Working with BTE Youth BTE Ambassador Training: Session I

1. Working with BTE Youth BTE Ambassador Training: Session I

2. Welcome • Introductions • Session Overview • Roles & Responsibilities

3. Ground Rules • Refrain from checking your electronic devices for emails or messages • Turn off or silence cell phones/pagers; if you must take a call, step out of the room • Be open to ideas and opinions • Be willing to ask questions • Observe and practice confidentiality of discussion that warrant it • Keep an open mind-avoid judging others • React to the information: address the idea, not the person • Have fun

4. “We are responsible to the communities • in which we live and work.” • -excerpt from the Johnson & Johnson Credo • In 1992, Johnson & Johnson established the Bridge to Employment program (BTE) to help young people build solid futures by introducing them to a broad array of careers in health care. • The BTE initiative is an example of the credo “in action.” • Johnson & Johnson partners with the FHI 360 to manage the program worldwide.

5. About BTE BTE engages students through real world experiences, demonstrating that learning can be meaningful, engaging, and relevant to their future. Built-on on strong School-to-Career Models and research, BTE strives to: Increase the number of students who enroll in higher education Increase the number of students interested in pursing a health career

6. BTE Scope • BTE sites have been located in more than 50 economically disadvantaged communities in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin/South America, and the United States and Puerto Rico. • Over 5,000 BTE graduates

7. Session Agenda • Warm-Up Activity • Content Presentation: Youth Development • Reflection Activity: When I Was 15 • Content Presentation II: Tips & Strategies • Scenario Activity • Closing

8. Session Goals & Objectives • Introduce youth development language, principles, and practices • Provide strategies for using the youth development approach • Enhance your ability to use three effective practices for working with adolescents: relationship building, communication, and active listening

9. Birthdays • Warm-Up Activity

10. Adolescence Following childhood, but before adulthood, is a unique phase researchers characterize as “youth.” This phase begins between 8-10 years old and ends between 18-21. Adult expectations and behavior toward youth affects youth. As adults, we often have many preconceived notions about youth and their actions. Many of these ideas are myths, not facts. It is important for adults working with youth to understand the facts around adolescents, and not make assumptions about their behavior. Discussion What are some of the common “myths” you’ve heard about teens or adolescents?

11. Common “Myths” About Youth • Adolescents develop skills, knowledge, and attributes at the same pace as adults. • Adolescents are not interested in thinking about their future. • Adolescents take risks because they think they are invulnerable. • Adolescents yearn to be independent of adults, particularly their parents.

12. Youth Programs • There are many ways to support youth: • Intervention Services • Prevention Programs • Youth Development Work • Discussion • What are some intervention services or prevention programs that BTE youth could access?

13. Youth Development • A growth process by which all young people seek ways to meet their basic physical and social needs. • Experienced by all young people regardless of intellectual capacity, social / economic background, ethnicity or race. • Young people from disadvantaged communities have more barriers and less resources to support this process.

14. Youth Development • An approach to build competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) necessary to succeed in adolescence and adulthood. • To build the youth competencies, youth development programs must incorporate the 3Ps: • People • Places • Purpose

15. Youth Development Principles • Youth do youth development. • Youth needs are fundamental. • Youth have useful knowledge, skills, and attributes. • Youth need access to relationships with caring and competent adults. • Youth need intentional opportunities that promote positive development. • Youth development fosters resiliency in youth.

16. Successful Youth Development Programs • Are researched-based • Focus on the strengths or assets of youth, not deficits • View and identify youth as resources, not problems • Seek to develop youth, not fix youth • Focus on youth needs, not adult needs • Require training of volunteers working with youth

17. Discussion: • How does our BTE program follow the principles and practices of Youth Development? • How do BTE students experience the 3Ps? Do you feel that one of the 3Ps more important than the others? • How have you changed as a result of participating in youth development work?

18. When I Was 15 • Self-Reflection and Discussion

19. Building Effective Relationships • Relationship building is fundamental to youth development. • Young people need meaningful relationships with many different individuals to learn how to navigate through their teen years and be prepared for adulthood. • Through positive adult-youth relationships, adults can instill key workplace values, such as respect, empathy, and cultural competency, among others, to young people.

20. Building Effective Relationships • To create & sustain meaningful relationships with youth, adults should: • Take time to build relationships with individual youth • Find out what is important to a young person and develop a relationship with that in mind • Follow through • Remember youth are not “little adults;” rather youth are in the process of developing into adults. Therefore, don’t measure them against adult standards • Ask for and respect young people’s opinions; youth bring unique perspectives • Be confident, but not overpowering • Make sure youth have meaningful roles • Celebrate different capacities and achievements • Engage youth in meaningful learning experiences; activities should be youth-friendly and responsive to interests and needs • Use effective communication • Practice active listening skills • Have fun

21. Building Effective Relationships • BTE sites utilize two types of positive role models to build effective relationships and maximize youth learning and development: • Coaching • A process of supporting an individual’s educational and/or technical, skills-related learning and growth. • Mentoring • An all-inclusive relationship and process of supporting a young person’s personal and professional development

22. Communication • Tips for effective communication: • Distinguish between topics to discuss one-on-one and topics to discuss in a group. • Make sure the physical space is conducive to talking and listening; if is too loud or if confidentiality is important, consider finding a quieter environment. • Allow or schedule adequate time for the discussion. • Good communication begins with good listening. Use active listening techniques. • Organize your thoughts and key points before saying them.

23. Communication • To improve communication, use the following techniques: • Door Openers • Minimal Encourages • Open Questions • Provide Factual Information • Assertion Messages

24. Active Listening • Active Listening involves behaviors and cues that indicate we hear and understand what the speaker is communicating. It is the ability to “listen actively.” • Active Listening is: • Wanting to understand a young person’s message • Trying to understand a young person’s message • Respecting a young person’s message • Respecting a young person’s feelings • Trusting a young person’s ability to work through his/her issues • Not projecting your own feelings and opinions onto the young person • Adapted from www.takestockinchildren.com, Mentor Bulletin #3.

25. Active Listening • Characteristics of Active Listeners: • Focus on the Young Person • Ready to Listen to the Young Person • Aware of Young Person’s Circumstances • Be Neutral and Receive What the Young Person Says • Adapted from the work of University of Maine researcher Dr. Marisue Pickering.

26. Active Listening • Active listeners use: • Paraphrasing • Use your own words to say what you think the young person said. • Mirroring • Capture a young person’s exact words. • Encouraging • Create an opening for a young person to say more. • Intentional Silence • A pause, lasting no more than a few seconds, to give the young person brief extra “quiet time” to discover what s/he wants to say. • Adapted from the Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-making, Kaner et. Al. See www.communityatwork.com

27. Learning Activity • Coaching Scenario

28. Recap & Reflect • What are the skills that the BTE Ambassador possessed that made the scenario work? • What would you do as a BTE Ambassador? • What strategies would you engage?

29. Thank you!