This program was born of the founder’s dream. You can make it your real-​life dream, too. If you’re ages 12 through 22, navigating social-​emotional challenges, and would like user-​friendly support, one of our small groups may be a good fit for you. Where possible, we combine these with opportunities for one-​on-​one counseling.

Project Oasis offers a cornucopia of group and individual activities with therapeutic benefits, including with professional counseling staff, in a friendly non-​clinical setting.

Our mission: To invigorate you with new passions, hobbies, and tools for choosing positive life paths—instead of taking actions that would harm yourself and/​or others. Also, we want to support your own goals, or inspire you to discover them.

Activities: From January through March, we’ll meet weekly via Zoom, then move outdoors to a rural Watsonville setting, conveniently located on the Santa Cruz Metro bus line.

Over time, we’ll offer electives such as music (many types), hand crafts (sell some at our outdoor markets?), martial arts, photography, film-​making, gardening (for self and to sell), archery, woodworking, vocational guidance and internships, job and college application assistance, and more, as seen throughout this website.

Also in the long term, we’ll have options for you to earn pocket money, plus projects for your Oasis peers to donate to other youth and/​or community nonprofits, building self-​confidence and leadership qualities.

Meetings: Our six-​week sessions, free of charge, will be held year-​round. You have the option to not complete six weeks. New participants may start at the beginning of a six-​week cycle. You may continue for an indefinite time. If you’re with Project Oasis for a few years, you may apply for a paying job as a Peer Mentor for younger participants, or as a Junior Administrative Assistant to learn useful job skills.

At our Brainstorming Sessions as well as regular meetings, we’ll chat about school and personal challenges (e.g. bullying, how to make friends, or whatever’s on your mind), and what you find most and least helpful in communicating with others as you seek support. Also, what activities interest you? (E.g.,viewing a movie together and discussing how the characters relate to our lives.)

Our diverse group will be like a mini United Nations, all gathering on common ground. We hope you’ll connect with peers and trustworthy adults, who will meet you where you’re at and accept you for who you are.