“Who am I?” is the critical question teens are asking themselves during adolescence. Up until now, they have defined themselves in relationship to their parents. And while the parental relationship is still their greatest influence, as teens, they begin exploring other ways to answer this vital question. At PFO, we do not tell teens who they should be, how they should act, or what they should believe; instead, we provide a rich variety of experiences in which they explore, discover, and express themselves, surrounded by positive peers and supportive, loving adult role models. 

With “Who am I?” as question #1, “How will I give of that?” is the second major question PFO helps teens explore. This question suggests an “inside → out” model of leadership. PFO provides teens a safe space to become leaders of their own lives first, and then naturally, their leadership capacity grows and they become strong leaders of others. This model of grounded servant leadership empowers teens to give from an overflow of their own self-confidence, self-awareness and self-motivation. 

Since PFO’s inception, children with disabilities and their siblings (or “buddies”, as we call them) have been an integral part of the PFO family. Just as love and belonging are central needs for teens, they are also central needs for our buddies. 

Part of belonging and feeling loved is knowing that the space around us is designed with our needs in mind. For PFO, that means offering fully inclusive programming for buddies and teens to experience together.

PFO teens receive interactive workshops in body language, creative play, communication, and the disability community as a whole, which gives them the perspective and awareness needed to better connect with their buddies and build authentic, lasting relationships. They play, laugh, create, express, and experience the arts together, getting to know one another with respect, compassion, acceptance, and inclusion. 

If we want to create a more compassionate world, the best place to start is with ourselves – how we show up in our own lives, with the people around us, and in our community. It takes one small act… and then another, followed by another – and another still, and on and on to create that change. Learning that we are a part of something bigger than our single selves, is a critical first step. 

PFO exposes teens to the work being done in our community, provides a platform for them to honor individuals and non-profits who are doing the work, and asks them to begin considering what being a servant leader in their community means. Having these experiences and opportunities during their formative years, teens grow into lifelong philanthropists. They become the kind of engaged community members who give of their time, talent, and treasure to organizations they are passionate about. 

Research shows that people who practice gratitude:

• Physically – have stronger immune systems, exercise more, and take better care of their health
• Psychologically – have higher levels of positive emotions, are more alert and alive, and experience more joy, pleasure, optimism, and happiness
• Socially – are more helpful, generous, compassionate, forgiving, outgoing, and feel less lonely and isolated

Developmentally, teens are seeking acceptance and inclusion. PFO provides a positive peer culture in which all teens are embraced. We promote acceptance of the whole person, their thoughts, ideas, values, culture, and differences.

PFO teens often say that accountability is the area where they need to grow the most. By creating a safe environment for teens to miss the mark, take responsibility (we call it a “failure bow”!), and use new tools to up their accountability, teens learn to be accountable in both their actions and behaviors.

In order to create meaningful and lasting change, we must take inspired, deliberate, focused, and consistent action. Action is what takes us from where we are to where we want to be. Regular evaluation of our impact leads us to take immediate steps to deepen and enhance our impact, and it is through action that we accomplish our goals.