Restorative
Joy
Youth Project
A semester-long leadership experience for high-potential, too-often-misread teens.
Youth Project
Some young people get called “disruptive” when what they really are is brilliant, bored, or carrying more than school ever asked about. The Ignite Joy Youth Collective was built for them. Our goal is an anti-deficit journey that centers voice, builds skills, and grows leaders — not by fixing kids, but by creating rooms where they are seen, heard, and invited to lead.
This program is how The Joy Lab says to the world: joy is a restorative practice, and young people deserve it, too.
What It Is
Ignite Joy is a semester-based, cohort program for students ages 13–18 that blends restorative circles, creative expression, and real-world leadership skills. We meet in bright, flexible spaces in select U.S. cities — chosen through a data-informed scan of youth well-being, school climate needs, and local partner capacity — and we build a community around joy.
Mixed-grade cohorts sit in circles, co-create norms on whiteboards, and literally fill the walls with their stories. Trained Joy Facilitators, community partners, and peer mentors guide the work. Caregivers and educators are invited in at key moments so the support doesn’t end when the session does.
Why It Matters
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Because too many teens are labeled by what’s “wrong” instead of cultivated for what’s strong.
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Because identity-based stress, school pressure, and community challenges can dull a young person’s sense of possibility.
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Because joy widens that possibility again.
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Because communities thrive when their young people can speak, create, and solve problems together.
This is youth development that refuses to be punitive, performative, or boring.
How The Semester
Weekly Ignite Joy Sessions
Foundational gatherings that blend restorative practices with skill-building in:
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communication and self-advocacy
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emotional regulation and stress tools
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conflict navigation and decision-making
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belonging, boundaries, and brave conversations
These sessions teach young people how to lead themselves first.
F4J Leadership Labs (every other week)
“Formula for Joy™” in action. Students work in teams on:
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community problem-solving challenges
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service-design sprints
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leadership roles and facilitation practice
Labs help them see that joy isn’t just a feeling — it’s something you can build into systems.
Joy GPS Check-Ins (monthly)
Short well-being surveys + one-to-one coaching to track growth, notice patterns, and strengthen belonging. We teach students to name how they’re doing before someone misreads their behavior.
Creative Voice & Choice Studios
Spaces to tell their own stories — through art, zines, spoken word, digital media, or mini-docs. Youth get to choose their medium and claim their narrative.
Bridge Sessions (family + educator touchpoints)
We bring in the adults who love and teach them, so the language of joy and regulation continues at home and school.
Joy in Action Showcase (end of term)
Students close the semester by presenting their projects, art, and community ideas to families, educators, and local partners. It’s a celebration and a declaration: we are leaders now.
Our Promise
This is not a behavior program.
This is not detention with snacks.
This is leadership, joy, and community-building for young people who deserve to be seen in their full brilliance.
Partner or Sponsor a Cohort
We keep this model accessible through community sponsorships, school partnerships, and philanthropic support so students and families aren’t expected to carry the full cost.
👉 [Click here to become a sponsor or host site]
Stay tuned — pilot city announcements and applications will be shared soon. Joy is coming to a classroom, community room, or youth space near you.