Spotlight on SEL, Culture & Identity, Community & Family
It’s a time when they can explore interests, discover new passions and achieve new personal or academic milestones. That’s critical work for a young person’s development.
It’s work that flourishes in a positive, welcoming environment that is attuned to social-emotional learning (SEL), responsive to a young person’s culture, and engages community and family.
Consider:
Youth can have a transformative summer experience when they are at the center.
Social-emotional learning is a life-long complex and dynamic process. It’s how children, young people and adults acquire the knowledge and skills to:
SEL is so critical to a young person’s development that Ignite Afterschool undertook Propel SEL, a three-year journey into better understanding the role of SEL in afterschool programs. One of our big take-aways is that there is no “one size fits all” SEL Framework that works for every context, culture, and community. To that end, we’ve gathered a list of some of our favorite SEL-related resources.
CASEL SEL Framework Their “CASEL Wheel” may look familiar — this is the model used by MDE and many schools throughout Minnesota. This site is packed with information on SEL skills and tools to help embed them into youth programming. The “SEL 101” video is a great place to start.
Partnerships In Education and Resilience (PEAR) Their Clover Model provides tools that start with a young person’s strengths as a launching point for building their overall SEL development.
Preparing Youth to Thrive This site features a downloadable field guide to staff practices, supports and curriculum designed to build SEL skills in the areas of emotion management, empathy, teamwork, responsibility, initiative, and problem solving.
MHA Labs Check out their Skill Building Blocks for core social, emotional and cognitive skills for success in college, career and life. They offer a variety of free and low-cost tools, including a free mix-and-match toolkit with 45 skill building worksheets, checklists and training supports.
American Institutes of Research Although their Science of Learning and Development (SoLD) Alliance doesn’t call out SEL by name, it can be particularly useful to outdoor and nature-based youth programs.
Search Institute Their Development Relationships Framework explores five elements — expressed in 20 actions — that create powerful relationships in young people’s lives.
SEL Resource Bank When you’re ready for specific ideas on how to bring SEL into your summer program, check out this robust SEL RESOURCE BANK from Summer Rising.
One-on-One Wellness Checks Another great SEL resource comes from Panorama Education. They’ve created this list of questions that can be used for guided one-on-one emotional wellness checks throughout the summer.
A young person’s culture, family, and personal history are core to their identity formation. And when a young person’s identity is valued and validated, they are better positioned to learn and grow.
The Ready for Rigor Framework is a helpful tool for viewing your program through a lens of culture and identity.
Our own Believe It. Build It. guide can help. Building Block 4 focuses on Responsiveness to Culture and Identity and gives ideas for what effective practices in this area might look like. (Download the full guide for all the reflection and improvement tools!)
How young people “show up” for programming is influenced by their family and community. So engaging with families and communities with authentic, ongoing connection is an important part of creating a sense of belonging and expanding a young person’s network of supports.
In Believe It. Build It.’s Building Block 5, we take a deeper dive into Community and Family Engagement. Download the full guide, or take a quick peek at just Building Block 5.
This user-friendly content comes from Y4Y.ed.gov, the online resource for 21st Century Community Learning Centers. These fantastic tools are open for anyone to use. It includes templates, trainings, videos, and more. Make sure to explore “Teach: Family Engagement” and “Tools: Family Engagement.”
We just love this Family Engagement and Interest Survey from Beyond the Bell. You could use it as is, or modify for your program, and uncover some surprises about what hidden talents and supports families may be willing to contribute to your program!
There are so many ways to build relationships with families and communities and strengthen ties between school and home. Which tactics will you use?
