When I do yoga, it makes me feel like everything bad goes away.

When I do yoga,
it makes me feel
like everything
bad goes away.
- Youth Participant
New Leaf Yoga Foundation
Annual Report
2012
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Our mission is to increase the accessibility of yoga to
youth, especially those residing in marginalized communities,
custody facilities, and who are facing barriers and stigmatization.
We believe that youth possess the resiliency to face the
challenges in front of them in positive ways, and that yoga and
mindfulness tools can be methods through which that resiliency
is cultivated.
Yoga helps me by connecting with myself & allowing me to take notice to the
most important things in life. I also like it because it helps me relax & lets
me get away from my troubles at home.
- Youth Participant
Our programs are long-term and
hands-on, emphasizing strong
relationships with our teachers,
with the young people we work
with, as well as with staff and community members at facilities and
neighbhourhoods we work within.
We seek to stand in solidarity with
the people we serve, supporting
them in their journeys to create
peace in their lives and in our
communities.
What
Makes
Us Unique
Primary “intra-personal”
of our programs are to:
goals
Foster self-regulation skills
Develop emotional resiliency
Cultivate self-awareness
Improve self-esteem and
general well-being (physical,
mental and emotional)
Decrease impulsivity
Heighten a sense of focus and
calm
Primary “interpersonal”
of our programs are to:
goals
Build a sense of community
amongst teens in underserved
neighbourhoods
Offer a positive space in which
to spend time
Create youth leadership
opportunities
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ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Board of Directors
Frank Jude Boccio
Shaka Licorish
Kate Love
Felicia Ross
Author of Mindfulness Yoga
Yoga / Dharma Teacher
Frontline Youth Worker
Director of Programs
Leave Out ViolencE
Frontline Youth Worker
Director of Education & Film
Manifesto Festival
Yoga Studio Owner
Philanthropist
Advisors
Heather Greaves
Kathy Murphy
Adam Segal
Jessica Robertson
Yoga Teacher Trainer
Antioppression Consultant
Psychotherapist
Jamiena Shah
Outreach and
Community Consultant
Management and
Nonprofit Consultant
Co-founder
Consultant
Carole Varin
Former Custody
Programs Manager
Staff
Laura Sygrove
Executive Director
Co-founder
Teacher
Rae-ven Parsons
Project Intern
Nicole Madison
Community Co-ordinator
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ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Teaching Team
Ana-Maria
Alvarado
Colleen
Burgess
Michelle
Corbeil
Heather
Elson
Dale
Fraser
Julia
Gibran
Jenn
Hall
Michael
Hopkins
Ashley
Keefe
Zainab
Kizilbash
Nikki
Latour
Lana
Lontos
Jamilah
Malika
Kyle
Marshall
Megan
Catalina
Moraga
Sonja
Patterson
Jackie
Pelle
Andre
Talbot
John
Veiga
McClenaghan
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ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Finances
60% Project Spending
21% Admin / Office
7%
Fundraising
4%
Payroll Expenses
3%
Insurance
3%
Communication
2%
Space Rentals
Total Annual Budget $102,000
Donors
Funding Summary
35% Private Donations
20% Warriors for Peace
16% Other Yoga Studios
14% Grants
10% Event Revenue
3%
Fee for Service
2%
Third Party Events
Donald Ross and family
Donald Ross and family
Eckler Ltd.
