Since 2000
It takes a village.
Caring mothers, fathers and mentors came together in the Bay Area to help young men find their way into adulthood.
Humble beginnings
A call for help. A community’s response.
The Young Men’s Ultimate Weekend was founded by Dr. Mark Schillinger, DC. Mark was inspired by Brad Leslie, who started a weekend mentoring program for young men in Vancouver, Canada in 1990. Mark took his son to this program and, when he returned, knew he needed help raising his son as a single parent.
He put out a call for help in the Bay Area. With the commitment and cooperation of dozens of caring mothers, fathers and mentors, YMUW was established.
An overwhelming response.
At our first Young Men’s Ultimate Weekend in Fairfax, California, over 200 young men showed up. Expecting possibly a few dozen, that experience turned out to be an initiation for the board members and their volunteer mentors as well!
Since that first event, YMUW weekends have been held in Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, Sonoma, San Jose, Los Angeles and San Diego.
Our purpose
Fun. Challenge. A foundation for adulthood.
To provide young men with a weekend filled with incredible fun and challenges, while building a foundation for a confident and successful adulthood, through learning the importance of teamwork, developing a sense of accomplishment and acquiring leadership skills.
Our mission
Happiness, responsibility and resilience.
To educate young men and their parents how to develop more caring and cooperative relationships by calmly and respectfully responding to each other’s needs, so that young men feel supported to pursue a life of happiness, responsibility and resilience.
Our vision
Trust, teamwork and love.
We see households as a place where family members enjoy trust, teamwork and love. We envision a world where young men are held in high regard, and where adults model the values young men need to learn in order to become happy, caring and cooperative adults.
We believe the world will be safer and more prosperous—without discrimination toward anyone—when young men and young women work effectively together, providing leadership based on love, generosity and cooperation.
Community service is part of our story.
Over the years, YMUW has helped organizations including the Marin Women’s Hall of Fame, California Youth Authority, Glide Memorial Church and Operation Elf.
In 2012, YMUW was one of 25 organizations selected to participate in the first International Rite of Passage Council, founded by Frederick Marx.
Our wider community
Clear about our relationships.
YMUW founder Dr. Mark Schillinger also operates Challenging Teenage Sons (CTS), which provides separate parent programs and mentoring services. Participation in the parent workshop is optional and is not a requirement for a young man to attend YMUW.
Ask us about the current leadership, the people responsible for the next event or any relationship between YMUW and separately operated services.
In the media
YMUW on This Is Life with Lisa Ling.
The original YMUW site features the CNN episode “Lost Boys,” which explores boys’ transition toward adulthood in the digital age. CNN’s season announcement lists its original broadcast in November 2020.
CNN’s episode announcement
The next Ultimate Weekend
June 17–20, 2027
Eco-Camp Berryessa · Napa, California
Registration opens soon.