Creating Inclusive Program Environments

for Youth with Different Abilities:

A Curriculum for Youth Work Professionals

Jutta Dotterweich

2020

ACT for Youth Center for Community Action

Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York
act4youth@cornell.edu

Manual, slides, handouts, and complementary presentations available for download at:

ACT for Youth: Inclusive Program Environments

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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements....................................................................................................................................... 4
Curriculum Overview .................................................................................................................................... 5
Section 1: Including Youth with Different Abilities ...................................................................................... 8
1.1 Overview of Training and Objectives (5 minutes) .............................................................................. 8
1.2 Warm-up Activity and Introductions (25 minutes) ............................................................................ 9
1.3 Young People with Learning Disabilities or Mental Health Conditions (60 minutes) ...................... 10
Small group activity (10 minutes) ....................................................................................................... 14
1.4 Trauma-informed Approach ............................................................................................................ 19
1.5 Potential Challenges......................................................................................................................... 20
References .............................................................................................................................................. 22
Section 2. General Strategies to Create Inclusive Program Environments ................................................. 24
General Strategies for Inclusion .............................................................................................................. 24
Strategy 1: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) ..................................................................................... 25
Small group activity (20 minutes) ....................................................................................................... 26
Strategy 2: Group Agreements ............................................................................................................... 26
Strategy 3: Power Cards .......................................................................................................................... 27
Strategy 4: Transparency and Predictability ........................................................................................... 28
Strategy 5: Comfort Corner..................................................................................................................... 29
Section 3. Promoting a Sense of Belonging ................................................................................................ 32
3.1 Promoting Belonging........................................................................................................................ 33
Activity: Have You Ever… (15 minutes) ............................................................................................... 33
3.2 Group Discussion: Microaggressions and Microaffirmations (15 minutes) ..................................... 34
Activity: Identifying and Affirming Positive Behavior (20 minutes) .................................................... 35
3.3 Group Discussion: Building on Strengths (10 minutes).................................................................... 36
3.4 Group Discussion: Welcoming Physical Environment (15 minutes) ................................................ 36
Reference ................................................................................................................................................ 36
Section 4. Integrating Mindfulness and De-stressing Activities.................................................................. 38
4.1 Mindfulness...................................................................................................................................... 38
Demonstration (20 minutes)............................................................................................................... 39
Mindfulness activity: 30-second stretch (10 minutes) ....................................................................... 40
Mindfulness activity: Counting breaths (10 minutes)......................................................................... 41
4.2 De-stressing/Promoting Self-regulation Strategies ......................................................................... 42

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 Small group activity: Reflection (20 minutes) ..................................................................................... 45
References .............................................................................................................................................. 45
Section 5. Modeling and Teaching Empathy............................................................................................... 46
5.1 What is Empathy? ............................................................................................................................ 46
5.2 Modeling and Practicing Empathy .................................................................................................... 47
Activity: Non-Verbal Communication (15 minutes) ............................................................................ 48
Activity: Empathic Listening (20-30 minutes) ..................................................................................... 49
5.3 Integrating Group Activities to Promote Empathy .......................................................................... 51
Activity: Kindness Bingo (15 minutes)................................................................................................. 51
5.4 Reflection exercise (15 minutes)...................................................................................................... 52
Reference ................................................................................................................................................ 52
Section 6. Addressing Challenging Behavior ............................................................................................... 54
6.1 Self-Reflection .................................................................................................................................. 54
Activity: Values Self-Assessment (30 minutes) ................................................................................... 54
6.2 A Different Perspective on Behavior ................................................................................................ 56
6.3 Analyze the Behavior ....................................................................................................................... 56
6.4 Environmental Scan and De-escalation ........................................................................................... 57
6.5 Group Discussion: Behavior Management Techniques (20 minutes) .............................................. 58
References .............................................................................................................................................. 60
Section 7. Disability Legislation, Accommodations, and Working with Community Partners ................... 62
7.1 Disability Legislation......................................................................................................................... 62
7.2 Accommodations ............................................................................................................................. 66
Group Discussion: What Are the Implications? (15-20 minutes)........................................................ 67
7.3 Community Resources ..................................................................................................................... 67
Small group activity: Finding Community Partners (30 minutes) ....................................................... 67
7.4 Wrap Up ........................................................................................................................................... 69
Wrap up activity (15 minutes) ............................................................................................................ 70
References .............................................................................................................................................. 70

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Acknowledgements
The Creating Inclusive Program Environments for Youth with Different Abilities curriculum was
developed by Jutta Dotterweich of the ACT for Youth Center for Community Action, Bronfenbrenner
Center for Translational Research (BCTR), Cornell University, in collaboration with New York State 4-H
Youth Development, the NYS 4-H Educator Association, and the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Risk
and Thriving in Adolescence Program Work Team. Drawing from past professional experience in the
mental health field, and following a review of current research and curricula in social and emotional
learning, the developer piloted material and activities in several full-day trainings across the state.

This curriculum development is supported by an innovation grant provided by CCE Administration.

Development Team
Jutta Dotterweich Rachel Williams
Director of Training 4-H Youth Development Issue Leader
ACT for Youth Center for Community Action CCE Seneca County
BCTR, Cornell University
Nigel Gannon
Melissa C. Schroeder State 4-H Healthy Living Specialist
Youth and Family Issue Leader NYS 4-H Youth Development
CCE Schuyler County BCTR, Cornell University

Risk and Thriving in Adolescence Program Work Team

Chairs: Jutta Dotterweich, BCTR
Rachel Williams, CCE Seneca

Megan Tifft, CCE Tompkins

Jacqueline Davis-Manigaulte, CUCE NYC
Jessica Spence, CCE Yates
Melissa Schroeder, CCE Schuyler
Shelley Jo Lester, CCE Tompkins
Eduardo Gonzalez, Jr., CUCE NYC
Kathy Bowers, CCE Niagara County
Stephanie Graf, CCE Jefferson County
Nigel Gannon, State 4H Healthy Living Program Specialist
Kristin Lynn Ruggiero, CCE Rockland County
Maureen Rodriguez Callamari, CCE Dutchess County
June Mead, CCE Broome County
Janis Whitlock, BCTR
Mary-Diana Pouli, Amherst Youth Bureau
Phyllis Morena, Youth Development Consultant, Rockland County
Joan Bickweat, Youth Development Consultant, Rochester
Ellen Lazarek, Oswego County Opportunities
Sally Schwartzbach, Learning Web

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Curriculum Overview
Purpose
Creating Inclusive Program Environments for Youth with Different Abilities aims to provide youth work
professionals with information, practices, and activities to help them accommodate young people with
learning disabilities and other conditions such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and trauma. Many
young people or their parents may not want to disclose these conditions due to the fear of stigma and
discrimination, but there are ways to make programs more inclusive even when participants’ conditions
are not known to the program providers. The practices and activities presented in this curriculum
address needs young people with different abilities may have in program situations and environments,
including educational, recreational, or residential programs in a wide range of community settings.
Although the intention is to make programs more inclusive of young people with different abilities, this
material will also promote inclusion and engagement for all young people. The goals of this training are
to:

- Increase knowledge and skills of youth work professionals

- Reflect on existing practices and share resources used to promote inclusion
- Identify and connect with community partners and resources

Development Process
The first phase of curriculum development occurred in response to requests from the field. Youth work
professionals were asking for concrete and practical strategies to address unexpected disruptive or
challenging behaviors of youth program participants. Suspecting mental health conditions, they were
asking for ways to handle and prevent these situations, while very much aware of the fact that most of
them were not trained in the mental health field. Following a brief literature review of child and
adolescent mental health conditions and social and emotional learning, the developer completed a first
draft curriculum for a full day training. It included information about common, often undisclosed
disabilities and conditions as well as general practices to provide structure and transparency and
activities to promote inclusion and social interaction.

After the first pilot training in 2017, modifications were made and new activities and material added.
Three additional pilot trainings followed, two in upstate New York and one in New York City. Participants
were initially Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) 4-H educators and other CCE community educators
working with youth; as trainings continued, participants included other community-based youth work
professionals. In NYC most participants worked in afterschool programs. During all pilot trainings
participants provided extensive feedback on the activities and materials. In 2019, three additional pilot
trainings were offered to pregnancy prevention and HIV prevention providers, one training upstate and
two in NYC.

Curriculum Design
Based on input from the field the curriculum was intentionally designed in distinct sections that can be
delivered as stand-alone workshops. There are seven sections:
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 1. Including Youth with Different Abilities: Overview of key characteristics of learning disabilities,
ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and trauma, including testimonials and additional resources.
2. General Strategies to Create Inclusive Program Environments: Reviewing and introducing
strategies like universal design for learning, group agreements, power cards, transparency, and
predictability of programming.
3. Promoting a Sense of Belonging: Exploring activities and practices that build on similarities,
strengths and talents, and affirmations.
4. Integrating Mindfulness and De-stressing Activities: Introducing mindfulness concepts and
activities, and de-stressing tools and activities.
5. Modeling and Teaching Empathy: Discussing empathy versus sympathy, practicing empathic
listening, and exploring empathy-building activities and resources.
6. Addressing Challenging Behavior: Introducing a values self-assessment and discussing general
behavior management strategies.
7. Disability Legislation, Accommodations, and Working with Community Partners: Brief
overview of disability legislation, integrating accommodation questions into the registration
process, and identifying community partners and resources.
Drawing on an experiential learning model the curriculum uses a range of small and large group
activities to allow for active participation, discussion, and reflection, in combination with short lectures
and informative handouts and web-based resources.

