adult sel

yc believes the sel skills of educators are foundational to supporting young people’s sense of belonging

Through reading and discussing true, teen-written stories, youth-facing adults gain a deeper understanding of what challenges teens are facing and how they can best support them. This increase in social awareness also increases empathy for students and their families. The story reads and their paired activities reinforce the self-management, social awareness, and relationship skills lessons of the stories and ask teachers to examine themselves, building their self-awareness. Every session also asks participants about practice—what are they doing now that’s working, what they are doing now they want to stop, and what new strategies they want to try—encouraging and modeling the kind of responsible decision-making that results in better relationships and an increased sense of belonging.