Courage: How Organizations Empower Youth to Find and Use their Inner Strength Presented by: Lauren Cohen David McClung Evelyn Zaragoza

Background on Presenters Lauren Cohen, youth coordinator with Via Hope. David McClung, youth consultant for Transition Age Youth Initiative Evelyn Zaragoza, youth consultant for Transition Age Youth Initiative

Goals for the Presentation Participants will: Better understand courage in the resiliency context Increase knowledge of how to help youth find courage through the empowerment process Understand how empowerment and inner strength fit with positive youth development and youth engagement Learn why all of this matters to youth

Why this Topic Keeps me Up at Night Summer Youth Retreat 2011 Youth were asked to introduce themselves, and several youth used their diagnosis as their identification – My name is Tiffany. I am from Lubbock, and I am bipolar. Allowing a diagnosis to define you limits how see yourself, world around you, and makes it hard to see your inner strength and potential

How Courage and Inner Strength Connect to Resiliency

Resiliency Framework A Refresher: Youth, family members, providers, researchers, and other stakeholders came together in Ohio to identify and define key components of resiliency- oriented system Each month we explore one component of the resiliency-oriented framework through online trainings, practice tools, self-assessment surveys, and youth information sheets

Twelve Components of Resiliency

Resiliency Oriented Definition of Courage, Confidence and Self-Determination Maintaining mental health involves great personal courage and bravery to deal with life stressors and obstacles, especially for individuals with emotional/behavior challenges. The daily act of coping is itself a heroic act. Youth and families have the courage to stand their ground and say “I can” regardless of what others tell them is possible, and to face situations that appear insurmountable. Youth and families grow in confidence through each life experience, developing self-assurance and belief in their abilities not only to cope, but to thrive. Youth and families actively contribute to the direction of their lives and are supported in their journey toward self- determination.

How do we get to the courage, confidence, and self- determination space with youth?

The Answer: The Empowerment Process

The Empowerment Process The Empowerment process is NOT: Telling youth that they have “Power” and walking away – Very popular notion. Not what we are going for Letting youth know what is good about them without any opportunities to use those positive traits - Something that we do often. Stops short of helpful. Gathering a group of youth for a project, giving them no direction, and telling them to figure it out - Another popular notion. Set up for failure!

The Empowerment Process What the Empowerment Process should look like: Working with youth to discover what gives them courage and where their inner strength lies, figuring out opportunities for their courage and strength to grow (inside and out of care), supporting youth while they try out these opportunities, and then helping them find new ones Looking for more of a process with self-discovery, opportunity, and support Think MASTERY here Heavily connected to youth engagement – Talk about how in a bit

The Empowerment Process In an overly simplified step process: 1.Get to know youth, build rapport and trust Major questions: Do I know the youth well enough for them to trust me in this empowerment process? Am I doing this because I want to, or because the youth is ready? 2.Help them identify their inner strength, skills, talent, and interests Major questions: How does the youth find the courage to get through tough times? What skills do they use to do it? What skills do we need to work on with them?

The Empowerment Process Continued step process 3.Identify opportunities for youth to build courage Major questions: What is youth interested in doing to build courage? What opportunities within agency? What opportunities are there in community? 4.Support youth throughout process and afterward Major questions: How can I help youth identify potential rough spots? What role do they want me to take in this process? What can they do differently next time? How can I prepare them for the next step?

How does this connect to youth engagement?

Youth Engagement Spectrum Objects Recipients Resources To For With

How does Empowerment and Engagement connect with Positive Youth Development?

Positive Youth Development We know that PYD is all about reframing adolescent development – Normal to figure out how unique and want to fit in A big part of development is knowing who you are Again think MASTERY It also heavily pushes for youth engagement in services as a building block for development We circle back around to empowerment here

How does all of this stuff connect to Positive Identity Formation?

Positive Identity Formation Everything talked about gives us a context and foundation to help youth form a positive identity as they move into adulthood – Courage and Inner Strength help youth get through rough times – Empowerment is the process of working with youth to identify where their courage and inner strength come from – Positive Youth Development is the framework that allows us to see this whole process as normal and as preparation for adulthood

Positive Identity Formation In order to have a positive identity, youth need: – To see themselves as a whole person – To know what gives them courage and inner strength – To explore opportunities in increasing their courage and inner strength – To feel normal while trying this stuff out – To understand others roles in supporting them in this process

Putting this all Together with Youth Stories of Courage

Meet David

Meet Evelyn

A Little About Me 1st Generation Hispanic Dad has Bipolar I Disorder B.S in Criminal Justice Endeavors in finishing Graduate School

Cultural Struggles Being a 1st generation Hispanic is challenging – Originally was told that fathers “nerves” get bad and he gets “sick” – He needs to go to church more and so does the family Independence clashes with family culture

Finding Courage Confiding in a teacher about the ongoing struggles at home – Teacher said it was up to me to convince family to seek help Constant debate about going to get help – Our culture usually keeps it in the family only Making the decision to call the police when he was out of control

Treatment Struggles Trial and error with medicines for dad – Couldn’t find the right one to stabilize his episodes Family felt hopeless with treatment I felt like a failure because nothing was working

Counseling for myself Age: 9-12 – Always nervous, feeling of “walking on eggshells” didn’t want to go home, couldn’t sleep – Ineffective Treatment: Talking things out with Dad, felt like it fell on deaf ears Effective Treatment: – Journaling, and getting a hobby to be expressive of myself

Taking a Break from Counseling For Ages: – From I felt like I had my feeling of anxiety under control because I was journaling. – Services in the East Texas/Shreveport area we a rarity for youth. – From I struggled emotionally and culturally. Emotionally because I felt that if I was open about my feelings or cried it was a sign of weakness. Culturally because I moved out and it was hard for my parents to understand. – At 21 I felt that I needed someone to talk to because I was dealing with school anxiety, and resentment.

Counseling as an Undergrad Age – Resentment, feeling anxious, sad Effective Treatment: – Journaling, Identifying frustrations, being expressive, setting goals, meditation

Self Awareness Able to find an inner strength from the courage it took to get father the help he needed Being able to consider myself a leader Capable of controlling anxiety with journaling and hobbies Setting new goals for myself along the way

Questions?

Take Aways from the Presentation Recognize that it takes courage to get through the day Empowerment is a process that can be used to help youth find their courage Support youth in taking positive risks to expand their courage As youth find their inner strength, encourage them to use it in meetings and in treatment plan sessions Model person first language – Someone has a diagnosis. They are not a diagnosis. Consider the whole family in care and think about familial culture Each youth is different. Find what works for them!

Thank you!