Overview

Prioritizing each student's needs, our school year groups provide engaging activities and close communication to help young people develop confidence and friendship as they navigate their social world. Aspiring Youth and Delphi Young Adults have been providing social skills groups, summer camps, coaching and other programs for children, teens, young adults and their families since 2004. We are a nationally accredited program and part of Ryther, a non-profit leader in behavioral health services for over 130 years.

Our students have a lot in common. They have ability, aspiration and integrity with a wide range of interests, but have often been perplexed or withdrawn from social situations. Some of our students are shy, some are quirky and some are twice exceptional. Many have a diagnosis of autism, ADHD, learning disabilities or similar neurodiverse traits.

Students develop tools and confidence to navigate their social world. Through consultation with parents, teachers and providers, we help our students apply these new skills to their social, academic and family life. We create an environment where students can make sustainable friendships. Engaging activities strengthen self-esteem and trust, and students build a new social community through social events and year-round programs.

Our master's level facilitators and coaches have diverse training in the fields of education, psychology and social work. We hire dynamic people who have extensive experience working with our student population and want to innovate and grow.

Additional Information

Program Structure:

• We sub-divide our groups by interests and developmental levels to create optimal group dynamics.
• We develop activities and lessons that teach social skills in an engaging format.
• We collaborate with parents on social learning goals through check-ins and free consultation phone calls.
• Parents can access our speaker series, parent groups and other events through Neurodiverse NW

Important information regarding our programs:

• Online groups are not location-based and open to families outside of Washington state.
• Groups below are offered at different times throughout the school year calendar. Some additional groups may not be listed below but will be listed on our current schedule.
• We have added more locations!

Enrollment: Prospective students and parents attend a free enrollment meeting to learn more and help us determine best fit. General Registration for Winter quarter opens on November 17th! We will still be conducting Enrollment Meetings using an online platform. Please contact [email protected] to book your appointment today!

Group Types:

• AGE-BASED GROUPS: Topic-driven discussion ● Reinforcing games and activities ● Groups available for ages 8 to 19.
• THEME-BASED GROUPS: Social skills curriculum through shared interest activities such as art, Dungeons & Dragons, indoor climbing, Magic cards and more!

Specific Age-based Groups:

• Junior Explorers (Ages 5-7): The Junior Explorers group supports our youngest participants in developing the skills they need to be successful in friendship and play! Facilitators use an experiential learning approach with fun hands-on and movement activities to engage group members and coach them through challenges along the way. The group is tailored to the needs of participants and often targets social initiation, problem-solving, and perspective taking skills.
• Explorers/Navigators (Ages 8-12): Our Explorers and Navigators build social confidence while engaging in exciting activities together! While the structure of the group usually includes a social check in, structured and unstructured experiences, and appreciations for group members, the specific activities are tailored to the interests of the group to maximize engagement. Facilitators use an experiential learning approach to coach participants through challenges. Group members are often working on skills such as conflict resolution, flexibility, and perspective taking. Common activities include building and inventing projects and movement games.
• Girls Group (Ages 8-12): Girl's Group Girls Get Together Groups are a safe space for girls to learn how to make connections and friendships with others through chats, arts and craft projects, games, and other activities. The facilitator will set a theme for each session (ex: emotions, friendship qualities) and create activities and discussion that are fun while also nurturing skills. Each session will begin with an emotions check-in followed by a question related to the topic of the week, transitioning into the activity of the day.
• Teen Crew Girls+ (Ages 13-18): This group is a space for female and gender expansive identifying teens. Participants meet on the first week to brainstorm topics that they'd like to see covered that cycle. Popular subjects in the past have included: handling stress, navigating complex social situations, and balancing responsibilities and independence. Each week, group members will check in, engage in a discussion-based activity around the topic of the week, then transition to some fun hangout time. Teen Crew has a community feel and is a great place to be curious about ourselves and our connections with others.
• Teen Crew (Ages 13-18): Our all-gender Teen Crew group builds social confidence while engaging in exciting activities together! While the structure of the group usually includes a social check in, structured and unstructured experiences, and appreciations for group members, the specific activities are tailored to the interests of the group to maximize engagement. Facilitators use an experiential learning approach to coach participants through challenges. Group members are often working on skills such as conflict resolution, flexibility, and perspective taking.

Specific Activity-based Groups:

• Outdoor Club: Outdoor Club is a fun and effective social group for getting individuals active outside within the Pacific Northwest! Each week there will be excellent opportunities for participants to apply their curiosity and desires towards social activities that include hiking, scavenger hunts, outdoor survival workshops, life-size board games, obstacle courses and more.
• Building & Inventing Group: Building and Inventing Group is inspired by our popular summer camp! We will be building awesome inventions such as catapults, boats, and zipline vehicles, as well as experimenting with coding Edison robots. On some weeks, we may take a field trip to a local park to test out our inventions in a natural environment. While some projects are done individually, we often incorporate team building challenges to work on communication and problem-solving skills. Building and inventing is a great group for participants looking to develop patience, resilience, and planning skills while engaging in creative projects.
• Theater, Stage, and Stories: Theatre is a space where everyone can become involved – actors, playwrights, scenic designers – in the act of telling a story. In this group, students will work together to devise, rehearse and perform a unique theatrical performance. In this process, students will have a space to exercise their wit, build self-confidence, explore community and collaboration, and practice communication and personal expression.
• Creative Arts: Creative Arts is a space for participants to get their creative juices flowing while building social connections. Each week, facilitators will prep hands-on projects with a variety of materials, from paint and clay to beads and cloth. Projects will be selected with each participant's goals in mind and may include collaborative challenges, introspective themes, and structural building projects for those interested. Group will include a check-in, conversation support, and appreciations!
• Rock Climbing: The Rock Climbing groups at Seattle Bouldering Project provide an opportunity to work on individual goals for focus and physical health while also practicing group-based social skills like decision-making, monitoring personal space, and participating in conversations. Facilitators tailor these all-ages groups to the needs of the students, and will sub-divide the group in order to best target developmental goals. The groups may include a range of large-group games, individual attention, and small-group breakouts to practice skills in different environments.
• Social Swim: Social Swim is a group that uses pool games and activities to help build social skills. Participants do not need to be skilled swimmers; they simply need to enjoy hanging out at the pool. Through fun aquatic games and activities, group members work on conversation skills, frustration tolerance and flexible perspective taking. Some of the activities occur in the pool and some deck side. Group meets at Montlake Terrace pool.
• Activity League: Activity League is a fun, supportive place to try out different athletic activities while navigating the social dynamics of team sports. This outdoor group will explore different sports from basketball and soccer to relays and obstacle courses. The focus is on building confidence, body-space awareness, communication, and resilience as part of a team.