Complementary Online Presentations

Two web presentations were developed to provide additional information and resources for Section 1:
Including Youth with Different Abilities, and Section 7: Disability Legislation, Accommodations, and
Working with Community Partners. They are posted along with the curriculum at:
www.actforyouth.net/youth development/professionals/inclusive-environments.cfm

Target Audience
The curriculum is designed for professionals working with young people from elementary school age
through adolescence in community settings. The training or training components are also appropriate
for supervisors, administrators, and community volunteers interested in learning about inclusive
program environments for youth with different abilities.

Implementation
The curriculum is structured in seven distinct sections. Each section takes roughly 1.5 - 2 hours to
deliver. The full curriculum requires at least six hours of training time. It can be done in one full day, in
several half days or in two-hour sections over several weeks. To deliver the training in one full day it is
necessary to shorten a couple of sections; tips on how to do this are included in the manual.

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The training is best implemented with 14-20 participants. Because it includes many small group
activities, spacious training rooms are recommended. Free wall space is needed to hang up newsprint
and large pieces of paper. Set up tables in banquet, classroom, or U-shaped style.

Facilitators should have youth work experience as well as group facilitation and teaching skills. Training
in mental health or special education may be helpful but is not required. However, it is highly
recommended that facilitators without this background review the online presentations listed above
and the references and resources in greater depth.

If the training is being offered in one day, a team of two facilitators may be beneficial.

Equipment/Supplies
- Laptop/projector/speakers/screen (or room with built-in AV equipment)
- Internet access
- Easel/newsprint/markers
- Masking tape (blue painter’s tape preferred)
- Handouts (binders optional)
- Name tags
- Optional: manipulable toys (e.g., pipe cleaners, play-doh, slinkies)

Evaluation
A training feedback form is included with the handouts.

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Section 1: Including Youth with Different Abilities
Objectives:

- Participants will be introduced to training objectives and training participants

- Participants will be able to identify common features of learning disabilities and mental
health conditions young people may not want to disclose in programming
Material: AV, slides, markers, sheets of paper, pens

- Prepared newsprint: introduction questions (optional) and HERBERT SATURDAY

Time: 90 minutes

Handout: Inclusive Program Environments Resources: Section 1

_____________________________________________________________________________________

1.1 Overview of Training and Objectives (5 minutes)

I would like to start by explaining briefly why we developed this training, its purpose, and its objectives.
For many years we have heard that professionals working with youth in out-of-school settings struggle
at times with young people displaying unexpected disruptive behavior. These young people may have
needed special support, but program leaders were not sure what to do.

We developed this training to increase youth work professionals’ awareness of learning disabilities or
mental health conditions that youth may be living with, but may not want to disclose because they are
afraid of the stigma attached. We aim to increase understanding of these disabilities or conditions
mainly to introduce strategies and practices that will improve young people’s participation and inclusion
in the program. The same strategies and practices will also benefit all young people in youth programs.

Disclaimer: This training is not about inclusion in the sense of making programs and agencies accessible
and providing accommodations for all youth living with disabilities. That is beyond the scope of this
training. In this training, youth work professionals will learn concrete strategies and practices to for
engaging youth who have learning and mental health conditions that they may not want to disclose.

Slide: Training Overview

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Text:

First we will discuss several disabilities or conditions young people may not want to disclose, as well as
their potential impact on programming. The focus will be on behavior patterns that you may see in
programming.

Next we will discuss strategies and practices that make programs more inclusive, from general strategies
to engage different learners to activities that promote a sense of belonging, mindfulness and stress
reduction, and empathy.

We will discuss some common behavior management techniques after we do a brief self-reflection on
how we look at disruptive behavior and its function.

Finally we’ll take a brief look at disability legislation and potential community partners that could
support your work.

Ask participants if they have any questions.

1.2 Warm-up Activity and Introductions (25 minutes)

Before we get started, let’s do a short warm-up activity and introductions. Please pair up with somebody
you do not work with – somebody you do not know well. Find a space to sit together and take a piece of
paper and a pen with you.

Make sure every pair has at least one sheet of paper and a pen. Once they have settled, say:

Your task is to introduce yourselves, then find 10 things you have in common and write them down on
paper. You only have 5 minutes.

Ask volunteers to share or (if you have enough time) ask each pair to share their findings.

Debrief activity, ask for comments and observations.

Thank you for doing this. It’s quite amazing what we have learned about each other, isn’t it? Finding
commonalities is a great strategy to promote a sense of belonging – that’s something we’ll talk about a
bit later. A fun, short, warm-up activity like this can easily be integrated into programming.

Please go back to your seat and we’ll do a round of introductions.

Optional: Prepared newsprint with introduction questions.

Please tell everybody your name, preferred personal pronoun, agency you are with, what type of
programming you do. And tell us what your expectations are for this workshop.

Go around the room, write down expectations on newsprint.

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1.3 Young People with Learning Disabilities or Mental Health Conditions (60 minutes)
For the next hour or so we will take a look at some learning and mental health disorders that young
people in your program may live with. We'll do a quick overview; for a more in-depth overview we have
provided a companion online presentation -you'll find that listed in the resources handout for section
1. In addition, we would like to give you a sense of what it feels like to live with these different abilities,
so we included a few testimonials and an experiential activity.

Slide: Celebrity Quiz

Text:

To get started here is a little quiz. Click to pop up each picture, one at a time. Ask participants:

Who is this person?

What disability do you think they grew up with?

Order of pictures:

Sa/ma Hayek, actress - dyslexia, diagnosed as a teen in Mexico

Tom Cruise, actor-dyslexia, diagnosed at age 7, basically illiterate in high school

Michael Phelps, Olympic swimmer-ADHD

Robin Williams, actor-ADHD as youth (depression as adult)

Naoki Higashida, author - participants may not know this remarkable young man from Japan; with
autism spectrum disorder, non-verbal, he has written several books about autism, first one at age 13

Simone Biles, Olympic gymnast-ADHD

Whoopi Gold berg, actor, comedian - dyslexia

Looking at this group of celebrities, what does this tell you about disabilities? You would not be able to
tell if somebody has a learning disability or ADHD. And people can be successful and productive. They
can pursue all kinds of careers. And they may be successful because of their different ability.

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Why do we diagnose and label people at all? The main reason is to provide treatment (if it’s available)
and support services which enable people to function better in school, work, public, and with family and
friends. But naturally by diagnosing people we label them. And with labels come stereotypes and stigma.

In recent years advocates have argued strongly that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism
spectrum disorder should not be classified as disorders, because this implies disease or deficits. Instead
they are calling for the term “neurodiversity,” meaning that we all are unique in the way we process
information and thus find ourselves in different places on a wide spectrum. Neuroscience certainly
seems to point us in this direction. The debate is still going on.

Refer to handout “Inclusive Program Environments Resources: Section 1.”

At this point we will continue to use the terms disability and disorder according to the psychiatric
diagnostic manual, since this classification is used for accessing support services and protection
according to the disability legislation. We’ll talk more about this at the end of the workshop.

Slide: Focus on Undisclosed Disabilities

Text:

Next we will discuss briefly these invisible, often undisclosed disabilities or conditions: learning
disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, and living with
trauma.

These conditions are “invisible” in the sense that there are no physical manifestations.

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Slide: Learning Disabilities

Text:

Let’s talk about learning disabilities. As you can see on this slide there are several types of learning
disabilities, each affecting different aspects of learning. The most common learning disability is dyslexia.
People affected have a difficult time reading; the condition makes it hard to connect letters with sounds
and therefore recognize words. Less common disabilities affect math (processing and using numbers), or
writing (representation of letters). Other conditions affect the motor skills involved such as fine motor
skills used for writing and speaking.

To determine learning disabilities we do specific testing. And we know that there is room for error.
Some young people will never be tested and will struggle on their own. Others are tested incorrectly and
are labeled with a learning disability they may not have.

Slide: What does it feel like?

Text:

Let’s hear from Whoopi Goldberg, who has struggled with dyslexia. And this was at a time when testing
was not available.

Show video (1:44 minutes)

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Debrief participants’ impression and takeaways. Ask them what they have heard. How did Whoopi
describe what she experienced trying to read? Ask about longer term effects when a young person
cannot follow what’s happening in school.

Slide: ADHD Challenges

Text:

Characteristic features of ADHD include difficulty focusing attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. This
manifests itself in some of the behaviors listed on the slide. It is easy to see that many young people
living with ADHD get into trouble at school: restlessness, fidgeting, not staying on task, touching
everything, getting distracted easily, having trouble with directions, emotional self-regulation, and
more.

Slide: What does it feel like?

Text:

Let’s hear what people have to say about their experience living with ADHD.

Show video (2:44 minutes)

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Debrief video. What did participants hear? What are the challenges? How do they cope? How do they
feel about it? Note that medication is not for everyone. One person says that this is who they are – refer
to the earlier statement about neurodiversity.

You have heard a few testimonials on what it feels like to live with learning disability or ADHD. There are
more testimonials online that you can check out; see the handout “Inclusive Program Environments
Resources: Section 1” for additional video clips and web resources.

Small group activity (10 minutes)

I would like to invite you to participate in a short demonstration project.

Show prepared newsprint: HERBERT SATURDAY

Ask participants to take a piece of paper and pen and follow the directions. Read the directions at a
consistently quick pace. Do not get into any discussions or attempts to slow down the process.

Directions:
- On a sheet of paper write HERBERT SATURDAY.
- Change the first letter to D and the last A to O.
- Interchange the places of the first R and the last T.
- Change the B to C and place it before the second D.
- If there are two letters D and two letters T, change the second R to C and the third R to O.
- If there are more than two letters E, strike out the first and last letters.
- Interchange the places of the second E and the A.
- Change the S and the U to N and the second D to U.
- Reverse the order of the letters.