889 Yoga
889 Yoga
Kula Yoga Annex
Kula Yoga Annex
Kula Yoga Burlington
Kula Yoga Burlington
Kula Yoga Oakville
Kula Yoga Oakville
Lululemon
Lululemon
McCaul MacBain Foundation
McCaul MacBain Foundation
Moksha Yoga Barrie
Moksha Yoga Brampton
Moksha Yoga Brampton
Moksha Yoga Bloor West
Moksha Yoga Calgary
Moksha Yoga Brooklin
Moksha Yoga Bloor West
Moksha Yoga Calgary
Moksha Yoga Brooklin
Moksha Yoga Danforth
Moksha Yoga Danforth
Moksha Yoga Downtown
Moksha Yoga Downtown
Moksha Yoga LA
Moksha Yoga Edmonton
Moksha Yoga London
Moksha Yoga Etobicoke
Moksha Yoga Markham
Moksha Yoga Halifax
Moksha Yoga Maple
Moksha Yoga Hamilton
Moksha Yoga Montreal
Moksha Yoga London
Moksha Yoga Nanaimo
Moksha Yoga Maple
Moksha Yoga North York
Moksha Yoga Montreal
Moksha Yoga Ottawa
Moksha Yoga North York
Moksha Yoga Peterborough
Moksha Yoga Ottawa
Moksha Yoga Pickering
Moksha Yoga Peterborough
Moksha Yoga Richmond Hill
Moksha Yoga Richmond Hill
Moksha Yoga Scarborough
Moksha Yoga Scarborough
Moksha Yoga Stratford
Moksha Yoga Stouffville
Moksha Yoga Uptown
Moksha Yoga Uptown
Moksha Yoga Waterloo
Moksha Yoga Victoria
Moksha Yoga West Island
Moksha Yoga Waterloo
Moksha Yoga Winnipeg
Moksha Yoga West Island
Om Yoga
Om Yoga
Parallax Investment Co.
Parallax Investment Co.
Revel Cafe
Queen Street Yoga
Spirit Loft
Spirit Loft
YogaSpace
Venturlink
Thank you to all individual
YogaSpace
donors not listed here
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ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Program Partners
Breaking the Cycle
Nelson Mandela Public School
Gang exit, Youth Ambassador Program
Elementary School
Brookside Youth Centre
Market Lane Public School
Youth Custody Facility (Males)
Elementary School
Genest Youth Centre
Rexdale Hub
Youth Custody Facility (Males)
Drop-in Yoga Classes for Youth
Hope Manor
Roy McMurtry Youth Centre
Youth Custody Facility (Males)
Youth Custody Facility (Males & Females)
Leonard’s Attendance Centre
Trails Youth Initiatives
Youth Alternative Sentencing Program
Youth Life Skills Program
Lord Dufferin Public School
Youth Without Shelter
Elementary School
Youth Homeless Shelter
Rexdale / Toronto
Cobourg, ON
London, ON
Waterloo, ON
London, ON
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Brampton, ON
Toronto / Aurora
Toronto
My students have a great deal of difficulty with self-regulation and I have
been able to use some of what we learn together in yoga back in the classroom with regular breathing exercises.
I can honestly say that each and every student has gained something from
the experience. For some it has been an increase in risk taking, for others,
being able to express themselves and achieve 'success' has been empowering. For myself, it is evident in the final resting pose of each session; by
the final series of classes, my students were able to actually rest for 5
minutes and understand what this really feels like. They have begun to
make connections to their mind and body.
When I look back to our very first yoga class and compare it with our final
one, the difference in my students' attitudes, behaviours and selfregulation is significant and it was a great experience for all involved.
- Nick Hanning, TDSB teacher, Nelson Mandela Public School
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5
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Highlights
In June 2012, New Leaf celebrated the 5 year anniversary of our first
project!
Created a part-time employment position for a young person who has
been through one of our programs... An important step towards
strengthening the youth voice within New Leaf and creating additional
opportunities for youth to engage their peers.
Formed a 3 year partnership with the Toronto District School Board and
implemented a school-year-long program in 3 Regent Park schools.
Launched our first open drop-in classes called Free Up in Rexdale. The
class size averages 10-12 participants each week and youth are provided
with food and TTC tokens after the free class.
Received a grant to conduct formal research in one of our custody
programs. Our proposal has been submitted and was approved by the
Ministry of Children and Youth Services. Evaluation will commence in
late 2013.
This year we offered an average of 60+ classes each month, reaching
an average of 500 youth per month in long-term programs.
In a recent survey of male youth in one of our custody programs, 80% said
they tend to feel stressed “a lot of the time”. 100% of participants said they
feel mentally/emotionally better after yoga class, 60% said they do some
meditation outside of class time, and 80% said they do some physical yoga
outside of class time throughout their week. Program benefits sited by
participants included gaining support around: stress, sleeping, anger, concentration, relaxation, anxiety, depression, health, reactivity, flexibility,
and strength.
- Custody Program Survey
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