PAST PROGRAMS & IMPACT
2021
The inaugural Antelope Valley Wellbeing Coalition, which began in September 2021 to learn wellbeing science as a strategy for local leaders to work together on robust solutions to health and economic challenges facing us, is already making a significant impact. Several capstone projects from our 6-month Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP) class have already been executed, including:
- Welcome Home Ceremony for Vietnam Veterans — A community event held in March that featured 1960s inspired music and food to thank and help Vietnam Veterans feel like heroes. Several hundred community members participated and Phase 2 of the project, a healing garden, is underway.
- You Women Matter — An event for unhoused women in the Antelope Valley to experience a state of wellbeing, enjoy a meal, hygiene and styling, plus receive counseling and connectivity to resources to restore them physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, relationally, and financially. Fifty people participated, and almost a dozen cooperating community resource organizations.
- Zen Academy — A weekly workshop for fifth through eighth grade students at Los Amigos School where several of our Coalition members work, that focuses on managing emotions, learning positive coping skills, working on social skills, and building positive relationships. Fifteen students were included in this pilot, and resources are being sought to reach more children in 2022-2023.
- Reinvigorating Entrepreneurs Workshop — Designed to support local entrepreneurs with workshops on wellbeing, post-traumatic growth, strengths, and resources to support their successes. Nearly thirty participants enjoyed this inaugural event and the group has a vision to bring an incubator to the Valley.
Additional projects involve walking sessions with law enforcement officials in various neighborhoods to meet with neighbors and build social capital, a well as a wellbeing experience designed especially for senior citizens, and a teacher appreciation luncheon.
2023
The second cohort of CAPP to finish the course in 2023 contributed the following:
- Bank of PERMAH Workshop — A six session workshop series designed to help seniors with positive aging strategies grounded in positive psychology.
- A Day of Resilience Event — A one day event to help people struggling with grief and loss learn positive coping and wellbeing techniques.
- Elevate: Connecting Hearts & Abilities Initiative — A workplace intervention designed to help practitioners who work with developmentally disabled build their toolkit and strategies.
- What the Bible Says of Positive Psychology Workshop — A strengths-based workshop combining positive psychology constructs with messages from the New Testament.
- SHINE Workshops — A six month experience for youth to meet regularly in different locations around the valley, and increase their resilience and outlook using science-based strategies.
- Black Kids Rising Above Adversity Initiative — An ongoing initiative to interview black youth, and ask questions regarding wellbeing so as to design interventions most helpful to their needs.
- SOWing Strength Seeds Workshop
- Homeless Youth — A collaborative workshop to help unhoused youth learn their character strengths, and set goals.
- Wellbeing Cub — A weekly meeting place for middle school girls to belong, be seen, and appreciated.
- REBUILD Workshop — A wellbeing workshop grounded in positive psychology to help trauma survivors regain their strength and voice.
- PERMAH Cafe Workshop — An experience for Spanish speakers to come together and learn PERMAH.
- Wellbeing Blueprint En Espanol CAPP textbook — A translation of the CAPP textbook into Spanish.
- Super Bloom in Antelope Valley — A social media campaign designed to remind people in the valley of when, where, and how they are at their best.
- Truth Booth — A Pop-Up experience that allowed people an opportunity to express themselves fully, and let go of some of what they had been carrying by sharing anonymously their truths.
- Gratitude Virtual Huddles — A daily convening in November for Antelope Valley residents to share what they are grateful for.
- Rock Your Wellbeing Rock Art Experience — A creative arts experience that fostered a diverse message of wellbeing on rocks placed in public parks around the region for others to find and be curious about.
- Wellbeing for Families & Little Ones Curriculum — A curriculum developed for families and young people to explore wellbeing together.
