> Woodland Hills students present at international conference

June 22, 2007

For the 13th consecutive year, a group of girls ages 13 to 17 from Woodland Hills of Duluth presented at the Reclaiming Youth Conference held in Rapid City, SD, June 23-26. This year’s international conference, "Reclaiming Youth at Risk," addressed the problems and offered solutions concerning school violence, racism, substance abuse, crisis, and behavioral/emotional concerns of youth and their families. The annual conference brings together professionals and youth advocates dedicated to reclaiming youth in conflict with family, school and community.

The young women of Woodland Hills’ residential treatment programs presented two strands: "Voices of Youth" and "Reconnecting Through Restorative Justice Practices." Their presentations are based on a treatment philosophy referred to as positive peer culture in which peer cultures are used to creative positive change and empower youth to be successful. Woodland Hills practices this in its treatment of troubled young people, with highly successful results. At the conference, the young women shared how helping others rebuild troubled lives and practicing restorative justice has positively impacted their own lives. The presentation was facilitated by Mary Steiner, Director of Residential Services at Woodland Hills.

Students and staff were invited to the seminar by Dr. Larry Brendtro, consultant, author and advocate for at-risk youth. The young women of Woodland Hills earned the privilege of going on the trip by working on their issues and working in the community. In addition to their presentations, the students participated in seminars, community sessions and discussions, as well as some site seeing in their spare time.

According to Brendtro, "Woodland Hills is unique as a model of best practices in peer group treatment. Behavioral scientists have described the process by which anti-social youth train one another in delinquency. Woodland Hills turns this around by creating groups which teach pro-social values of caring for one another. I know of no other program that has made more contributions to the treatment of troubled youth than Woodland Hills."

Woodland Hills is a private non-profit organization that operates five programs that provide delinquency prevention, intervention, treatment and transitional services for youth. Nearly 1,100 children and their families from throughout Minnesota and surrounding states participate in Woodland Hills programs each year. In 2009, Woodland Hills will celebrate its 100th anniversary of caring for children.