Why?

Have you wondered why so much of modern society is living disconnected from traditional lifeways, including living without a focus on intergenerational relationships? We sure have. At the heart of circle of kin is a call to reconnect with pancultural lifeways that honor the unit, the family, the community as the center of culture. In this program, we primarily look at supporting youth in a transition into ‘selfhood’ - through a crucial stage of individuation, which oftentimes can go unsupported in our fast paced world. Through this program, youth are held in a community of peers, connected to mentorship through their guides, and held by the elders and the adults in their life that care for them. This particular  orientation to supporting youth by including the whole family system is our relational orientation.  
we circle to create a space to together remember what it’s like to see youth through this pivotal time of of change, growth and empowerment. with many hands and hearts uplifting them, we support the development of their agency and autonomy through collaboration and care. Working with them, not pushing or wrestling through the “teenage years” rather holding this time of independence seeking as a sacred threshold crossing - one we intend to nurture with respect and love while helping our youth touch into the essence of their own power. So much of the western society has taught us to prioritize the nuclear family, to parent as a solo endeavor, to do it ourselves -- what if we chose something different?

LEARNING INVITATIONS: 

What does it mean to support our youth in becoming good stewards of place in a disconnected world?
How do we support needs for both agency and connection through this stage of growth and development?
Right action - how does ‘growing up’ ask us to participate in the wider community?

FRAMEWORK/PEDAGOGY: 

Multi-month long Rite of passage, coming of age and initiation journey that supports youth in crossing the threshold into adolescence 
following an Ecotherapeutic model of developmental 
Utilizing experiential, embodied and communal learning experience as the ‘classroom’

Who is this for?

This program is for youth ages 12-14 with ages on the cusp possible - ex: starting at age 11, turning 12 through the program
This program is for youth participants identifying as Cisgendered female/girls and trans-girls plus AFAB or femme-identifying non-binary teens                                                          
This program is open to parents/families/adults that hold any gender orientation This program is open to families of all cultural and racial identities
This group is particularly excited to support (but not exclusive to) queer families and queer youth
This program is for families of all forms - chosen family, uncommon constellations, extended family figures, intergenerational caretaking, co-parenting, non-traditional family models, etc. 

Program Dates

July - August 2026 

Applications open!

September 2026 

Program begins with the first Youth DayLong 
Saturday september 26th

October 2026 

All youth day long outing - TBD 
Youth Council - TBD
Family Council - TBD

November 2026

All youth day long outing - TBD 
Youth Council - TBD
Family Council - TBD

December 2026

All youth day long outing - TBD 
Youth Council - TBD
Family Council - TBD

January 2027 

All youth day long outing - TBD 
Youth Council - TBD
Family Council - TBD

February 2027 

All youth day long outing - TBD 
Youth Council - TBD
Family Council - TBD

March 2027 

All youth day long outing - TBD 
Youth Council - TBD
Family Council - TBD

April 2027 

All youth day long outing - TBD 
Youth Council - TBD
Family Council - TBD

May 2027 

All youth day long outing - TBD 
Youth Council - TBD
Family Council - TBD

Timeline Overview: 

  • Program runs from late September 2026 - late May 2027 
  • Attendance is required for the majority of sessions                       (no more than 2 missed) 
  • The youth group will meet once a month for a group council in person                    (weeknight in the evening)
  • The family group will meet once a month for a group counil in person                       (weeknight in the evening)
  • The youth group will meet once a month for a day-long outing in person (Saturday or Sunday)
  • Youth will meet once a month 1-1 with a guide for an individual session 
  • The caretakers/parents will meet with the guides for                       (1) session at the start of program                                      (1) session mid-way through                                              (1) session at the close                                                         additional may be scheduled as desired

Where?

  • The evening councils (youth and family) will take place in the redwood forest in the East Bay, CA
  • The day-long outings (youth) will take place in a variety of locations within 1-1.5 hours of the Bay Area, CA 
  • The individual youth sessions will take place hybrid  
  • The couple/parents/family sessions will take place hybrid
  • Hybrid - a blend of in-person and virtual

Our Principles & Values

Belonging & Community 

at circle of kin, We celebrate getting to be human together. at the core of this program is an invitation to find each other in a very disconnected time for many. We create room for connections and relationship building, we uplift mutual support and mutual aid within the group and will lean into our interdependence as this program supports the growth of  all those involved. We accept the differences in our lived experiences while centering shared humanity.

Accessibility & Intersectionality

We support participants with varying needs and diverse identities. We strive our best to make all programs accessible and offer creative solutions as we are able. We understand we all come from varying backgrounds, identities and NEEDS. We welcome difference and hoLD awareness of how that impacts a diverse group. We consider our positionality in relation to one OTHERS and investigate with kind and curious accountability the ways we have continued opportunities for developing a wider web for inclusion.

Listening & Learning

This space is designed with learning in mind. in order to grow, we welcome imperfections and mistakes. In our learning, we encourage the practice of deep listening. We encourage participants (youth and family) to lean into the often overlooked power of deep listening. This is a rare opportunity to truly hear, see and witness ourselves and one another. We encourage the continual growth that comes with processes of change and transition. we welcome the unfiltered, the unrehearsed expression of ourselves. We support one another in growing through patience and understanding. We encourage reflection and feedback and have a protocol to support any conflict if that should be necessary.

Integrity & Respect

We respect ourselves, the other participants, the natural world and the practices we engage in. We understand Rite of Passage work is woven through many cultural contexts - we respectfully practice THIS MODEL IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE RESPECTIVE CULUTURAL CULTURES WE COME FROM. we call upon ourselves to lean into the values of care as we tend our relationships. we are mindful of our words and actions. we practice self-reflection as a tool to strenghten our committment to integrity. we embrabe honesty and truth and center the dignity of all living beings in all we do.