Process: Ask participants to report on their experience (frustration and feelings when something cannot
be done). Brief discussion about the impact of these kinds of experiences on young people they work
with, if they are the only ones who cannot follow.

Slide: Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Text:

The autism spectrum disorder incorporates a wide range of manifestations in three main areas: social
interaction, communication, and a tendency to get really focused on one or a few areas of interest. As
we’ll see in a minute it can look very different in different people.

Slide: What does it feel like?

Text:

But first, let’s hear from Rosie. Show video (5:55 minutes).

Debrief Rosie’s TED Talk. Ask for observations and impressions. What did they learn about autism
spectrum disorder?

If you want to understand autism from the inside, we highly recommend the young author Naoki
Higashida. Naoki is nonverbal. In his book “The Reason I Jump” – written when he was 13 – he describes
what it is like to be autistic and why he does what he does. He organized the book by answering
questions people ask him, providing a fascinating look at how he functions. You’ll find a link to the book
in the Section 1 Resources handout.

Slide: Resource: Interacting with Autism

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Text:

Another great resource for learning more about autism spectrum disorder is this website: Interacting
with Autism. Open the rubric.

The rubric on this page and describes the sensory continuum that people living with autism spectrum
disorder experience. For example, when it comes to our sense of touch, autism manifests in a range of
ways in different people. Some young people may be over-responsive, not liking to be touched at all,
while others may be under-responsive, unaware of touch. Still others may seek out tactile stimulation by
bumping into people or furniture.

So it would be difficult to say that the average youth with autism spectrum disorder will behave in a
certain way. A diagnosis by itself does not necessarily give you a lot of information about how the
person will behave.

Ask participants if they have any questions. Refer to Section 1 Resources handout for additional
information on web resources about autism spectrum disorder.

Slide: Living with Trauma

Text:

In recent years there has been a lot of talk about trauma, in particular ACEs, adverse childhood
experiences.

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Slide: How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime

Text:

Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris gives a powerful talk about the effects of childhood trauma on health
throughout life. Let’s hear what she has to say about ACEs, the adverse childhood experiences study.

Show the first 6:15 minutes. Debrief participants’ observations and comments.

Facilitation tip: The video clip and debriefing is optional. If delivering the curriculum in
one day, this may be an activity to omit and refer to on the resource list.

The ACEs study has shown us two things: For one, trauma has far-reaching health consequences.
Second, trauma is a common experience, far more common than we thought. We also know that many
people affected by trauma have not asked for and received support or treatment. Consequently, it is
likely that you will have young people in programming who have experienced trauma.

Slide: Defining Trauma

Text:

Let’s briefly review some key terms and concepts. Read the definition of trauma by SAMHSA (Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services).
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Key issues to remember:

- Trauma can be caused by a single event such as a car accident, a series of events such as being
in an abusive relationship, or a set of circumstances or chronic stress such as living in a poor,
violent neighborhood.
- Trauma has lasting negative impact on an individual’s functioning.
We have all experienced stress at some time, right? Maybe intense stress. What does it feel like?

Short discussion about how they experience stress.

- Ask participants for physical and emotional symptoms of stress, including negative self-talk.
- Ask them what they do to cope with stress, reduce stress, or avoid stressful situations.

To get a sense of trauma let’s imagine the stress feels very intense, even life-threatening, and we are
not able to control or anticipate stressful situations.

Slide: Re-Traumatization

Text:

A big concern is re-traumatization. An interaction, situation, sensation, or environment can remind

people of the trauma they have experienced and trigger the feelings and reactions associated with it.
Not knowing young people’s history with trauma may impact many things in youth programming, from
topics of discussion to interactions with peers to sounds or lights in the setting. Any of these things
could potentially trigger a young person’s traumatic experience and reaction.

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Slide: Effects of Trauma

Text:

We said initially that trauma can have lasting negative impacts on an individual’s functioning. Here is a
breakdown of how trauma can affect a person. There may be behavioral effects such as risk taking,
acting out, and rule breaking. Cognitive effects include challenges to executive functioning, attention,
memory, language, skill development, problem solving, and more. Social effects may include impulsivity,
aggression, withdrawal, and difficulty in building relationships.

So what can we do in our work with young people? How can we support young people?

1.4 Trauma-informed Approach

Slide: Trauma-informed Approach

Text:

Programs and agencies are encouraged to adopt a trauma-informed approach. What does this mean?
SAMHSA outlines six guiding principles:

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 - Safety:
Providing a safe environment; checking in with young people to see if they feel safe in your
program setting.
- Trustworthiness & Transparency:
Being clear and open about the program and your position, how things are done in the agency.
Being clear about expectations and program structure.
- Choice & Empowerment:
Encouraging young people to take actively participate; giving them choices and building on their
strengths.
- Collaboration:
Working in partnership.
- Cultural, Historical & Gender issues:
Being aware and informed about cultural differences and the history of trauma for special
populations (for example, African American and Native American people).

We are introducing this model early in the training because we will build on these principles when we
begin to discuss strategies and practices to create inclusive program environments.

1.5 Potential Challenges

Slide: Challenges

Text:

Let’s think back to what we’ve discussed. We talked about learning disabilities, ADHD, autism spectrum
disorder, and trauma. We briefly explored common features of each condition and what it may feel like.

With that in mind what kinds of behavior challenges may you expect in your programs?

Invite comments and observations.

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Slide: Potential Challenges

Text:

As you just mentioned, these are some potential challenges you may see in your program. Interestingly,
these behaviors are often associated with any of the conditions we discussed. As we said earlier, the
diagnosis itself is often not that helpful in predicting behavior. Getting to know young people and finding
out what is stressful for them, what helps them cope, and what engages and motivates them will be
more helpful.

Slide: What is Our Role?

Text:

We want to make sure that you all understand that your role is not to be a therapist. You are not Lucy in
the picture: open for practice. As a youth work professional you are an ally of young people – you aim to
facilitate and support their growth and learning. And you are a positive role model! You can
demonstrate and model many of the competencies young people need to succeed.

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References
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2019, May). Learning disorders.

Baron-Cohen, S. (2019, April 30). The concept of neurodiversity is dividing the autism community.
Scientific American Observations Blog.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

Higashida, N. (2016). The reason I jump: The inner voice of a thirteen-year-old boy with autism. New
York: Random House.

National Institute of Mental Health (2019, September). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

National Institute of Mental Health (2018, March). Autism spectrum disorder.

Stone, B., Garza, P., & Borden, L. (2004, November 16-18). Attracting, developing & retaining youth
workers for the next generation (PDF). Wingspread Conference Proceedings.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2014). SAMHSA’s concept of trauma and
guidance for a trauma-informed approach (PDF).

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23
Section 2: General Strategies to Create Inclusive Program Environments
Objectives:
- Participants will be able to describe at least two strategies they can use to create an
inclusive program environment
- Participants will identify action steps needed to apply these strategies in their work setting
Material: Slides, AV equipment, laminated group agreement cards

Time: 60 minutes

Handouts:

- Power Cards
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines
IMPORTANT NOTE: For copyright reasons, this handout is NOT included in the handouts
PDF, but it is freely available from the developer at this link:
http://udlguidelines.cast.org/more/downloads
- Comfort Corners
____________________________________________________________________________________

To start our conversation about creating inclusive program environments, let’s consider a few general
strategies that are easy to apply to most settings in which you are working with young people. We’ll also
consider how to build on strategies that many of you are already employing.

General Strategies for Inclusion

Slide: General Strategies

Text:

First, we will talk about Universal Design for Learning – or UDL – Guidelines. This may be an unfamiliar
term for you. UDL assumes that learners are very diverse. Everybody has different interests, talents, and

24
strengths, and each of us learns in a unique way. UDL promotes using a wide range of modalities to
reduce learning barriers and engage all learners.

Next, we will discuss group agreements and power cards. These are strategies to promote a safe and
inclusive space.

Then we will talk about ways to make programs more transparent and predictable. These simple
strategies will make programs a lot less stressful for young people who may be processing information
and change at a different pace.

Finally, I would like to introduce you to “comfort corners” or quiet zones.

Strategy 1: Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

I would like to introduce you to the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach to help you develop
and prepare program activities that engage all young people in your program. As I mentioned earlier,
UDL assumes that all learners are unique in the way they learn. Neuroscience has taught us that we all
have different and unique ways of learning and processing information. Our brain develops in
interaction with our environment, and our experiences greatly vary.

Slide: Universal Design for Learning

Text:

The Universal Design for Learning approach distinguishes between the “what,” the “how,” and the
“why” of learning.

- “What” refers to the content or material you want young people to learn. To reach diverse
learners we want to present material in many different modalities – written word, spoken word,
visuals, music, art, and so forth.
- “How” refers to the strategies young people use to show what they learn, how they engage with
the material – write an essay, describe a solution, draw a picture, etc.
- And “why” refers to young people’s engagement, interest, and motivation. We build on
strengths, optimize choices, and provide feedback and praise to create and sustain motivation.

25
Optional: Play animated video (4:36 minutes) “UDL at a Glance,” found at
http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html

A key message here is to be very intentional in providing content and information in many different
modalities and give young people many different ways to act and engage. Are there any questions?

Small group activity (20 minutes)

Let’s think about how you can apply this in your settings and what you can do differently. We’ll have this
conversation in small groups.

Divide the group into groups of four. Distribute handout “Universal Design for Learning Guidelines” from
http://udlguidelines.cast.org/more/downloads

This handout with UDL guidelines breaks down each of these categories into concrete action strategies.
Take a look at them and then discuss in your group how you would apply the guidelines and strategies in
your work with young people, in the programs that you run. Take 10 minutes or so and jot down some
of the ideas you discussed.

