Welcome
to the
Leadership Institute
A research-driven training hub for joy-centered leadership
The Joy Lab Leadership Institute is the heart of our organization. It houses all of our signature, research-based leadership programs, including the Restorative Joy Youth Project, The Joy League Academy, the IJL Ambassador Program, and the Ignite Joy Youth Summer Collective.
The Institute exists to do more than host programs—it exists to build the next generation of joyful leaders through evidence-based curriculum, measurable outcomes, and community impact. Every program is designed with academic rigor, qualitative and quantitative research, and real-world application. Participants don’t just feel joy—they learn how to lead with it.
The Joy Lab Leadership Institute partners with community organizations, educators, and local leaders to co-create joy-centered projects that strengthen connection and impact.
The Joy League
This program is how The Joy Lab says to the world: joy is a restorative practice, and young people deserve it, too.
Restorative Joy Youth Project
This program is how The Joy Lab says to the world: joy is a restorative practice, and young people deserve it, too.
Ignite Joy Youth Summer Collective
The Summer Collective is a two-week, residential leadership experience hosted on a college campus.
The Leadership Institute is where science meets joy, where leadership meets healing, and where new research is born. This is how we change systems not just individual lives.