There is a mental health crisis affecting people globally and it is particularly devastating in the way it is impacting our youth.

Rites of passage ceremonies have been part of Indigenous and Traditional Communities for thousands of years. They provide a framework to support the critical transition from childhood to healthy adulthood. These passages are transformative journeys that cultivate strong and healthy communities around the world.

Imagine if we had a way to address these issues whilst young people are still at home and at school before they leave to go out into the world.

The Rites of Passage Institute (ROPI) has created these transformative programs. 

Rites of Passage Institute (ROPI) has studied rites of passage practices around the world and identified the stages and elements that are most effective in facilitating genuine transformations. The ROPI mission is to make rites of passage practices mainstream and an integral part of people’s lives. ROPI’s life-changing programs support people to face the challenges of a rapidly changing world, to find their unique gifts and talents, cultivate healthy relationships, and to create a positive and uplifting vision for the next stages of their lives.

1.  School Programs: TRANSFORM is a whole-school approach that is tailored to the specific needs of each school community. TRANSFORM helps students develop a strong sense of belonging, cultivate healthy relationships, and learn critical life skills, including resilience, social and emotional intelligence, and finding their life’s purpose.

2. Leadership Training: This training is for people who are interested in learning the Rites of Passage framework. It’s a training program that teaches ROPI’s unique and successful blend of education and experiential processes to individuals who want to offer and lead these programs and to those who just want to learn these transformative life skills. 

3. Parent-Child Camps: These unique ROPI camps foster inner growth, self-awareness, healthy and respectful relationships, skills in being vulnerable and transparent, acquiring authentic dignity, and cultivating emotional connection and bonding for young people and their parents. These camps have a long-lasting, transformative impact that positively changes the trajectory of the family dynamic and influences generations to come.

4. Transformational Keynote Events: Dr. Arne Rubinstein offers captivating presentations, including ones on parenting in the fast lane, raising happy, healthy, and wholehearted children, fathers closing the gap, the importance of a transformational mindset, and more.

Rites of Passage Institute (ROPI) was founded in Australia by Dr. Arne Rubenstein. In 1993, Dr Arne ran his first Rites of Passage father and son camp, a life-changing three-day process for all who attended. ROPI programs, camps, and leadership training have now been attended by over 350,000 people in more than 25 countries. ROPI programs are now held in over 70 schools and communities around Australia, including Indigenous communities. These Indigenous communities have approached ROPI to help bring rites of passage ceremonies and journeys back into the lives of their young people.

As a previous medical doctor who worked for 20 years in family medicine and then in emergency medicine, Dr. Arne Rubinstein (CEO and founder of The Rites of Passage Institute) became increasingly aware and deeply disturbed by the high rates of harm that teenagers were subjecting themselves to that, unfortunately, would have lifelong consequences. He witnessed totally unnecessary risk-taking behavior and disastrously high levels of mental health issues that left young people feeling completely lost, depressed, and unsupported. 

Then, he discovered a preventative process that he had not previously heard of: the traditional practice of rites of passage. Indigenous communities had, for thousands of years, created ceremonies to acknowledge, support, and celebrate young people becoming adults. These ritual events (rites of passage) were designed to help young people transition into the world of adults in safe and healthy ways.

Dr. Arne began researching these rites of passage practices as tools to assist teenagers as they transition from childhood to adulthood while helping them cultivate strong and loving family relationships and be open to receiving essential wisdom and knowledge from their elders. The Rites of Passage Insitute programs that Dr. Arne then established prepare young people for genuine, long-term success and healthy relationships, as these practices address some of the major issues we are seeing today, including the crisis of toxic masculinity, the need for gender equity, and female empowerment.

“Being a mentor is not a formal or defined role. It is about being a role model and being available when needed. Mentors give advice and support when asked, rather than stepping in and telling a young adult how to live their life. A good mentor will answer questions with stories rather than direct answers.”

– Dr. Arne Rubinstein

The UPLIFT Foundation has been dedicated to supporting and collaborating with Rites of Passage for over 10+ years.

Our steadfast commitment stems from the profound belief that Rites of Passage’s work is not only impactful within the communities it serves, but also holds significant importance for humanity at large.

Rites of Passage utilizes a social emotional learning (SEL) educational model based on The Rites of Passage Framework to help people of all ages strengthen their sense of self, cultivate healthy relationships, learn critical life skills, discover their potential, and create a healthy vision for the future.