Debrief; ask volunteers to share their findings. Summarize key ideas. Highlight that many participants
are doing this already. Using these guidelines might help us all be more intentional in using multiple
modalities.

Strategy 2: Group Agreements

A well-established strategy for creating a safe and supportive environment is to create group
agreements together with young people. Doing this helps young people develop a sense of belonging
and participation. It also helps reassure them if they are worried about confidentiality, embarrassment,
or fear of being judged. Most of you are doing this in your programming, right?

How do establish group agreements? How do you go about it? I would like to invite one of you to
demonstrate how you do this.

Ask volunteer to come up front and establish group agreements with the participants. Have newsprint
and markers available, if they need them. Offer to be a scribe, if needed.

Thank the volunteer. Ask the participants if they have any other ways of creating group agreements.

There seems to be a lot of agreement in how to establish group agreements, mostly by facilitating a
brainstorm about how the group will work together. You solicit comments/agreements from young
people and, if the others agree, affirm them. You write them on newsprint and keep them posted in the
program area. You also may suggest a few additional agreements yourself, if you feel they have been
important in past groups.

How do we use group agreements?

Answers may include: To encourage participation, stop disruptive behavior, keep the group on track,
discourage judgmental comments.

26
Group agreements are important. I would like to invite you to try out a slightly different format, keeping
UDL guidelines in mind. Instead of writing down the agreements, post pictures. This would require a
little bit of preparation. Based on experience you know most of the agreements that will be mentioned.
Look for images and symbols that reflect an agreement such as “one mic, meaning only one person
speaking at a time. Here are a few examples.

Slide: Group Agreement Visuals

Text:

Young people will still generate the agreements – you just replace printed words with an image or
visual. Keep in mind that you may have young people in the group who struggle with reading. Visuals are
a great, fun, inexpensive alternative. Create a set of group agreement cards, maybe laminate them, and
you can use over and over. Or, work with a group of young people to develop the cards.

- Mic – one mic at a time

- No cell phone – turn your phone on vibrate or turn it off
- ELMO – Enough! Let’s move on
- Step up, step back – if you are a quiet person, challenge yourself to speak up; if you like to talk,
challenge yourself to step back and let others talk
- Don’t yuck my yum – people like different things, don’t judge me for it
Entertain comments and questions.

Strategy 3: Power Cards

You may wonder: What are power cards? Similar to visual group agreements, power cards are visual
props that young people can use to express how they are doing and how engaged they are in the
program activities. Power cards can help you to do quick check-ins with all young people, and they alert
you to any youth who may be feeling uncomfortable in the setting. The cards work especially well in
smaller groups.

27
Slide: Power Cards

Text:

One way to use power cards is to create two sets, one set with positive expressions and one with
negative expressions. It is best to laminate the cards; they can put together like a key ring. Here is an
example.

Positive Set:
- Thumbs up (I am doing well)
- GO (keep going or get started)
- YES (in favor)
- Smiley emoji (enjoying it, engaged)

Negative Set:
- Thumbs down (not doing well, bored)
- STOP (let’s end activity)
- NO (not in favor)
- Questioning emoji (not sure what’s going on)

This just an example. You can use different symbols as well. They have to be clear and simple and need
to align with the group agreements. What are your thoughts on this? Any questions or comments?

Ask how they would use power cards in their program settings.

Strategy 4: Transparency and Predictability

As we discussed earlier, young people may process information differently: some may take longer than
others, or they may struggle to focus or keep their attention on a task. A clear program structure and
timetable will help them feel comfortable. Let’s think about a few concrete things you could do.

28
Slide: Transparent & Predictable

Text:

Schedule and Routines: Young people may feel safer and more comfortable if they know what to expect
when they come to a program. A schedule and a regular sequence of activities help young people
prepare themselves for activities ahead. It also allows them to make choices if the program topics may
be too uncomfortable for them. Keeping UDL guidelines in mind – specifically, using different modalities
– posting a schedule and timetable is beneficial.

What else can you do to be transparent and up front about programming?

Possible answers: Review the schedule and activities when young people arrive for programming; review
schedule and activities for the next program session at the end of program time; generate a schedule
and write it down on newsprint at the beginning of the session.

Ease Transitions: Ending one activity and switching to another can be tough for young people living with
learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism. Give young people time to transition from one activity to
another. Alert them that an activity is coming to an end (such as a 5-minute alert) and give them a bit
extra time to get ready to move into a different activity. Do you have any other ideas for easing
transitions?

Room Setup: Comfortable chairs arranged in a circle can go a long way in creating a sense of welcome
and ease. How do you set up your program area?

Brief discussion, summarize ideas.

Strategy 5: Comfort Corner

Finally, I would like to introduce you to the concept of a comfort corner or quiet zone. Do you have any
idea what that could be? What comes to mind when you hear that term?

Solicit a few responses.

Distribute handout “Comfort Corners.”

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Slide: Comfort Corner

Text:
A comfort corner is a space within the program area where young people can go to calm and regulate
themselves. It does not have to be as elaborate and fancy as shown on the slide. Depending on your
program space, you may identify a quieter corner you can decorate with comfortable chair, blanket, and
poster. More importantly, add a bag with small, manipulable materials such as play-doh, squeeze toys,
or fidget toys that provide sensory input. Or you might provide headphones and music. The handout
lists a few other items as well as a few talking points on how to introduce the comfort corner or quiet
zone to young people.

If you offer programs in different sites and have no stable space, a travel bag with some of these items
can be sufficient to set up a comfort corner wherever the program takes place.

Here’s another tip from the field: You may want to give young people a time limit on how long they can
stay in the comfort corner. Maybe have cards available: 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and 15 minutes.

Entertain questions and comments.

Team up with a neighbor and discuss the following two questions. Let’s take 5 minutes.

- Could you see yourself using this strategy?

- What would be the next steps to make this happen?

Debrief. Ask for volunteers to share their next steps.

30
31
Section 3: Promoting a Sense of Belonging
Objectives:

- Participants will be able to identify at least two strategies to promote a sense of belonging
in their program setting
- Participants will be able to describe the concepts of microaggression and microaffirmation
and their impact on youth programming
Material: AV, internet access, slides, paper, pens, newsprint, markers

Time: 75 minutes

Handouts:

- Activities to Foster a Sense of Belonging

- Strengths Bingo
- Inclusive Program Environments Resources: Section 3
_____________________________________________________________________________________

We talked about some general strategies to make program environments more inclusive for young
people with different abilities. Next, we would like to introduce activities that address specific needs,
starting with the need to belong. We will explore activities and strategies that promote a sense of
belonging and that can easily be incorporated into youth programming.

Slide: Do I belong here?

Text:

We define belonging as the feeling of being an accepted, valued, and legitimate group member. We
know that belonging is a fundamental need of human beings – we all need to belong. Neuroscience has
confirmed that we are hard-wired to connect. Whenever we come into a room, we immediately check
who is there: do we know them, do we like them, do we have something in common, right? We
constantly monitor this feeling of belonging. And we all have had the experience of not having this
feeling, which leads to discomfort and pain. A feeling of exclusion can have serious psychological impact.

32
Ask the participants what the impact could be. Answers should include: sadness, depression, anger,
decreased self-esteem, and impaired self-regulation/control .

Now that we’ve been reminded that a sense of belonging is critical – that inclusion is critical – how do
we actively and intentionally promote belonging in our programming?

3.1 Promoting Belonging

Slide: Promoting Belonging

Text:

There are several ways we can promote belonging. For one, we can integrate activities that emphasize
what young people have in common. There are many energizers and team-building activities that
highlight commonalities. Secondly, we can be more intentional and careful in the way we interact and
engage with young people and model respectful behavior. We can also integrate more ways to learn
about each other and find out what participants’ interests and aspirations are. And finally, we can take a
closer look at our physical environment to see if we can make this a welcoming place.

Activity: Have You Ever… (15 minutes)

We put together a handout describing several energizers and warm-up activities that emphasize
commonalities. Let’s try one. Please join me in this open area and form two lines with the lines facing
each other. Have any of you played the “Have You Ever Game”? I will read off a series of questions. If
you agree or say yes to a question, you move to this side (point to the side). If it does not apply to you,
you’ll go the other side. Is everybody clear?

Read questions (see activity 4 on the “Activities to Foster a Sense of Belonging” handout for examples).
After each question remind participants to notice who is sharing the experience with them.

Debrief. Ask how they would use this in their programming.

Facilitation tip: This activity highlights similarities, as did the warm-up, introductory
activity in the beginning of the training. If implementing the curriculum in one day, this
would be a good activity to omit.

33
There are several activities described on the handout “Activities to Foster a Sense of Belonging.” You
may know additional activities that focus on commonalities. Many team-building activities can be
debriefed this way as well.

3.2 Group Discussion: Microaggressions and Microaffirmations (15 minutes)

Slide: Beware of Microaggressions

Text:

The next strategy we mentioned is the practice of inclusivity, participation, and mutual respect. As
program leaders we are role models, so we need to be extra careful that we do not fall into the trap of
making assumptions and stereotyping young people. Microaggressions are brief, everyday exchanges
that send denigrating messages to certain individuals because of their group membership. People who
belong to socially marginalized groups are generally the target of these remarks. Comments may be
made intentionally or unintentionally.

Let’s go to this website and see how this could play out in an educational setting.

Open the link, scroll over the picture. Scrolling over the black dots will cause a window to pop up with a
scenario/comment made by the teacher. It will also identify the stereotype. Have participants respond to
the scenarios.

The scenarios described here may be a bit extreme, but I am pretty sure we have heard similar
comments. Small, often unintentional slights can be insulting and painful.

