LEO empowers youth with practical tools to understand their brains and quickly improve resilience, adaptability, and fearlessness in a rapidly changing world. The LEO Program is a state-approved interactive resilience building program for youth ages 12-20 in Wood County, WI. The mission of The LEO Program is to empower youth to understand their unique brains and quickly improve resilience, adaptability, and fearlessness in a rapidly changing world. Resilience is the ability to bounce back and/or forward during challenging circumstances. Resilience helps individuals recover from setbacks, adapt well to change and keep going in the face of adversity. LEO explores how the human brain works and why our brain is not prepared for the challenges of today’s world. Our lower brain, also known as the survival brain, dominants our day to day life. LEO challenges participants to use different tools and strategies like mindfulness, breathing, gratitude, and more to rewire their brains. By rewiring their brains, they are able to demonstrate improved leadership, creative problem solving, stress management, and become resilient. The LEO Program is funded through the Brighter Futures Initiative Grant through the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. LEO is operated by professional staff from CW Solutions in partnership with Wood County Human Services. Program curriculum is adapted from the Life Ecology Organization, founded by Dr. Niraj Nijhawan. LEO began operating in Wood County in January 2019 with funding renewed in January 2022.
