The Humboldt Independent Practice Association School Based Wellness Programs

Empowerment Groups

Empowerment Groups are mentorship based, skill-building groups for middle and high school students, offered through our Wellness Centers. These groups provide a safe, supportive space where students can build meaningful connections, strengthen communication skills, and explore their identities.

Groups are facilitated by trained staff and supported by Peer Educators—youth leaders who help co-facilitate and model positive peer connection. Using evidence-based curriculum our groups incorporate a strengths-based approach, motivational interviewing strategies, and a focus on positive youth development.

Participation is voluntary and open to all students.

Goals of Empowerment Groups

Girls Group

Girls Group is a structured support space for girls and gender non-conforming youth. Through guided activities and discussions, participants build confidence, strengthen relationships, and develop skills rooted in resilience, self-worth, and connection.

Young Men’s Council

Young Men’s Council is a strengths-based group that supports boys and young men in navigating identity, relationships, and emotional expression. Participants explore healthy masculinity, build leadership skills, and develop tools for positive decision-making in a supportive, judgment-free environment.

Unity Circle

Unity Circle is an inclusive space for students of all identities. This group explores how race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, and gender intersect and shape lived experiences. Through dialogue and shared learning, students build understanding, celebrate diversity, and strengthen connection to themselves and others.

Restorative Circles

Restorative Circles are a core component of our Empowerment Group model. These facilitated circles create space for students to engage in open, honest dialogue, build trust, and strengthen relationships with peers and adults.

Circles are often used to explore topics such as substance use, conflict, identity, and decision-making in a non-judgmental, supportive environment. Grounded in restorative practices, this approach emphasizes accountability, empathy, and collective problem-solving helping students reflect on their choices and align their actions with their values and goals.

Friendship Group

Friendship Group focuses on foundational social-emotional skills, helping students build healthy friendships, communication skills, and confidence through interactive activities and guided discussion.

Peer Educator Program

Our Peer Educator Program provides students with a unique opportunity to develop leadership skills while supporting their peers. Peer Educators are trained and, at select sites, paid youth leaders who co-facilitate Empowerment Groups, assist with Wellness Center activities, and help create a welcoming, youth-driven environment.

Through this program, students gain real-world experience in facilitation, communication, and mentorship—preparing them for future leadership roles in school and their communities.

The following projects represent both current and past initiatives that have shaped and continue to inform our work.

• Personal values, goals, and decision-making
• Social influences and substance use norms
• Impacts of substance use on mental health and relationships
• Strategies for making informed, healthy choices

Legacy Library (Past Project)

We believe schools are powerful spaces to promote healthy development for every young person. As part of this commitment, we launched the Legacy Library Project to increase access to diverse, representative, and meaningful literature for students.

In the 2021–2022 school year, we partnered with Cal Poly Humboldt’s Recreation Department and Phatsy Kline’s to collect and donate books selected by students in our Empowerment Groups. These books were intentionally chosen to reflect the identities, experiences, and interests of the youth we serve—recognizing that positive representation can strengthen self-esteem and belonging.

Books were donated to school libraries across our community, including:

This project supported our broader goal of building protective factors and creating inclusive, affirming environments for all youth.

Conversations on Justice was a youth-driven event developed through our Young Men’s Council Empowerment Group. The goal was to create space for dialogue, accountability, and healing between youth and systems of justice.

Students engaged with the documentary They Call Us Monsters, which follows three youth facing life sentences. Following the screening, participants heard directly from Jarad Nava, one of the individuals featured in the film, who shared insights on prevention and the life experiences that shaped his path.

The event concluded with a panel discussion featuring local law enforcement and formerly incarcerated individuals. Students led this portion by:

This project reflected our deep commitment to disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline and supporting youth in leading conversations around justice, responsibility, and change.