PRESS RELEASE | "THE DIFFERENCE"

FREE SHOWINGS

THE AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY

‘THE DIFFERENCE’

AUGUST 10th - 12th

Follow the lives of 50 young people in Sweden as they take part in the revolutionary Youth on Purpose project, a unique program designed by Bellingham’s internationally renowned workshop leader and success coach Sandy Levey-Lunden. This program held two times in Sweden, and five in Canada, is designed to empower youth, heal self-destructive attitudes, and transform lives. This innovative process will be debuting for the first time on American soil in Bellingham, WA August 24th - September 1st at Camp Lutherwood, open to ages 14-24. Participants will be inspired to explore their inner landscapes, heal their family dynamics, experience their authentic selves, find their passions, and life’s purpose.

Many young people today are confused with their choices, themselves, and society, often burying their true feelings and appearing directionless, listless and bored. The Youth on Purpose program will work on releasing guilt, blame, resentment, anxiety, and limitations from the past. It teaches youth how to heal the separation, anger, upset, and disassociation with themselves and their loved ones. After nine days, youth emerge transformed, able to express themselves with a renewed sense of purpose and confidence.

Local Showings

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The Difference

Sunday, August 10th at 11 AM

Pickford Cinema

1416 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA

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The Difference

Sunday, August 10th at 7:30 pm

Hosted by Miriam at WindSong

20543 96th Avenue, Langley, BC, V1M 3W3

Discussion to follow.

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The Difference

Monday, August 11th at 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM

Vashon Allied Arts / Blue Heron Gallery

19704 Vashon Hwy SW, Vashon, WA 98070

This showing includes a panel discussion.

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The Difference

Tuesday, August 12th at 7:30 PM

Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth (BAAY)

1509 N. State Street, Bellingham, WA

The movie is 45 minutes long, and will be hosted by Sandy Levey-Lunden, the initiator of the Youth on Purpose project.

MAPS FOR TWO LOCATIONS: http://www.neighborhood-kids.com/Activities/General/1139.aspx

ADMISSION IS FREE and the public is cordially invited to attend any showing.

WELCOME! History of Youth On Purpose

Youth On Purpose began in 1996 as the "Fri Sikt" Project, meaning "clear view" or "open view" in Swedish. Specifically, Sandy Levey-Lunden while teaching one of her sixteen classes in Sweden, had a person in the class raise their hand and say that they had read in the newspaper that a father was suing his son for his total investment in time, energy, and money because he would not get out of bed for two weeks. The son stated that his reason for this behavior was that he had no reason to live and no motivation for life, and had no where to go in the future. Sandy at that point felt like she could make a difference in this boy's life and any other youth's life that felt they had no purpose in living also.

In 1998 the poignant movie of this two year long project called "The Difference," won second place as the best documentary in Sweden and also went to the Cannes Film Festival that year. The movie can be viewed on the YouthOnPurpose.org website as well as YouTube. In Vancouver, Canada the project called Youth On Purpose continued for five years, operated successfully by the Youth On Purpose Society of Canada. For two years the project ran in Halifax, Nova Scotia simultaneously as Youth On Purpose Atlantic.

In November of last year, Sandy Levey-Lunden was teaching a class called the Power of Clearing: Certification Course to train coaches in her method. Some of the participants in this class wanted to bring the Youth On Purpose program to the United States for the first time, specifically to the western Washington regionm abd so Youth on Purpose, USA has been created as a new 501(3C) and is waiting final approval from the federal government. The organization has been approved from the state of Washington to be a 501(3C).

Who are the Youth, and where do they come from? Participants come from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds. Some are straight-A students with a desire to improve their relationship with their parents. Others may be considered at risk youth with a challenged family background and are troubled by difficult circumstances in their lives. We have a melting pot of youths at Youth On Purpose who all come to work together and experience a true family, joining in a bond of a higher purpose. Our project has shown the youths after participating in the youth project show a 82% success rate in the past.

Sincerely,

Sandy Levey-Lunden