1. LIFE SKILLS

2. Broad objective
To empower service providers with knowledge to assist the youth to develop life skills that will help them face the challenges of growing up and make decisions about their future.

3. Specific objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
· Define self-esteem.
· Discuss ways to improve self-esteem.
·Distinguish between assertiveness and aggression
· Demonstrate effective assertiveness skills
· Identify ways and steps of decision making
·Describe the purpose and process of setting and achieving clear goals.

4. Definition Life skills
-are an acquired ability, practiced and mastered to overcome the day-to-day challenges of life. They help young people identify goals and build good relationships and healthy future.

5. Categories of life skills
There are three categories:
I. Skills for dealing and coping with oneself
II. Skills for dealing and coping with others
III. Skills for making effective decisions

6. Categories of life skills…
Skills for dealing and coping with oneself
Skills for dealing and coping with others
Skills for making effective decisions
Self awareness
Interpersonal relationships
Critical thinking
Self esteem
Friendship formation
Creative thinking
Coping with emotions
Conflict resolution
Decision making
Coping with stress
Empathy
Problem solving
Goal setting
Effective communication
Time management
Resisting peer pressure / assertiveness
Negotiation

7. Categories of life skills…
Self-awareness
This is the ability to understand who you are, your strengths and weakness. It enables one to work on his /her weakness and build on his / her strengths. It helps people to accept corrections.  
Critical thinking
This is the ability of analysing a situation and give your own opinion even if it differs from others. It helps young people make their own personal decisions
Self esteem
Self-esteem is a word used to describe how people feel about themselves. How people feel about themselves influences their actions towards others and what they can accomplish in life.

8. Ways to improve self-esteem
Not comparing yourself with others
Recognizing your special talents and appreciating yourself
Thinking about the kind of person you are and making a list of your best qualities
Being aware of the things you would like to improve about yourself, but not being overly self-critical
Being realistic
Believing in yourself
Spending time with people who care for you
Staying away from people who damage your self-esteem

9. Factors that lower self esteem
Discouragement
Academic qualifications
Lack of recognition
Lack of achievements
Names
Refusal to accept praise
Giving others chance to give their opinions first.
Failure to stand up for ones rights

10. Assertiveness
Being assertive means standing up for yourself and being honest with yourself and other people about what you need and want, even if other people think otherwise

11. Rules of Assertiveness
Decide what you feel or want and say it
Maintain eye contact
Do not make excuses
Do not seek approval from others
Do not get confused by the other person’s argument
Remember you have a right to change your mind

12. Passiveness, Assertiveness and Aggressiveness
·    Giving in to the will of others
·    Hoping to get what you want without having to say it
·    Leaving it to others to guess or letting them decide for you.
·    Being submissive
·    Talking quietly, nervous, giggling, looking down or away, sagging shoulders, hiding the face with hands
·    Avoiding disagreement
NB-These are submissive people
·    Telling someone exactly what you want in a way that does not seem rude or threatening
·    Standing up for your rights without endangering the rights of others.
·    Knowing what you need and want
·    Expressing yourself with “I” statements say “I feel” not “You…”
·    Look the person in the eye
·    Stand your ground
These are balanced people
·  Expressing your feelings or desires in a way that threatens or punishes others
·  Insisting on your rights while denying their rights.
·  Dominating, shouting, demanding, not listening to others.
·  Looking down on people.
·  Saying others are wrong.
·  Blaming, threatening, or fighting with others.
These are people who dominate others

13. Decision Making
A decision is a choice that we make between two or more possible courses of action

14. Steps for good decision-making
Describe the problem, situation and or issues
Get more information if you have questions about the situation
Think about the possible consequences or outcomes of each course of action
Think about your personal and family values
Think about the ways in which your decision may affect other people
Choose the decision that seems most appropriate
Re-think the decision and how you feel about it

15. The acronym DECIDE. D – Describe the problem in your own words
E – Explore the available options
C – Choose the best option that fits you
I – Identify the advantages and disadvantages of the option you have chosen
D – Do it if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages
E – Evaluate whether your option is working. If not go back to “E”

16. Three C’s for Decision Making
CHALLENGE Describe the CHALLENGE (or decision) you have
CHOICES List at least three CHOICES you have
CONSEQUENCES Consider the positive and negative CONSEQUENCES of each choice

17. Goal setting
A goal is an achievement and accomplishment towards which our efforts are directed