In contrast to microagressions that exclude people, researchers at Harvard University highlight the
power of microaffirmations.

34
Slide: Microaffirmations

Text:

According to researchers at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, focusing on the positive can go a
long way. Learners will pay attention and show increased engagement in the classroom. We can transfer
this to the out-of-school settings you are working in.

Microaffirmations are simple, affirming strategies such as nodding and making eye contact when you
are talking with youth, calling them by their names, and making sure to call on everybody. Using
inclusive language. Reinforcing and affirming positive behaviors. Showing enthusiasm when interacting
with young people – this sounds simple but can be challenging, since all of us have days when we
struggle with stress and the demands of life, and we might not feel so energized and enthusiastic about
our work with young people.

Optional: Show the brief animation video (1 minute) and refer to the website.

Activity: Identifying and Affirming Positive Behavior (20 minutes)

Keeping with the theme of focusing on the positive, I would like to invite you to participate in a short
activity. Team up with a participant you do not know well and find a space to sit down together. Take a
piece of paper and pen with you. In each team one partner is RED and the other partner is BLUE. All
REDs please raise your hand. The REDs will start and talk for a few minutes about their day, what they
do throughout the day. Partner BLUE will listen for positive aspects – positive behaviors, attributes,
skills, talents – and write these down on the paper. After three minutes, we switch and all the BLUEs will
get a chance to talk about their day. And the REDs will write it down.

After both partners have had a turn, ask them to take a couple of minutes to share with each other the
positive behaviors and attributes they observed. Then ask for a few volunteers to share what they have
learned about each other. Debrief activity:

• Was it easy to identify positive things?

• How did receiving positive feedback feel? Affirmations?
• How would you use this in your program setting?

35
Let’s be more intentional in providing positive feedback and microaffirmations. We tend to take positive
behavior for granted and focus more on disruptive or negative behavior. As we have seen in the
research conducted at Harvard, microaffirmations can go a long way to engage young people.

3.3 Group Discussion: Building on Strengths (10 minutes)

Slide: Build on Strengths

Text:

Another strategy that promotes belonging is to provide opportunities for young people and adults to
learn about each other – to learn about our passions, interests, talents, gifts, and aspirations – in short,
about our strengths. We have included the handout “Strengths Bingo.” If you would like other ideas,
you’ll find them in the Positive Youth Development 101 curriculum where there are several other
activities that help young people identify their sparks or strengths.
http://www.actforyouth.net/youth development/professionals/manual.cfm

What have you done in your programming to help young people identify and use their strengths?

Entertain comments and ideas.

3.4 Group Discussion: Welcoming Physical Environment (15 minutes)

Finally, I would like to hear from you about what you have done in your settings to create a welcoming
and youth-friendly space. What have you done to the physical space to make it welcoming to all young
people? Think about the décor, posters, and the like. Talk to your neighbor for a few minutes and then
we’ll discuss ideas in the larger group.

After 3-5 minutes reconvene the group. Ask volunteers to share their ideas. Write them down on
newsprint.

Summarize ideas, highlight youth participation in creating posters, names, banners, etc. Highlight that it
does not have to be very costly and can be portable if the program is done in different sites.

Reference
Eccles, J., & Appleton Gootman, J. (Eds). (2002). Community programs to promote youth development.
Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
36
37
Section 4: Integrating Mindfulness and De-stressing Activities
Objectives:

- Participants will be able to describe at least two mindfulness activities or de-stressing

strategies
- Participants will be able to describe how they can apply one strategy in their work setting
Material: Small glass jar, filled with water, a water-tight lid, glitter in 4 or 5 colors, AV, slides

Time: 75 minutes

Handouts:

- Sample Mindfulness Activities

- Stress Management Tool
- Relaxation Techniques
- Inclusive Program Environments Resources: Section 4
____________________________________________________________________________________

4.1 Mindfulness
Mindfulness as an approach to de-stress and promote well-being has gained a lot of momentum in the
past 10 years. Increasingly, mindfulness programs are offered in schools and in out-of-school youth
settings, engaging young people of elementary school age to high school age. It is not surprising that
mindfulness is getting a lot of attention since we are living in a world that is very complex, fast moving,
and overwhelming.

Ask participants if they have heard of mindfulness and if they have practiced mindfulness activities
themselves. If participants have done work in mindfulness, invite them to share their experiences as you
go through the material.

What do we mean by mindfulness?

Slide: Mindfulness

38
Text:

Jon Kabat-Zinn, who popularized mindfulness outside of spiritual practice, defines mindfulness as
“paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” Awareness and
acceptance are critical aspects.

Another definition is provided by Amy Saltzman, who wrote several books on mindfulness, some with a
youth population in mind. Saltzman says that mindfulness is “paying attention here and now, with
kindness and curiosity, so that we can choose our behavior.” I like this definition because of the last part
– choosing our behavior. Practicing mindfulness gives us the opportunity, the calm and focused
moment, to choose our behavior instead of just reacting to the situation.

Slide: Mindfulness Impacts

Text:

We have research that shows that practicing mindfulness can be very powerful. It enhances our health
and well-being by reducing stress while increasing attention and emotional control. It has positive
impacts on our self-concept and promotes positive social interaction. We are also seeing positive
outcomes in using mindfulness practices with youth living with learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism.
Integrating mindfulness activities can be beneficial for all youth, including youth living with undisclosed
disabilities.

Demonstration (20 minutes)

Prepare: Fill one canning or baby food jar with water, have watertight lid available. Have available glitter
in 4 -5 different colors to represent different thoughts and feelings. Place all the material on a small table
in front of the group.

Why should we practice mindfulness? Let’s do a brief demonstration you could do to help young people
understand why mindfulness practice can be beneficial for them.

Pick up the jar with water and swirl it carefully. Let’s imagine this is our mind. Tell me some of thoughts
and worries that are swirling around in your minds right now.

39
Pick up the blue glitter and add it to the water. Let’s take one thought – your worry about… – and
represent it with the color blue. Swirl it a bit.

Take another color (red) and pick another thought that was mentioned. Add it to the water. Red will
represent the thought… Swirl it a bit.

Continue this process with two or three more colors. Seal the jar.

Demonstrate with the jar that thoughts and feelings can be calm at times (the glitter will settle at the
bottom) like in the mornings when they get up. Throughout the day thoughts, worries, and feelings will
make their minds swirl. Give some examples. Swirl the jar.

When our mind is busy swirling with many thoughts, worries, and feelings, we cannot think clearly. So
what can we do to make the water clear again. What would you do to calm the waters?

Solicit suggestions such as silence, deep breathing, etc.

Summing up:

- The jar is similar to a person’s mind. Each color of glitter represents a thought or feeling that a
person has.
- People do not need their thoughts and feelings to go away. They just need thoughts to settle
down so they can see clearly.
Ask participants for comments or questions. Refer to the handout “Mindfulness Activities.”

Mindfulness activity: 30-second stretch (10 minutes)

Mindfulness resources and activities are available online; there are many publications as well. You’ll find
a listing in your resources.

Let’s practice one activity that can be integrated very easily in programming. It only takes a minute or
so, and can be done right in the beginning when youth arrive or later on during programming when the
energy levels drop.

It’s called the 30-second stretch. All of you, please stand up and move away from your chair so you have
some space around you.

Why do we want to stretch?

- Our brains need oxygen to learn effectively. Oxygen is fuel to our brains.
- A simple stretch break increases our oxygen levels. This helps us focus and stay alert for
learning.
- Sometimes learning or creative ideas occur while we are moving.
Go through the following steps. Model the movements.

- Ask participants to shake their arms out.

40
 - Have participants stretch their arms up high toward the sky. Let them know it’s okay to make
stretching noises, such as “mmm” or “ahh.”
- Ask them to lower their arms back to their sides.
- Tell them to tilt their heads gently to the left, roll their heads gently to the front, and then over to
the right and back to the center. Repeat in the opposite direction.
- Have participants roll their shoulders to the back four times.
- Have them roll their shoulders forward four times.
- Finally, ask them to shake their arms out one last time and be seated.

How do you feel? Tip: Brief physical activities such as stretches or balancing
Debrief observations and comments. on one leg may be a good introduction to mindfulness for
youth of elementary school age.

Mindfulness activity: Counting breaths (10 minutes)

I would like to invite you to participate in another short mindfulness activity. This one is called: Counting
breaths.

Why? We count breaths to help develop concentration. Just like playing sports or an instrument, the
more we practice, the better we are at concentrating.

Here we go:

1. Sit with your back straight and body relaxed, resting your hands gently on your knees.
2. Breathe in and out naturally and silently say ONE in your mind.
Raise one finger and wait for everyone to breathe in and out.
3. Let’s do it again. Breathe in naturally and silently say TWO in your mind. Then as you breathe
out relax your neck and shoulders.
Raise two fingers.
4. Now breathe in, and silently say THREE in your mind. Then, as you breathe out, relax your
tummy.
Raise three fingers.
5. Let’s try it again, but this time I’m not going to talk. Sync your breath to my hand motions,
counting silently on your own. Don’t forget to relax as you breathe out.
Debrief along these lines:

- Did your mind go quiet when you were counting breaths? Tip: For older youth, teens, and,
- Did you feel relaxed? adults it can be helpful to count from
- How many breaths did it take? one to ten (not just from 1-3).
- Did your mind get busy again right away or did it stay quiet?

41
For some of you this may be the first time you thought of and experienced mindfulness. To apply this to
your work with young people it may require a bit more work and practice.

