Page 31 - 2023 February Report

Horizons
Disadvantaged convening report
by David Blaikie
The second disadvantaged convening was held at The Breakers, Palm Beach on Sunday, December 11, 2022. The topic was resilience and programs that support and empower student success. There were two academics and three practitioners who presented. Following is a brief summary of some highlights of the five presentations.
Dr. Michael Ungar - Professor, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University. His presentation was called, “New Directions in Youth Resilience.”
“Resilience is not solely a quality within individuals; it grows from access to and use of the resources needed to support mental health and well-being.”
“You can’t stop the waves but you can learn to surf, but it’s easier to surf if you have a surfboard, a coach and a lifeguard.”
“In the context of exposure to significant adversity, resilience is the capacity of individuals and groups to navigate their way to the psychological, social, cultural and physical resources that sustain well-being, and their capacity to negotiate for these resources to be provided in culturally meaningful ways.”
“The science of resilience is clear: The social, political and natural environments in which we live are far more important to our health, fitness, finances and time management than our individual thoughts, feelings or behaviors. .... Change your world first by finding relationships that nurture you.”
“Nine things all children need: structure, consequences, parent-child connections, many strong relationships, a powerful identity, a sense of control, a sense of belonging/purpose, rights and responsibilities, safety and support.”
Dr. Konrad Glogowski - Educator and Researcher, formerly with Pathways to Education. His presentation was titled, “Resilience in the Pathways to Education Program.”
Of the programs that JSF supports, Pathways, is perhaps the best example of a program that is structured in line with the findings and recommendations of Dr. Ungar. Pathways participants receive a comprehensive set of supports needed to overcome the barriers they face and succeed in school, including after-school tutoring and mentoring, financial support and career planning.
Dr. Glogowski’s research on resilience found that three aspects of the Pathways program are key to promoting resilience:
1) Modular Program Design - This involves assessing student needs on a daily basis and responding immediately to situations and circumstances, being able to “shift gears” and be present for the student.
2) Relationships with Caring Adults - Staff interaction with students in a variety of settings, such as tutoring sessions, mentoring, and leadership development events.
3) Readiness - A focus on promoting self-regulation. Participation in the program helps young people plan and set goals and reflect on their progress. Self-regulation has been identified as crucial to effective relationship building, health, and successful transition into further education.
His overarching advice to funders of youth programs: provide opportunities to assess impact beyond programmatic outcomes, invest in staff development and program improvement (fund research and evaluation), and listen to practitioners and program beneficiaries.
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