Our programs empower, educate and provide students from different religious and ethnic backgrounds first-hand experiences with peers from a variety of faiths and traditions, to build leadership and critical thinking skills.

The Temple of Understanding’s work with young people demonstrates that the use of experiential and participatory learning supports long-term behavior change and can transform perspectives. All TOU youth programs, trainings and activities are hands-on, interactive, cooperative learning environments. Youth participants are responsible for working collaboratively with their peers, independent of direction from adults. In addition, youth use their peers as resources to explore opinions and ideas from various perspectives in a forum that encourages open interfaith debate and discussion.

The goal of TOU Youth Programs is to build community, foster values of respect and understanding, and nurture young leaders for a new culture of peace and justice.

Past Programs

Interfaith Dialogue, Education and Action (IDEA)

IDEA focused on the development of leadership skills, individual responsibility and creativity to bring youth driven community projects to fruition. The mission of IDEA was to empower and educate youth (ages 14 to 19) from different cultural backgrounds to build leadership and critical thinking skills, create strong bonds of friendship and support ongoing learning opportunities among young people. In the 2012-2013 school year, the program was offered in Susan Wagner High School, Port Richmond High School, and other new Staten Island, NY area high schools.

The Gandhi, King, Chavez Season for Nonviolence at the United Nations

Part of an international 64-day educational campaign, this UN event brought more than 500 junior high and high school students from the tri-state area together to learn more about these three leaders of nonviolence. Educators were given suggestions for classroom learning aimed at inspiring students to make their local and global communities more peaceful.