Self-Love Bootcamp for Teens

In Summer 2021, 75 young people from trauma-affected communities across Chicago  will connect with each other and a dedicated group of caring mentors as part of a unique social-emotional learning program called Self-Love Bootcamp (SLBC). Participants will learn about self-care, creative expression, forgiveness, self-discipline, kindness, nature, academic excellence, and more.

Self-Love Bootcamp is Light of Loving Kindness’ response to the urgent need for personal empowerment and community connection among young people.

But we cannot do this without the financial support of the broader community!

More than a year has passed since Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and other institutions closed for in-person activities, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, Chicago-area children and teens have existed in a state of ongoing isolation from friends, teachers, extended family, and mentors. During this time, emergency hospitalizations for young people suffering from mental health issues and suicide attempts have increased at an alarming rate. A review of 83 studies on the effect of isolation and loneliness on children and teens suggests years of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms remain ahead of this generation.

For young people isolated in trauma-affected or low-income areas, this may be even more detrimental.

Prior to the pandemic, low-income, Black, and Latinx children and teens already had far less access to mental health treatment than those in higher-income and white communities. Among Black youth, as of 2018, suicide is reported as the second leading cause of death for children aged 10-14 and the third leading cause among adolescents. Isolation due to the global pandemic has exacerbated the need for mental health services in areas with little opportunities for quality care. 

In short, our young people are in a state of emergency. 

SLBC is an integrative, social-emotional learning program led by holistic practitioners, artists, community leaders, and other young people from the neighborhoods we serve. For 12 weeks, participants will meet virtually and in-person with a cohort of 25 of their peers. The program will conclude with a community mural designed by participants in collaboration with a local artist. Together, we will foster a mindfulness-based healing experience that leaves participants with profound connections, a positive sense of self, and an empowered perspective as they learn to navigate their lives during unprecedented times.

Our goal is to raise funds by May 31st to offer 75 all-expenses paid scholarships to SLBC. These funds will help cover the costs of workshop materials, guest speakers and facilitators, art supplies, loaner laptops for teens, nutrition, and the space to offer in-person meetings that adhere to COVID-19 physical distancing regulations.

Donations of any amount will go directly to these scholarships. To provide specific items, feel free to donate the suggested amounts below:

$25 for one program workbook and journal

$50 for participant t-shirt, sweatpants, and swag bag

$75 for art supplies for one teen

$300 for a loaner laptop for teens in need

$500 to support the capstone mural project

$1,000 to sponsor all program costs for one teen

At this time of collective grief and uncertainty, hope is needed more than ever. Your donation will give young people the opportunity and resources to heal, grow, and connect with a caring community to support them now and on their continued journey into adulthood.