Several of them gleaned some valuable insights about how they appear to others. For instance, some learned that they looked very difference than they actually felt. In fact in one situation the more nervous the person actually felt, the calmer she appeared on tape. In the final analysis the experience with Speaking Circles allowed each young person to explore issues of identity and relationship in safe and challenging ways. They each came away with valuable insights and tools that have been able to apply in other areas of their lives.
HOME is funded through national and local foundations, as well as local public funding sources.
Leslie Medine, the initial force behind the creation of HOME, has been involved in all aspects of youth development, education and collaborative work between youth and adults for over 25 years. Edd Conboy is a consultant and executive coach who has worked with high performance individuals, teams and organizations in the U.S., Europe and Asia. He has been involved with HOME since its inception.