What People are Saying about Street Yoga

“I like sharing yoga with people who really get a good benefit from it and maybe never had the chance to do it before.”

            - Street Yoga Teacher at Outside In

"I enjoy the challenge of reaching them, they are always so hapy after class, and even say things like, 'yoga gives me so much energy after class!' even when they are shuffling their feet and complaining on the way to class.  

             -Alice, RAD Volunteer

"...the change in group dynamics from class start to finish, the thank-you's, the individual progress that is evident in some of the guys.  Frankly, teaching at RAD is often the highlight of my week and I look forward to it.  Who would have thought that the experience teaching there would be so profound?"

                -Samuel, RAD Volunteer

"Teaching yoga to teenage girls who are often sleep-deprived, would rather be somewhere else and have a headache can be quite a challenge.  However, there are very few things as satisfying as some of the experiences I have had as a Street Yoga volunteer.  There are always those magical classes where one, and then maybe two or three girls wake up from their resistance to the class, and become really present in their bodies.  You can just see these shifts, as maybe their minds quiet enough so that they can hear their breath. Their faces soften.  At the end of one of these magical sessions, nothing makes me happier to be a Street Yoga volunteer than to hear 'Hey! Weird! My headache went away!', or 'Cool.  I'm gonna do that at home.'  I just feel grateful to have the opportunity to pass along some tools to help these girls breath just a little more grace into their lives.  

                    -Caitlin, Pioneer Special School Volunteer

"It [yoga] offers them a place to feel enveloped in safety- on the mat and also in their own body.  I have seen them begin to listen to their body and veome more aware of their breath.  This awareness will surely help them to ,day-by-day, live in the bodies from which they have been so detached.  I witness their incredible strength and watch as they learn that they are not to blame for the abuse they have endured, and that they can take control of their own bodies and emotions.  I feel very blessed to be a part of the groups at FSAT."

                     -Jaime, FSAT Volunteer

"Physically I've noticed a decrease in pain, over a period of months, shown by the girls' statements during check-ins before class.  In class itself girls typically go from being sluggish to being more energetic.  I've also noticed negative attitudes transform with releasing exercises like lion's breath or breath of fire.  Staff have also mentioned the girls are overall way more relaxed after class.  The girls have also been more open to asking questions and asking for techniques to help them deal with specific areas of pain."

                     -Phoebe, Wildflowers Volunteer

Staff of our Partnering Sites

"My first experience with yoga has been with the Street Yoga instructors here on the uni.  It has been an enjoyable experience.  Combination of mind, body and spirit, increasing awarness of al areas.  With practice, yoga increases physical balance, flexibility and strength- both physical strength and mental.  For the most part clients have enjoyed the experiences they have had in yoga."

                     -Ram, from the RAD girls unit

"Participants appear to have an increased sense of accomplishment and control and power in their boies.  Participants feel proud of themselves.  Participants are more able to focus and report feeling 'happy' and 'good' in their bodies after doing yoga.  The clients are learning a new coping skill and another way to cope with their feelings.  Clients are reconnecting with their bodies and increasing their sense of power and control over their bodies."

                      -Kit, from FSAT

"After yoga students show 'increased body awareness and self-esteem and increased positive awareness of others' goodness.' The kids benefit from yoga because 'trauma victims are quite often disconnected from their bodies.  This experience helped the girls perceive their bodies as powerful and valuable."

                      -Bridget, from FSAT

"White Shield Center had a wonderful experience with Street Yoga.  Their gracious staff arranged for a volunteer yoga instructor to come to our program and lead prenatal yoga classes with our teenage expecting mothers.  Many of our clients come from backgrounds where they have very little access to support and resources; so participating in a yoga class was an exciting new opportunity for them.  Our volunteer instructor was kind, patient, and very knwoledgeable.  She taught our expecting moms how to use relaxation exercises to reduce pregnancy related stress and focused on various exercises that helped maintain physical and mental health throughout a pregnancy.  We are grateful to be working with Street Yoga and look forward to future opportunities to arrange yoga classes for our clients."

                     -Marty, from Salvation Army White Shield Center

"Street Yoga has had a deep and lasting impact on many of the youth that have come through Bradley Angle House's Emergency Shelter.  most youth are in our shelter for 2 months and they are able to take up to 5 or 6 classes during that time.  I have seen youth anywhere from 2 years old to 17 years old benefit from and enjoy the time spent with our Street Yoga volunteer, who is gifted at adapting her curriculum to suit the developmental needs of each age.  From my observation, these benefits often take two significant forms.  The yoga groups provide youth with time to play and be children, and they provide valuable tools for coping with stress and reconnecting to the body.  During yoga classes, kids are often seen laughing, and just as often seen breathing deeply as they sink into a pose of movement.  The breath in particular youth take with them from the class- I have witnessed kids struggling with stress or anger drawing on that breath outside of group to get through a difficult feeling.  I know the kids here value Street yoga, because they are always asking me when we are going to have class again!

                     -Claire from Bradley Angle House

Praise for our Volunteers