CURRENTLY PLANNING NEXT STEPS AS I CONTINUE FUNDRAISING FOR

the Operation Sock Monkey Handbook

for youth groups, schools and community organizations

GENERAL STRUCTURE FOR WORKBOOK:

• Sections

• Chapters

• Diagrams

• Photographs

• Resources

IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING LIFE SKILLS  [Source: Healing the Inner City Child]

“Life skills” are defined as psychosocial abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. Life skills generally include 3 broad categories of skills:

• cognitive skills for analyzing and using information

• personal skills for developing personal agency and managing oneself, and

• inter-personal skills for communicating and interacting effectively with others.

During a successfully implemented creative arts program, participants generally:

1. Engage in the program from beginning to end.
2. Respond without physical or verbal aggression.
3. Communicate effectively with instructors and peers.
4. Cooperate with others in the group.
5. Demonstrate ability to accept redirection.
6. Demonstrate ability to share and take turns.
7. Demonstrate appropriate use of equipment.
8. Respect personal boundaries of peers and adults.
9. Demonstrate creative solutions for problem solving.
10. Demonstrate initiative and leadership skills.

REVIEW OF LIFE SKILLS/ EMPLOYMENT SKILLS TO BE ADDRESSED IN CURRICULUM IN A USER-FRIENDLY, REPLICABLE WAY:

1. Learning and Problem Solving Skills, including: listening to understand and learn; reading, comprehending and using written materials; thinking critically and acting logically to evaluate situations, solve problems and make decisions; learning to access and apply specialized knowledge from various fields; and continuing to learn for life.
2. Social Skills, such as: anger management; resolving conflict; addressing attachment, connection, peer awareness; working well with others; and developing a positive self-image.
3. Personal Management Skills, including: creating a budget; money management; ; managing stress; and managing time.
4. Development of Positive Attitudes and Behaviors, including: self-esteem and confidence; honesty, integrity and personal ethics; a positive attitude toward learning, growth and personal health; and initiative, energy, and persistence to get the job done.
5. Personal Responsibility, including: the ability to set goals and priorities in work and personal life; the ability to plan and achieve goals; accountability for actions taken; adaptability; a positive attitude toward change; and the ability to identify and suggest new ideas to get the job done–creatively.
6. Teamwork Skills, including: understanding and contributing to an organization’s goals; understanding and working within the culture of the group; planning and making decisions with others and supporting the outcomes; respecting the thoughts and opinions of others in a group; exercising “give and take” to achieve group results; leading where appropriate; and mobilizing the group for high performance.
7. Project Management, including: project planning; group management; client relationship building; social media management; product photography; advertising; documentation; supply management; project execution; project delivery and project evaluation.

For more info go to:

LINK

Writer, illustrator KAT THORSEN

MISSION: To awaken creative expression

VISION: To develop global art initiatives

MANTRA: I am an artist