All Children Thrive!

Relationships First… Asset-Building in Halton A culture of human connections – getting to know one another Stand Up Sit Down Activity

The Halton 7 Children are Healthy Children are Learning Children are Positively Connected Children are Safe Families are Strong & Stable Neighbourhoods are where we Live, Work & Play Schools are Connected to the Community

Workshop Key Messages 1. Relationships are essential for healthy development. 2. We use strength-based approaches to build assets with kids and families. 3. As professionals we work together to help kids thrive. 4. Anyone can be an asset-builder. 5. There are resources and tools to support you.

Reflection “I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.” Haim G. Ginott This quote does not only apply to teachers but all adults working with children and youth

Hopes and dreams for our children? Being versus Doing Gingerbread activity

How does how we view children impact how we build relationships?

Shifting Our View of Children From To Vessels to be filled Curriculum-based Outcomes focused Must be given strategies Unknowing Passive consumer Professional duty to develop Rich in potential Relationship-driven Child centred/directed Capable of complex thinking Competent Valuable co-contributor Deserves opportunity to succeed

How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years, 2014 View of the Child How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years, 2014 “All children are competent, capable of complex thinking, curious, and rich in potential and experience. They grow up in families with diverse social, cultural, and linguistic perspectives. Every child should feel that he or she belongs, is a valuable contributor to his or her surroundings, and deserves the opportunity to succeed. When we recognize children as competent, capable, and curious, we are more likely to deliver programs that value and build on their strengths and abilities.”

Ten Minute Break “Every child deserves to have someone’s eyes light up when they enter the room” How Does Learning Happen, 2014

Developmental Relationships Express Care Challenge Growth Provide Support Share Power Expand Possibilities  

Making the Case for Relationships Relationships First: Creating Connections that Help Young People Thrive – Search Institute 2017

Making the Case for Relationships Relationships First: Creating Connections that Help Young People Thrive – Search Institute 2017

Making the Case for Relationships Relationships First: Creating Connections that Help Young People Thrive – Search Institute 2017

Making the Case for Relationships Relationships First: Creating Connections that Help Young People Thrive – Search Institute 2017

“Relationships help us sink or swim” Gr 6 and 7 students from Eastview Public School developed this animated video to illustrate how important relationships are to them. They were grateful for the adult allies that helped their ideas and words come to help.

How are relationships built? Express Care Challenge Growth Provide Support Share Power Expand Possibilities 15 minutes

Points to remember from Search Youth with strong relationships are more resilient in the face of stress and trauma Young People are least likely to experience sharing power and expanding possibilities Sharing power is the area most strongly associated with multiple positive outcomes Relationships are associated with multiple character strengths

What does an organization with adult allies look, sound and feel like? 0% 100% 100% 0%

Does Your Organization Prioritize Relationships? insert the segment from 2:00 to 4:49 from the 6 Ways to Know if Your Program Prioritizes Relationships video from Search Institute on YouTube - https://youtu.be/G56Fm0hbiYc

6 Ways to Know if Your Program Prioritizes Relationships Time – Is there dedicated time for building relationships with and among youth? Staff – Are relationships part of the evaluation process? Budget – Are financial resources dedicated to prioritizing relationships? Training or Professional Development – Are relationships and ongoing focus of professional development? Data – Do you have data on how kids experience relationships in your organization? Definition – Have you defined the types of relationships you want to build with kids in your organization? Animate appearance of headings and questions

Cell phones out

Workshop Key Messages 1. Relationships are essential for healthy development. 2. We use strength-based approaches to build assets with kids and families. 3. As professionals we work together to help kids thrive. 4. Anyone can be an asset-builder. 5. There are resources and tools to support you.

Activity

http://www.ourkidsnetwork.ca/Public/AssetBuildingToolkit

Your thoughts and reflections on this training are important to us. For evaluation, can use verbal feedback, evaluation form, anything you are comfortable with as a facilitator.

All Children Thrive! www.ourkidsnetwork.ca Mary Tabak Asset-Building Project Manager Our Kids Network mary@ourkidsnetwork.ca 905-335-0772 www.ourkidsnetwork.ca

In Closing “…this is a miraculous thing, this childhood and what kids are capable of doing.” Dr. Jean Clinton, Associate Clinical Professor, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University Taken from ‘Brain Development: Impact on our view of the child’ video from the Ontario Ministry of Education – Childcare and the Early Years