Slide: Mindfulness Tips

Text:

The first step will be to practice mindfulness yourself. You may find that you prefer certain practices
such as breathing activities, or activities that focus on mindfulness of movement or taste or a feeling.
Practice and use mindfulness strategies yourself during your work day when you feel stressed or
overwhelmed.

Knowing the young people you are working with, you probably can identify activities that they may be
curious about. Start with those and try them out. Expect that not all youth will engage right away.

Make mindfulness activities part of a regular routine. Encourage youth to practice at home and in other
settings.

Young people may ask why. Why should they do this? One strategy may be showing how celebrities are
using these techniques to focus and get ready.

Show the LeBron James video clip (10 sec)

4.2 De-stressing/Promoting Self-regulation Strategies

As we discussed earlier, young people living with different abilities may quite often experience stress or
anxiety in youth programs. We also know that young people, in general, feel stressed much of the time.
Recent data show that adolescents feel stress in ways that are similar to adults, and at times at higher
levels than adults (APA survey 2013).

As an alternative or in addition to integrating mindfulness activities, it makes sense to integrate and

practice a few stress-reducing strategies. For one, it will help young people become aware of stress
triggers and manifestations and two, it will give them tools to cope and calm themselves down. You as

42
program leader will learn what triggers young people in your group, so you can be alert when a young
person may need support.

Slide: Helping Youth Cope with Stress

Text:

Many young people may not know how to describe their feelings when they stressed or anxious, what
triggers these feelings, and what they can do to make themselves feel better. In one-on-one
conversations or small group discussions you can help young people describe what they feel when they
are upset, figure out what got it started, and explore strategies to make them feel better.

Refer to the handout “Stress Management Tool.”

You’ll find resources such as structured program activities and listings of coping skills strategies on the
Section 4 Resources handout.

Open the link. This is a poster is from a Canadian education website. You can search the site for other
similar posters on problem solving, coping, positive self-talk, etc. This is just an example. It would not be
difficult to create a poster like this for your program. This will reinforce your discussion and remind
young people of the concrete steps to go through when feeling stressed and getting through a tough
moment.

43
Slide: Gauging Stress

Text:

Similarly, posters or cards like these are available online. They are visual prompts to remind young
people to gauge their feelings and stress level and to use a coping strategy to calm down.

Slide: Integrate Stress-Reducing Activities

Text:

Here are few additional strategies that will help reduce stress levels for all young people in your
program group.

- Introduce relaxation exercises as part of your regular program structure, maybe in the beginning
when young people arrive at the program site. This may help them shed stress or aggravation
they may bring with them from school or home and allow them to focus on the here and now.
Take a look at the handout “Relaxation Techniques” to get some ideas.
Have any of you tried this strategy? Encourage participants to share their experiences.
- Provide time during programming for physical activities. If you have young people in the group
that seem restless and have a harder time settling down, they may greatly benefit from short
periods of physical activity and may be able to focus on a task afterwards. As we discussed a bit
44
 earlier, physical activity is good for the brain and even very short periods of physical movements
will make us more alert and focused.
- Outdoor activities and walks in nature are great stress reducers as well.
- So are building in a few creative, artistic activities.

Small group activity: Reflection (20 minutes)

Divide participants into groups of four.

Let’s take a few minutes to reflect on what we have learned about mindfulness and stress reduction. In
your group, talk about how you could use these activities and strategies in your program setting. Think
about benefits, challenges, and ways to address these challenges. Jot down key points of your
discussion, especially hurdles and ways to overcome them.

After 10-15 minutes ask volunteers to share their findings. Debrief challenges and possible action steps.

Refer to resources on the handout “Inclusive Program Environments Resources: Section 4.”

References
American Psychological Association. (2014, April). Teen stress rivals that of adults.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2011). Mindfulness for beginners. Boulder, CO: Sounds True.

Saltzman, A. (2014). A still quiet place: A mindfulness program for teaching children and adolescents to
ease stress and difficult emotions. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.

45
Section 5: Modeling and Teaching Empathy
Objectives:

- Participants will be able to define empathy

- Participants will be able to demonstrate active listening skills
- Participants will be able to locate empathy resources and activities
Material: Newsprint, markers, AV, slides

- Prepared newsprint: instructions for nonverbal communication activity; ways to start a

paraphrase
Time: 90 minutes

Handouts:

- Reflection Cards
- Kindness Bingo
- Inclusive Program Environments Resources: Section 5
_____________________________________________________________________________________

5.1 What is Empathy?

Most people think of empathy as having a sense of understanding and compassion for another person,
sensing what it must be like to be them. It involves acknowledging what another person says and
experiences; it requires us to be open-minded and present for another person without offering advice
and judgment. Modeling and practicing empathy sound like good strategies to promote inclusion.

Slide: Empathy vs Sympathy

Text:

Let’s start off with a fun, brief video clip by Brene Brown, who has done a lot of work on empathy.

Show video clip (2:53 minutes)

46
Debrief video. Ask for observations and impressions. What did they see and hear?

Key takeaways: being present, listening, acknowledging. Empathy is not: “at least …,” offering advice,
countering with your own story.

Slide: Empathy – A Definition

Text:
A common definition sees empathy as the ability to sense other people’s emotions, coupled with the
ability to imagine what somebody else might be thinking or feeling.

We distinguish between affective and cognitive empathy:

- Affective empathy refers to the sensations and feelings we have in response to other people’s
emotions. We may mirror what they are feeling.
- Cognitive empathy refers to the ability to identify and understand other people’s emotions –
also known as “perspective taking.”

5.2 Modeling and Practicing Empathy

Slide: Modeling and Practicing Empathy

47
Text:
Moving forward, we will look at a set of strategies and activities to model and practice empathy.

We will first practice active listening, an essential skill in the practice of empathy. As a role model in your
program you are in a great position to model active listening skills to the young people you are working
with.

Next we will share resources to help you integrate activities that promote kindness and perspective
taking in your youth programs.

Activity: Non-Verbal Communication (15 minutes)

Ask participants to sit in pairs. Establish person A and person B.

Explain that Person A will start talking about something exciting or positive that happened to them last
week, while Person B will just listen. Before beginning, ask all As to turn around while you silently give Bs
further instructions that you have written on newsprint: “Be very non-attentive.” Have the pairs face
each other and begin. Give them 1 or 1½ minutes for the activity.

Process examples of negative non-verbal behavior.

Next, person B will share something exciting or positive that happened to them last week. This time
person A will listen. Before beginning, ask Bs to turn around while you show As this instruction on
newsprint: “Be very attentive.” Have the pairs face each other and begin, taking 1 - 1½ minutes.

Process examples of positive body language.

Slide – Non-Verbal Techniques

Text:

You mentioned already the signals we give with our facial and body expressions that show the other
person that we are attentive. I will add silence because holding our own thoughts back might be one of
the hardest, but most effective, things to do. We might be uncomfortable with silence and tend to jump
in too quickly with suggestions, questions, etc.

48
It is very important to give young people the opportunity to express themselves, especially when they
are upset or nervous.

We can show our attention by making supportive sounds or brief encouragements. The tone of voice is
very important. Did you ever notice that children and adolescents tend to be very sensitive to the tone
of voice? For example, in a conversation with my daughter, if I raise my tone just a tiny bit my daughter
will immediately say that I am yelling at her. We’ll talk more about the importance of tone of voice when
we discuss ways to de-escalate challenging behaviors.

Slide: Active Listening

Text:
Active listening involves being attentive to the speaker, as we just practiced. But it also means
reflecting facts and feelings, acknowledging what the speaker has said. And it involves
interpreting the meaning and feeling but without judging it or presenting your opinion or advice
on the matter. That is not easy. We tend to rush in with advice, we want to help, especially if
the other person expresses distress.

A very important aspect of empathic or active listening is paraphrasing. This means that the
listener is responding by reflecting back what the speaker is saying. It often involves identifying
the feelings and reflecting them back. Not judging the feelings (or the person), just
acknowledging them.

Let’s practice this.

Activity: Empathic Listening (20-30 minutes)

Paraphrasing should be:

- Brief, capturing the essence of the message

- Non-repetitive (avoid parroting, use other words)
- Worded as a question so the speaker can expand or correct

49
Paraphrasing should not be repeating verbatim what the person has said; it’s not parroting. This
can be a bit challenging.

Here are a few examples on how to start a paraphrase.

Prepared newsprint:
- Sounds like you are…
- Let me see if I got it right…
- So I hear you say…
- …Is that correct?

Demonstrate, using one of the reflection cards.

Paraphrasing or reflecting sounds easier than it is. Let’s practice.

Ask participants to form two concentric circles (facing each other). Hand out reflective listening
cards – one per person.

Explain the activity. The folks on the outer circle will read their statements first. Their partner in
the inner circle will make a statement reflecting the emotion that was conveyed. Then the
person in the inner circle will read their statement, and the other person will reflect the emotion
or most important thoughts. When they are all done, ask if they were able to paraphrase; ask if
they have any clarification questions.

Repeat this four times. After each practice session, the folks in the outer circle move two spaces
to the right.

Debrief: Observations, comfort level, and challenges. Ask if anybody struggled with a particular
statement. Process the statement, ask for alternatives.

Active or empathic listening takes practice. It’s hard for us not go jump in and give advice or
minimize stress. That usually will shut people down and they will stop speaking. Active listening
acknowledges that you hear what the other person is saying and it will keep the communication
open. It will start the conversation. Good places to practice are staff meetings or in-service
sessions.

Alternate setups:
- If the space does not allow you to form two circles, form two rows.
- If the group is small, they can do the same exercise sitting in a circle. One at a time, each
person reads a statement to the person on the left, who will reflect. Then that person will
read their statement to the person on their left, etc.

