Young Warriors

If you think sleeping masks are just for sleeping think again… Young Warriors find new uses for blindfolds.

The team at Dream Essentials are continually surprised at just how many uses there are for a sleeping mask. For the most part the obvious use is for sleeping; sleeping while traveling, sleeping at home or night shifters etc. And the masks do a great job of helping people of all ages with insomnia and trouble getting to sleep.

What is fascinating though is just how people use sleep masks in creative ways and how those uses translate into some worthy and noble causes.

Here, we catch up with an organization called “Young Warriors” based in Los Angeles, California USA.

Check out how they use a blindfold to instil courage, overcome fears and inspire young men to develop into confident young adults.

Who are? What are Young Warriors?

“Young Warriors are a group-mentoring program for under-fathered boys. Young Warriors teach, guide and inspire these boys to believe that they ABSOLUTELY have what it takes to become excellent in life - Educationally, Physically, Spiritually and socially - as they become men, fathers and leaders. Young Warriors helps boys become great men!”

Young Warriors Mission Statement;
www.youngwarriors.org 2011

Blindfolds to Build Trust

The Young Warriors use blindfolds in several of their team building activities. The prime use of blindfolds is for Trust-Building and Listening exercises and the masks are used for Blind Walks, Blind Sprints and Blind Fall Back.

Sweet Dreams for Young Warriors

Young Warriors Director and Founder, Jason Hill tells us in more detail just how he and his team use the blindfolds for games. “The Sweet Dreams Masks will be a major part of the Trust-Building and listening exercises we do.

We place the masks over the participants’ eyes and they must follow the voice or voices of another peer or mentor as they tell them where to go and what to do.

The Sprint exercise is excellent and one of our most successful teaching tools. In this exercise, the boys are placed in a safe area and are told to sprint as fast as they can until a voice they trust says to stop. This takes tremendous courage and is often revealing on the individuals level of trust and insecurities with others”.

Why do these young people need these exercises?

Jason Hill goes on to tell us that “The reality for the fatherless and abandoned child, is that they have deep rooted beliefs that people are not trustworthy. The only voice they trust is their own. This creates a false reality for them and they are unable to form good relationships with others. Eventually, they become isolated and unproductive members of society. Trust takes a long time to build up, but can be destroyed in an instant. We learn to trust only by repeatedly taking personal risk and experiencing positive outcomes.”

A Truly Wonderful Use for a Blindfold

It is truly, a heart- warming story to know that a simple object such a Sweet Dreams Sleeping Mask / Blindfold can play such a part in people’s development.

Our hats are off Jason Hill and the Young Warriors team for doing such a wonderful and inspiring job.

Thank you for taking the time to tell us your story.

What uses do you have for a Dream Essentials Sleep Mask?

Please tell us your own story. Maybe you have used sleep masks for Dine in the Dark Events, Blind Charity Walks or other great causes. If you do have a story, then do contact us and let us know we would love to tell others about it.

Blindfolds Used by Young Warriors

The Young Warriors chose Sweet Dreams as the product for their blindfold. The mask makes for a great blindfold, first is blocks light extremely well, is lightweight and breathable, flexible and robust for these types of activities.

Click this link to see this blindfold for games.
Sweet Dreams Contoured Sleep Mask (Click here)