OCF Blog

“The most important thing I’ve learned was, you know, to always ask for consent, because consent is a very important thing…because sometimes people are peer pressured and they make it seem like they want to do it, ...it’s good to check in and stuff, to make sure they’re like 100%... like 100% consent."  Youth Participant, Brothers as Allies program, NY State. 

If you’ve facilitated programs with a group of youth, you’ve probably experienced a participant who has a hard time staying focused. Maybe they’re fidgeting, moving around, making comments, interrupting, or seem distracted by everything going on around them. 

As a new school year begins, facilitators are preparing to welcome young people back into spaces where they can connect, build relationships, and grow. A little preparation before Circles begin can make a big difference in helping facilitators feel confident, supported, and ready for the year ahead. Here are a few ways organizations can set their facilitation teams up for success this fall.

Change rarely happens all at once. Whether a young person is learning to manage emotions, build healthier relationships, or make different choices, growth is a process. The Stages of Change Model (or Transtheoretical Model) reminds us that lasting change develops over time and that every stage deserves patience, support, and understanding. 

If you work with teenagers, you've probably seen firsthand the anxiety, the comparisons, and the phone that never turns off without a prompt or rule being set. Social media is reshaping how young people see themselves, each other, and the world.   Here’s the deal: as much as we may have good intentions, lectures about screen time don't work! What does work is giving teens a structured space to reflect on their own relationship with technology — first, what they love about it, and then what might not be so great — and letting them make their own choices about it.  That's exactly what this free session does. 

A recent TIME article laid out the harsh reality many of us already feel in our work: one in four young men in America reports feeling deeply lonely on any given day. Two-thirds of them believe no one cares whether they're okay. Boys are less likely than girls to be diagnosed with depression, but more likely to die by suicide. 

Youth mental health challenges continue to impact young people at staggering rates. Increasing numbers of youth report experiencing anxiety, sadness, hopelessness, and other mental health struggles. In fact, nearly 40% of high school students report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, a significant increase compared to a decade ago (Jenco, M. 2024, August 6). Recent data also shows that about two in five teens experience symptoms of depression each year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2026, January 28).  

"What do you need to feel supported?"  This can be a tough question for adults to answer, let alone youth. Two years ago, in response to requests from our OCF community for a resource to support youth facing adversity, OCF created All Together Rising: Sessions for Youth in Adversity, a collection of supplemental Circle sessions that "address the complexities of eight different adverse childhood experiences." 

Walking into Jacquelyn Smith-Edwards’ Sister Circle felt less like attending an event and more like being welcomed into a space that you already knew. Jacquelyn, a board member of One Circle Foundation, is someone who truly lives the work. She is deeply involved in her community and has been a trained facilitator of our Girls Circle model since 2019. She has been using our models and curricula for years, creating safe Circle spaces. This Women’s Circle was no exception. It was thoughtful, intentional, and full of care. 

The lived experiences of fellow Circle facilitators remind us that we’re not alone in this work. Today, we’re spotlighting Kevin Anthony Green, Chief Visionary & CEO of Seeds of a Father. His reflections illuminate the power of presence, connection, and the life-changing impact of Circles.