what our youth have to say about our programs.

“The curriculum is very informative; I was able to learn new information on stress. It’s a great way for mental health awareness.”

Amplifying Youth Voices

Hear what our youth have to say about our programs.

“It is very insightful. It helped me see things positively. The program also had an impact on how I view my social and personal life, I am more aware, have more hope, and more belief in myself.”

Amplifying Youth Voices

Hear what our youth have to say about our programs.

“I am more reflective on things in life. I have been able to reflect on positive and negative things in my life.“

Amplifying Youth Voices

Hear what our youth have to say about our programs.

“The program is fun and engaging. I would have never thought I would be doing these activities with my friends. What we do here (in the program) is different too, not like the one we do in school.”

Amplifying Youth Voices

Hear what our youth have to say about our programs.

“The program is a great opportunity to talk to peers about mental health. I am having these conversations with people I would have never expected (classmates, peers, and friends).“

Amplifying Youth Voices

Hear what our youth have to say about our programs.

“I like how I was able to be in a group with peers, who are already friends or strangers, and talk about mental health which is already a difficult subject to talk about. So sharing my thoughts on mental health with individuals my age has been a wonderful and insightful experience.”

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Since 1981, PRO Youth & Families has been dedicated to engaging young people in opportunities that inspire hope. Together, let’s create a world where every young person has the opportunity to thrive.

Donate today and join us in building a brighter future for our youth!