Program Information

Manuia Plantation is a therapeutic, high impact, indigenous intervention for adolescent boys, 13-18 yrs old. The program is located in the South Pacific island nation of Samoa. Approximate length of program is 5 months to complete.

Students receive individual, group and family therapy, as well as substance abuse counseling.

Manuia Plantation has a small census capacity with a 25 student maximum. In addition, Manuia Plantation’s program has a true 1:4 Staff to Student Ratio consistent with the owner’s desire to have a more intimate, family atmosphere, in contrast with the ‘institutionalized’ model so prevalent in the industry.

Manuia Plantation incorporates fully the Samoan Wilderness and Culture.

Staff receive ‘Residential Child and Youth Care Professional’ training as developed by The University of Oklahoma National Resource Center for Youth Services; and Behavior Management training via the Non-Violent Crisis Intervention curriculum or NCI.

Manuia Plantation aspires to the “Principles of Good Practice” as outlined by the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs.

Manuia Plantation sees itself as the ‘initial intervention’ that parents and educational consultants can incorporate when dealing with an adolescent in crisis. Manuia Plantation’s therapeutic, yet intense program helps adolescents put the brakes on a life spinning out of control and helps them start again.

Manuia Plantation Core Values

Character/Integrity, Personal Responsibility, Respect, Gratitude, Humility, Love and Honor

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
– G. Eliot

Manuia Plantation or ‘MP’ uses a unique ‘team setting’ to teach core values. It uses the Samoan tropical island environment to create ‘mountain top’ experiences where all activities are designed to intensify learning and teach our core values.

MP has 5 levels. Each level has required tasks to complete to advance to the next level. Each task teaches a core value.

ALL Levels require: teamwork, leadership, goal setting, personal sacrifice, commitment, service, learning culture & language, facilitating cultural activities at the program culture center, song, dance, art, ‘fautasi’ long boat rowing, hiking, cooking, planting/harvesting, family heritage/genealogy, personal growth activities, education and therapy.

The MP educational component offers BYU Independent Study Courses to work towards diploma requirements; in addition, as part of level advancement, students are required to complete a ‘personal development’ curriculum that range in topics such as ‘examining the lives of the Founding Fathers’ to ‘developing character’ to even ‘financial literacy.’