Specific Game-based Groups:

• Dungeons & Dragons (D&D): D&D begins with a check-in, and students then engage in Dungeons & Dragons—the antidote to video games. The game teaches patience, listening skills, teamwork and communication as players work through in-game challenges designed to address their goals. This group is a great option for children and teens that are looking to practice skills through creative game-play.
• Roblox Party: Roblox is an online social gaming platform that promotes interactions in an open world gaming format. The site is filled with different games that kids can play with others based on their interests. Many of our participants have had experience with Roblox but need guidance to navigate the complex social interactions that can happen online. This group aims to harness this popular platform to help participants work on communication, group decision-making, and good sportsmanship, all while forming meaningful connections.
• Pokémon Club: We will be running this group much like a weekly Pokémon League at your local tabletop gaming store. Each session will begin with a group discussion about social skills and competitive behavior goals for the week. We will then discuss strategies, tactics, and developments in the broader Pokémon TCG game including the rules of the game, deck-building, and other strategies and resources to help all trainers grow to be the best trainers they can be. A Pokémon TCG battle provides conflict, emotion, and drama, giving young people an authentic opportunity to interact socially with their peers in a low-risk environment but with real stakes on the line.
• Tabletop Games: Tabletop games are an excellent tool for practicing connecting with others, winning/losing, conversation, and problem-solving! Our Tabletop groups start with a social check-in and proceed to guided gameplay. Our Tabletop Games groups incorporate a variety of games for different levels, including classics like Uno and Sorry as well as strategy games. Often, group members will have the chance to bring a game from home to teach to the group to work on leadership and perspective-taking skills.
• Virtual Games: Virtual games are an excellent tool for facilitating connection and conversation, learning game-playing dynamics like fairness and winning vs. losing, practicing digital citizenship, and problem-solving! Our Virtual Games groups start with a social check-in and proceeds to guided gameplay with the whole group and in smaller break-out groups, giving participants a chance to connect and converse more intimately. Group members will have the opportunity to make friends, connect over common interests, enhance their communication skills, and work on perspective-taking when engaging in online virtual gaming platforms. In this group we play a variety of games made accessible to all skill levels including Carcassone, Jeopardy, Gartic Phone, SushiGo, and other games that can be found on Board Game Arena. We value the feedback from the participants and adjust the games played based on their interests as one of the primary goals is to have fun!
• Online Hangout and Games: Online Hangout and Games participants play a variety of online games each week while also discussing social learning topics such as starting conversations, maintaining friendships, and dealing with conflicts. This group is a great way to practice your social skills in a safe and supportive environment with the opportunity to make friends while having fun. We may use Jackbox Games which are designed to be simple, fun, and interactive, and can be played on a variety of devices including computers, tablets, and smartphones. We may use Board Game Arena to play a variety of online tabletop games which can be accessed on your computer browser.

New Programs: Magic: The Gathering; Identity & Self-Advocacy; Puppet Theater; Bothell Explorers/Navigators; Learn to Play D&D; D &D DM Academy; W. Seattle Tabletop Games & Crafts.

Schedule & Cost: Sessions are 75 minutes long and groups meet once per week for 10-week cycles (fall, winter, and spring). Groups are $675 per quarter (10 weeks). Certain groups may run for shorter cycles due to holidays, and the fee will be prorated accordingly. Discounts may be available for multiple group enrollments. Contact the office for more information. Social Skill Group Scholarship deadline is the two weeks before the start of each cycle.

Locations: Our groups take place after-school on weekdays and on the weekends and we have locations in Seattle, Kirkland, Bellevue, and online. Seattle Main Campus: At Ryther Main Campus 2400 NE 95th St, Seattle, WA 98115. Additional Seattle Locations: At University Congregational (UCUCC) 4515 16th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105; At Trillium 2706 S. Jackson Street, Seattle WA, 98144; At Hamlin Robinson 1701 20th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144; At Academy for Precision Learning (APL) 1432 15th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122; At Meadowbrook Community Center 10517 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125. Central Seattle: At Seattle Bouldering Project 900 Poplar Pl S, Seattle, WA 98144. West Seattle: At Youngstown Cultural Arts 4408 Delridge Way SW, Seattle, WA 98106. Lynnwood: At Lynnwood Recreation Center (Lynnwood Pool) 18900 44th Ave W, Lynnwood, WA 98036; At Zulu's Games 5116 196th St SW Suite 203, Lynnwood, WA 98036. Bothell: At Centennial Park North Creek (School House) 1130 208th St SE, Bothell, WA 98021; At Zulu's Games 10234 Main St, Bothell, WA 98011; At Blythe Park 16950 W Riverside Dr, Bothell, WA 98011. Kirkland: At Northlake Unitarian Church 308 4th Ave S., Kirkland, WA. 98033.