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5.3 Integrating Group Activities to Promote Empathy
Another strategy to promote empathy and prosocial behavior is to build activities focused on kindness,
compassion, gratitude, and perspective taking into your programming.

I would like to share several resources that can help you do that.

Slide: Kindness

Text:

One resource is the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation website. Their educational lessons are
endorsed by CASEL, the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning.

Open the website.

Open Get Inspired: You’ll find listings of ideas that for small service learning projects (open). There are
community projects, projects involving animals, school. Scroll to bottom, open Free Kindness &
Calendars. Here you’ll find posters and other material you can download. There are also lessons plans
you could modify for your setting (ages K-8).

Go to Educator Resources: Here you’ll find the lesson plans, ages K – 8; also additional resources (open)
which include interactive games and energizers.

Activity: Kindness Bingo (15 minutes)

Let’s sample one of the activities, “Kindness Bingo.” We adjusted it for an adult group. You all know how
to play bingo. Find somebody here who could sign off on one of the items. Let’s make our goal to
complete two rows: horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

Hand out the bingo sheet. Take a minute to fill out the center piece, add your own act of kindness.

When everybody is ready, give the start sign.

Debrief.

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Slide: Social and Emotional Learning Toolkit

Text:

Another resource is ACT for Youth’s Social and Emotional Learning Toolkit.

Open website. It includes strategies, curricula, and activities that promote core competencies of social
and emotional learning such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills,
and responsible decision making.

Open two sections – social awareness and self-management – and scroll down the resources. Social
awareness includes resources and activities on empathy and perspective taking.

5.4 Reflection exercise (15 minutes)

Ask participants to form small groups (3-4 in a group)

In your group take a few minutes to reflect on what you learned. Think about the strategies we
discussed for creating a sense of belonging, introducing mindfulness activities, destressing activities, and
modeling and teaching empathy.

- What are your takeaways?

- What strategies and activities did you like?
- How would you use or apply them at your setting?
- What potential challenges do you see?
- How would you address them?
Ask volunteers to report out. Summarize challenges and possible solutions. Refer to additional resources
on the handout “Inclusive Program Environments Resources: Section 5.”

Reference
Greater Good Science Center. (2019). What is Empathy?
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/empathy/definition
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53
Section 6: Addressing Challenging Behavior
Objectives:

- Participants will be able to reflect on their attitudes toward behavior challenges

- Participants will be able to identify at least 3 strategies to handle disruptive behavior
Material: 4 prepared signs/sheets of paper (Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree),
pens, AV, slides

Time: 75 minutes

Handouts:

- Values: Self-Assessment Tool

- Using “I Messages”
- Behavior Management Techniques
____________________________________________________________________________________

So far we have discussed many strategies and practices that are proactive; they are focused on
intentionally creating inclusion and a sense of belonging, and reducing stress or keeping stress levels
manageable. And proactive strategies are definitely best to use, but there will always be situations when
disruptive and challenging behaviors occur. Let’s take a look at what we can do to handle these
behaviors.

6.1 Self-Reflection
Activity: Values Self-Assessment (30 minutes)
Slide: Self-Reflection

Text:

We’ll start out with a brief self-reflection or self-assessment. I would like to invite you to think about
your opinions and beliefs in regard to young people’s challenging behavior, its purpose and
consequences. And who is responsible for young people’s behavior. Keep in mind that this is about
opinions, there is no right or wrong. It’s an opportunity to reflect and question.
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Distribute handout “Values: Self-Assessment Tool” and black or blue pens if needed.

Here are the instructions. Take a pen and mark each statement. You either strongly agree, agree,
disagree, or strongly disagree. Don’t write down your name on the paper or discuss this with a neighbor.
Take a minute or two to do all the statements. Then crumple up the paper.

While participants are completing the assessment, hang up four prepared signs (strongly agree, agree,
disagree, strongly disagree) on walls around the room. Make sure that there is enough space so people
can gather under each sign.

When everybody is done and has crumpled up the paper, ask them to throw the paper onto the floor in
the middle of room. Mix up the papers a bit. Then ask participants to pick up a paper, not to seek out
their own.

Unfold the paper. I would like to ask you to represent the opinion of the person who filled out the
paper, even if it is not your own opinion. Basically your charge is to take the other person’s perspective
and think about what may be the reasons why they checked off statements the way they did. Keep in
mind these are opinions, not true or false statements. Are there any questions?

Read one statement and ask participants to go to the sign that corresponds to the position indicated on
their paper. Once everybody is in the correct position, ask each group to discuss why people would have
taken this position. What may be the reasons or arguments in favor of the position? Give them a few
minutes to discuss it among themselves.

Next ask each group to present their reasons (maybe ask for a spokesperson) starting with either
strongly agree or strongly disagree. Facilitate a brief discussion noticing the different views.

Repeat this process with at least five statements; if time allows, do all statements.

Debrief activity. First ask for general observations and comments. Notice the range of opinions in this
group. Stress again that this is not about right or wrong, but people have different opinions and
interpretations.

Facilitation tip: Explain that values activities are best done anonymously, so people
feel comfortable expressing their opinions. In any group, whether adults or youth,
there will be different, sometimes polar opposite opinions and values. This is a way
of starting a conversation and seeing different viewpoints in a safe environment.

It is helpful to reflect once in a while on this, on how we feel about young people and disruptive
behavior or acting out. Sometimes it may feel personal, that the behavior is aimed at us.

55
6.2 A Different Perspective on Behavior
Let me introduce you to a different behavior perspective coming out of special education. This may not
be new to some of you. If that is the case, please see it as a refresher.

Slide: A New Behavior Perspective

Text:

The main points are:

- Behavior is way of communicating. It has a function; it’s done for a certain reason or goal.
- It usually follows a pattern. That means that something sets it off, the behavior happens, and a
certain consequence may follow.
- And it can be changed. We do this by understanding the pattern and changing what happens
before and after.
- Adults are not in control of young people’s behavior. Young people are in control of their
behavior.

6.3 Analyze the Behavior

Slide: Behavior Analysis

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Text:

With this behavior perspective in mind, when you encounter disruptive or challenging behavior, the first
step will be to identify and analyze the behavior pattern. To do this you can use the ABC approach:

A - What are the antecedents? What set the behavior off? What happened right before the behavior
occurred? For example, let’s say we have participants, Max and Jo, whose behavior has been disruptive.
Before it started, did somebody make fun of Max? Or were people getting too close to Jo in a team-
building activity?

B - What behavior occurred? Max started screaming, got very upset. Or Jo ran off to be by herself.

C - What are the consequences? What happened right after the behavior? In Max’s case you pulled him
aside and spent one-on-one time with him to calm him down. In Jo’s case nothing happened. Everybody
ignored her for a while and left her alone.

In these two scenarios, what may be the goals of the behaviors? Discuss possible responses.

For Max it may be attention, for Jo it may be escape from a tough situation, since she is sensitive to
close proximity with others. In both cases the consequences are reinforcing the behavior.

Once you see patterns emerge, you can work with young people to identify situations that are tough for
them. In Jo’s case, you can discuss with her what made her run off and identify other social settings that
are upsetting to her. And what changes can you make to make social settings easier for her? You could
also consider what skills we can teach her to help her handle similar situations.

Or in Max’s case you can discuss with him ways to cope when others are being rude to him. You may
consider teaching him assertiveness skills such as “I messages” (refer to handout), or you may focus on
integrating social skills training into the group setting. Young people with different abilities will greatly
benefit from skill building activities, as do most young people.

Refer to the section 4 handout “Stress Management Tool,” which uses this ABC behavior approach. This
would be for working one on one with youth.

Refer participants to ACT for Youth’s Social Emotional Learning Toolkit online for resources. (The link is
included in the resources handout for the previous section—section 5.)

Ask if participants want to share scenarios they have experienced. Facilitate brief discussion on how to
apply this perspective.

6.4 Environmental Scan and De-escalation

In Jo’s case, close proximity to others was a stressor. Let’s look at a few other situational factors that
may be especially tough for young people with different abilities. Knowing about these factors may help
you prevent or de-escalate behavior challenges.

57
Slide: Environmental Scan & De-Escalation

Text:

Be aware of environmental factors that can trigger stress responses, such as harsh, bright lighting. Bright
lights can be a sensory overload for young people. Similarly, high noise levels or sudden loud noises can
trigger stress responses.

As we discussed earlier, transitions can be difficult. On arrival, adjusting to the program environment
can be stressful. Checking in individually with young people is a good strategy to get a reading of how
they are and if they need a bit of extra time to adjust. This may be a good time to introduce a
de-stressing or mindfulness activity. You could even make this a routine that starts the program. Keep in
mind that transparency and structure helps young people prepare for transitions. Similarly, departure
time can be stressful and young people may require extra time to prepare for that.

If you are taking your groups to community events or work in other community settings, keep an eye on
factors that could lead to sensory overload such as crowds (proximity to people), noise, lights, and
activity level.

Ask participants if they have experienced other environmental factors that can upset young people.

Look out for signs of stress such as body tensing, nervousness, pacing, speaking louder and quicker, or
sudden behavior changes. Check in with the young person. Explore with them ways to calm themselves,
or remind them to use a coping strategy that has worked for them in the past.

Ask participants to share their experiences. Highlight that getting to know the strengths, stressors, and
coping strategies for each young person you are working with is very beneficial and can help prevent
behavior challenges.

6.5 Group Discussion: Behavior Management Techniques (20 minutes)

When it comes to behavior management there are some general techniques that most of you are
probably familiar with. Above all it is important keep the ABC framework in mind and not take acting out
behavior personally. It is essential not to get drawn into a battle.

