HEAL Program

What is HEAL?

The HEAL program is a six-session peer support program for high school students run by On the Margins in partnership with the Hanna Center and with funds from Elevate Youth California and the S.H. Cowell Foundation.

This program aims to engage in a collective generation of knowledge of what self and community care are, and to practice and disseminate healing strategies to high school youth. This is a space where high school students can learn how to be their fullest selves and experience wellness and connection. The HEAL curriculum aspires to equip the youth with the essential tools and insights for personal and collective healing and to empower them to become leaders in their communities and create a more just and equitable society.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can join?

High school students in Sonoma Valley are eligible.

Where is the program offered?

The sessions are held at Hanna Center in Sonoma.

What is the commitment if I join?

We require all participants to attend the first two sessions, where group agreements are made.

There is also a requirement to attend at least 6 of the eight sessions.

The program is free and a $58 per session stipend will be provided to each participating student ($464 in total, if all sessions are attended).

What are the possible benefits of joining the program?

Results from a 2023 analysis of surveys between the beginning (pre) and the end (post) of the program showed that on average, participants significantly improved on four outcomes that were measured:

Participants reported that their mental health symptoms were reduced by feeling less left out or depressed, or feeling more companionship.
Participants mentioned the benefits of having stronger connections to peers they had already known or meeting new people in the group.
They also reported improved knowledge on resources about mental health and substance use. In particular, they liked learning new topics that were usually not talked about in school.
Further, better coping skills were observed when dealing with the stress that occurred in their physical and home environments. Some said they were able to overcome their social anxiety to speak up and the program helped their communication skills.

Results indicate that participants’ resilience levels improved significantly with better recovery from a stressful event. Please contact On The Margins if you would like to have more access to a summary of our evaluation results: [email protected]

What is Healing Justice?

It is a framework that identifies how we respond to the generational trauma that embeds in our bodies, hearts, minds, and communities. Healing Justice can be accessed through writing, oral accounts, art, and other approaches that can serve as anti-oppressive tools that facilitate critical consciousness.

Healing Justice informs and inspires this program!

What does the schedule look like?

Please scroll down this page for a list of session dates and times. We require that participants attend the first two sessions and try to miss a maximum of two sessions throughout the cohort.