Purpose: This activity offers an alternative way to present the background material on resiliency for those learners who respond better to metaphors and visual stimuli than to a lecture format. Participants will have the opportunity to take the concepts of protective factors and resiliency and translate them into concrete Head Start actions.
For this activity you will need:
· Handout
A: Protection From the Storm ora piece of flip
chart paper & markers
· Handout
B-1: Strategies to Promote Resiliency-The Child
· Handout
B-2: Strategies to Promote Resiliency-The Family
· Handout
B-3: Strategies to Promote Resiliency-The Community
Step 1: Review the background material on resiliency in this module.
Trainer's note:
For those trainers who might like to read more about the resiliency approach, there are two articles listed in Next Steps: Ideas to Extended Practice that are a good place to start.
Step 2: Begin by explaining that, in order to demonstrate the concept of resiliency and protective factors, this activity uses the metaphor of protecting children from the weather.
Tell participants: We all are subject to weather, both good and bad, and we cope with it better when we are equipped properly, that is, when we have protective factors.
Step 3:
To illustrate this metaphor, you can either copy Handout A: Protection From
the Storm, onto an overhead or draw the graphic onto a blank sheet of flip chart
paper, adding elements
as you discuss
them. As an alternative, you can complete the background presentation and give
participants drawing materials, so they can draw their own pictures of protecting
children from the storm.
Step 4: If you are drawing, begin with a plain stick figure to represent the individual child. Ask the group to imagine that their goal is to protect this child from some dangerous weather.
The first level of protective factors that promote resiliency are those that are intrinsic to the child. Some examples of intrinsic protective factors are health, temperament, and communication skills. These are represented by drawing a raincoat, boots, and rain hat onto the stick figure. These are things the child owns and carries.
The second level of protective factors are those that exist in the family. Some examples of protective factors at the family level are good relationships with caregivers and loving parental authority. These are represented by the larger stick figures carrying an umbrella over the child.
In a very heavy storm, rain gear and umbrellas are not going to be sufficient, and more protection will be required. Over all the figures draw the outline of a house, which represents the protective factors that occur at the level of communities. Examples of community characteristics that promote resiliency include opportunities for youth participation, high expectations, youth valued as a resource, and so on.
Step 5: Acknowledge that children and families face hardships much tougher than stormy weather. Some stressors in the lives of children are common and mild, such as coping with the birth of a new sibling. Other stressors are severe and long lasting, for example, homelessness, family violence, or a chronic illness. Reinforce that no one can prevent bad things from happening or eliminate all risk factors, but Head Start staff can promote those ''protective factors'' that build resiliency.
On a flip chart, make three columns, one for "The Child," one for "The Family," and one for "The Community." What are some factors in each category that would help a child bounce back from or withstand negative life events?
Distribute the following handouts to each participant: B-1: Strategies to Promote resiliency-The Child; B-2: Strategies to Promote Resiliency -The Family; and B-3: Strategies to Promote Resiliency-The Community.
Explain to the participants that these handouts summarize research findings on protective factors at the individual, family, and community levels. Compare the lists on the flip chart to the lists on the handouts. Add items the group likes from the flip chart onto the handouts. Go over the handout and clarify the meaning of each of the protective factors (see Trainer's Keys to Activity 3 for definitions).
Now the group will have the opportunity to think about ways that Head Start can encourage and support protective factors.
Step 6: Split the workshop participants into small groups (each small group should have no more than 10 people, allowing time for discussion).
Assign each group five protective factors. Have each small group designate a recorder who will report back to the large group.
Step 7: Explain to the small groups that their task is to come up with at least one concrete, realistic, Head Start action that could support each protective factor on their list. This discussion will take about 20 minutes.
Step 8: Draw the groups back together and invite the recorders from each small group to share their Head Start strategies to support protective factors. While small groups report back to the full group, encourage listeners to write down strategies that they like from other groups. Discuss.
Points to Consider:
- This metaphor captures a number of concepts about resiliency. More protective factors keep the child "drier" or more resilient, but no child can be completely protected. Severe stressors, repeated stressors, and stressors at critical points in development will have greater negative impact, affecting even the most resilient child.
- The research findings about protective factors are based on outcomes seen among large groups of children. It is important to remember that you cannot accurately predict an individual child's resilience based on their protective factors.
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