58
Slide: Keep in mind… when stressed

Text:

We know from research (Mehrabian, 1981) that when we are stressed, facial expressions and tone of
voice are more important than what is being said. It’s not effective to get louder than a young person
who is upset and is getting loud. Your facial expression and tone of voice will most likely escalate the
tension. Basically, they won’t hear what you are saying. The ability to speak in a calm, respectful,
nonthreatening tone is important, especially when the young person you are working with is starting to
show signs of agitation.

Slide: Behavior Management Techniques

Text:

Let’s talk about a few common behavior management techniques.

Use the handout “Behavior Management Techniques” to review each technique.

Ask participants if they have used these techniques, which ones, and how it worked for them.

Affirm that the best behavior management technique is to use proactive strategies to create an inclusive
and safe environment.

59
References
Minahan, J. (2014). The Behavior Code Companion. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press

Mehrabian, A. (1981). Silent messages: Implicit communication of emotions and attitudes [2nd Ed.].
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

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61
Section 7: Disability Legislation, Accommodations, and Working with
Community Partners
Objectives:

- Participants will be able to describe key points of disability legislation

- Participants will be able to define accommodations
- Participants will be able to identify community partners who can offer support and expertise
to young people living with different abilities
Material: Sheets of newsprint, markers, tape, AV, slides, soft ball (volley ball or thumball)

Time: 75 minutes

Handouts:

- Registration/Enrollment Questions
- Inclusive Program Environments Resources: Section 7
- Training Feedback Form
____________________________________________________________________________________

The focus of this training has been to include and welcome young people who live with a mental health
condition or learning disability that they may not disclose. Nonetheless, it is helpful to be aware of the
legislation and rights young people can call on if they or their parents do choose to disclose a disability
and request accommodations. We would also like to highlight some potential community partners who
have expertise in the field and can provide additional support.

7.1 Disability Legislation

We will start with a very brief overview of disability legislation.

Slide: Defining Disability

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Text:

Disabilities affect an individual’s daily functioning, be it at school, work, in social relationships, or

participating in public life. Disabilities range from physical disabilities to sensory, developmental,
intellectual, learning, mental health, and health.

Slide: Important Disability Legislation

Text:

- The “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” (known as IDEA) is important legislation for
children and youth.
- The major disability legislation for adults (beyond high school) is the “Americans with Disabilities
Act” (ADA).
- Disability legislation has two main functions: to protect from discrimination and abuse, and to
provide additional services or accommodations that will remove or reduce barriers.

Slide: Accommodations

Text:

In both laws the term “accommodation” is a very important one.

63
An accommodation is essentially any strategy that overcomes or lessens the effect of a specific barrier.
A barrier is an obstacle that may exist in school, the workplace, the community, or one’s own home.

There are three major types of accommodations:

- Changes to facilities and equipment, such as adding ramps or equipping traffic lights with audio
signals.
- Provision of special services, such as videos that explain application forms, or having someone
available to read aloud the instructions and questions on a form.
- Creative thinking and problem solving, such as flexible work schedules or telecommuting.

Slide: IDEA

Text:

Let’s turn to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. This law was initially developed in
1975, but has been updated several times. It has two parts: one for early childhood (from birth through
age two), and one for children and youth age three through 21.

IDEA recognizes 13 categories of disability. In alphabetical order, these are:

Autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, mental retardation,

multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability,
speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment (including blindness).

64
Slide: IDEA Impact on Education

Text:

This law mandates that states provide free public education to all children and youth with disabilities.
There are several requirements under IDEA:
1. Quality instruction and qualified teachers. “Quality” includes placing students in the least
restrictive setting.
2. Systematic testing to establish needs and services.
3. Individual education plan (known as IEP), which includes a statement about the young
person’s academic achievements and needs, annual measurable goals, and alternative
assessments or tests.
4. Specialty support or accommodations.
For example, if a student has a reading disability that makes it difficult for him to understand written
language, he could receive additional support such as verbal instructions, visuals, and extra time for
taking tests.

Slide: ADA

Text:
The Americans with Disabilities ACT (ADA) is a comprehensive civil rights law that protects people with
disabilities from discrimination.

65
The ADA defines a person with a disability as an individual who has a physical or mental impairment that
substantially limits one or more major life activities. This includes people who have a record of such an
impairment, even if they do not currently have a disability. It also includes individuals who do not have a
disability but are perceived to have one. ADA also protects people associated with an individual who has
a disability from discrimination. For example, it is not legal to discriminate against a person who works in
a mental health facility.

7.2 Accommodations
Slide: Accommodations

Text:
As we discussed earlier, accommodations are modifications to policy, rules, or the physical environment
that enable individuals to enjoy equal benefits of program, work, or services.

Accommodations can be provided if a person discloses his or her disability and requests
accommodations. People do not have to disclose a disability; they only have to do so when they are
asking for accommodations. The decision to disclose belongs solely to the person or their parent.

The law also specifies that accommodations have to be reasonable. If they represent an undue burden
or change the program in fundamental ways, they are not considered reasonable. An example of an
undue burden might be to do major construction in the old building your agency is housed in to make
the facility wheelchair accessible. “Undue burden” is naturally open to interpretation. And this explains
why many facilities are not accessible.

Ask participants if they have any questions. Repeat basic tenets: to protect from discrimination and to
make special supports (accommodations) available so that young people can participate in school,
program activities, and public life.

Refer to online presentation “Disability Legislation” for additional information on IDEA and ADA.
A link to the presentation is included in Section 7 Resources handout.

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Group Discussion: What Are the Implications? (15-20 minutes)
Young people living with disabilities may not come forward to ask for accommodations because they
fear stigma and discrimination. But accommodations can make it easier for them to participate and
benefit from the program. So what can we do?

Ask participants to talk to a neighbor and share their ideas.

Facilitate a brief conversation. Ask participants to share their experiences and what they have done.

Refer to handout “Registration/Enrollment Questions.” Discuss intake process: Include questions about
special needs, strengths, difficult situations/stressors, coping strategies. Ask participants who have
changed their intake process and form to share it with the group.

7.3 Community Resources

Small group activity: Finding Community Partners (30 minutes)
Thinking about disability legislation and accommodations we also recognize that there are support
services and organizations available in every community. We may not be aware of them – or, more
likely, we probably know about them but have not considered collaborating with them.

It will be helpful to think about community resources very broadly, beyond organizations and
institutions. I would like to introduce a different approach to thinking about community resources,
called Asset Based Community Development, or ABCD for short.

Slide: Community Needs Map

Text:
Usually when we discuss the need for services we start with a community needs assessment. Here we
see a map of community needs. It reflects groups of people who are dealing with social issues and other
deficits. The ABCD approach moves away from this deficit approach to an asset-based model.

67
Slide: From Needs to Assets

Text:
Needs focus on deficiencies. This approach fragments community responses to needs – different
services and experts address different needs. It makes people dependent on services. Finally, people
usually do not have a lot of say about how issues are being addressed.

In contrast, an asset-based approach focuses on what works and builds interdependence and
collaboration. It builds on people’s strengths and talents and seeks to empower people.

Slide: Community Assets Map

Text:
Let’s take a look at the community assets map. We see three different layers.
- In the center we have the talents and gifts of individuals.
- The next layer involves citizens’ associations. This is an interesting category to think about.
Many of us belong to clubs or associations that focus on a common interest or passion. These
informal associations are plentiful: There are religious groups, book clubs, sports teams,
neighborhood groups, political groups, and advocacy/support groups. Often we overlook these
groups because they are not formally organized with paid staff. But they can be very helpful in
providing local support and resources.
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 - Finally, the third layer is comprised of institutions, including educational institutions, human
service agencies, public and private organizations, business, government, and public spaces. We
usually look to these institutions to address local needs.
Let’s put the community assets hat on when we discuss potential community partners that could
provide resources and support.

Form small groups by county or community. Hand out large sheets of newsprint and markers. Give them
15-20 min.

In your groups, think about and identify support services for youth living with disabilities, considering
the range of disabilities we discussed earlier. And don’t forget to think about informal groups or
associations. You can also search on the internet if you are not sure what’s available in your community.
List the agencies and associations and the services they offer on the newsprint.

Debrief by group/community. Ask for clarifying questions; highlight some common agencies that are
represented in most communities. Refer to handout “Inclusive Program Environments Resources:
Section 7” for additional information on community services.

When approaching these services, what would you ask of them?

Facilitate a brief discussion.

Key points: learn about disabilities (professional development), help in adapting activities or providing
accommodations.

7.4 Wrap Up
Slide: Resources

Text:
As we come to the end of this training, I want to point you to some resources from ACT for Youth, the
training developer.

Here is where you can find the training manual, two complementary presentations, and all the
handouts.

69
Open web page. Highlight the training manual and online presentations. Point out the complete
“Inclusive Program Environments Resources” PDF; recommend that participants open that PDF online so
they can click through the links to access all the web resources directly.

Review a few other resources in this section of the website, such as the PYD trainings and the SEL Toolkit.

Wrap up activity (15 minutes)

Thank you all for participating in today’s training. Let’s end in the spirit of the training with an
opportunity to express a few affirmations and takeaways from the training.

Slide: Wrapping up

Text:

Ask participants to come to an open space and form a circle. Join the circle with a soft ball.

We’ll pass the ball around so each of you has a chance to reflect on the training experience. The slide
gives a few prompts to think about your takeaways. Feel free to start differently.

Call one participant by name and throw the ball to them (indicating it’s their turn to talk). Participate in
the reflection activity yourself. Thank all participants for attending the training.

When they are seated again, hand out the feedback form and ask them to complete it.

References
ADA National Network. An overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

DePaul University. Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute

U.S. Department of Education. IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

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