Life Skills Workshops
There are several workshops within each topic area. All workshops can be tailored to the specific needs/dynamics of your group. Sessions can be shortened or extended based on specific time constraints. Sessions are ideal for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 30 participants ages 13-18.
Teambuilding Objectives are to: 1) become acquainted with other participants; 2) begin to feel comfortable as a member of the group; 3) become aware of one's positive qualities; 4) identify things about oneself that can be changes; and 5) identify potential work skills and strengths.
What Are My Personal, Family, and Community Values?—Objectives are to: 1) understand the meaning of values; 2) identify personal, family, religious, and cultural values; 3) explore where values come from; 4) discover which values are most important personally; 5) examine the relationship between values and behavior; 6) practice communicating values to others; and 7) practice accepting the values of others.
How Well Do I Communicate with Others?—Objectives are to: 1) learn what communication consists of; 2) understand how communication can affect feelings and relationships with family and friends and at school or work; 3) identify bridges and barriers to good communication; 4) practice good communication skills; and 5) define, give examples of, and practice assertive behavior.
What Are My Relationships with Others Like?—Objectives are to: 1) learn which behaviors can enhance or destroy a relationship; 2) understand the nature of family relationships and what influences them; 3) identify qualities that develop and define friendship and romantic relationships; 4) explore community relationships and identify those that can serve as resources.
What Does Community Mean to Me? Objectives are to: 1) define community and identify the people that make up one's community; 2) explore positive and negative elements in one's community; 3) identify the rights and responsibilities of membership in a community; 4) emphasize the importance of individual rights; 5) recognize how communities change and how people view those changes; 6) find ways to positively change one's community; and 7) learn about people in communities and their responsibilities and connections to one another.
What Are My Goals? Objectives are to: 1) learn what goals are and why goal-setting is important for life planning; 2) identify short-term and long-term goals; 3) learn and practice a process for setting goals and trying to achieve them; 4) explore personal and vocational life goals; 5) examine the importance of completing high school in life plans and goals; and 6) examine the probable impact of early parenthood on life plans and goals.
How Can I Make Good Decisions? Objectives are to: 1) identify various ways of making decisions and to examine their results; 2) learn about effective decision-making and the consequences of choices; 3) practice making difficult decisions; 4) practice predicting the consequences various decisions; 5) apply effective decision-making to sexual decisions; and 6) practice resisting pressure to change a decision.
Stereotypes and Gender Roles? Objectives are to: 1) learn what stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination mean; 2) examine stereotypes about gender and learn how stereotyping affects relationships; 3) practice critical thinking about media messages; 4) learn about, meet, and develop empathy for a variety of people; and 5) discuss personal experiences with discrimination.
What Does it Take to Be a Good Parent? Objectives are to: 1) explore personal values and attitudes about parenthood; 2) learn about the challenges teenage parents face; 3) identify the qualities and resources needed for parenthood; 4) examine the financial costs of caring for an infant; and 5) evaluate personal readiness for parenthood.
Can I Keep Violence out of My Life? Objectives are to: 1) learn when, where, and why violent acts are most likely to occur; 2) understand the relationship between anger and violence; 3) learn that angry feelings do not have to result in violent behavior; 4) identify appropriate responses to anger; 5) learn to negotiate compromise in conflict situations; 6) explore options to avoid violent or abusive situations; and 7) learn what date rape is, when it can occur, and how to prevent it.
How Can I Take Care of My Health? Objectives are to: 1) define health and all its components; 2) identify risks to personal health; 3) review the elements of a nutritious diet and healthy ways of managing weight; 4) learn accurate information about tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs and their effects on health; 5) practice decision-making and assertiveness skills as they apply to avoiding use of alcohol and other drugs; 6) understand stress and learn stress management techniques; and 7) identify the signs of depression and suicide and to practice making appropriate responses to a depressed friend.
What Reduces Sexual Risks? Objectives are to: 1) identify sexual behaviors that put one at risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS; 2) correct misinformation about unprotected sexual intercourse and its consequences; 3) learn basic facts about STD/HIV infection; 4) identify contraceptive methods that reduce the risk of pregnancy and STD/HIV infection; 5) develop increased understanding of and compassion for people with AIDS; and 6) practice skills needed to avoid sexual risk-taking.
How Do I Prepare for the World of Work? Objectives are to: 1) explore job options; 2) examine the relationship between personal values and vocational choices; 3) examine the relationship between gender and vocational choices; 4) identify the education and training requirements for various jobs; 5) practice job-seeking skills; 6) learn how to be a good employee; and 7) understand the link between early parenthood and a vocational future.
Political Education (School of Unity and Liberation (S.O.U.L.) Political Education Program)
With the exception of session titles, and Training Day, the content of these workshops are derived directly from SOUL's political education manual. These sessions are 2 hours in length and are ideal for groups of 10-25 youth ages 15-18.
Who We Be- This introductory workshop covers the basics of identity and community. Through sharing their own experiences, participants will discuss stereotypes, divisions between communities, and the systems of oppression. Objectives include: 1) understand how our identity shapes our experiences in the world. 2) understand how systems of oppression are connected to our experiences. 3) to explore our experiences with stereotypes, discrimination, and assumptions. 4) to discuss how we can use our experiences to fight against all forms/systems of oppression.
Money, Power, Respect- This introductory power analysis workshop examines power in our society--who has it, who doesn't, and who profits from systems of oppression. Objectives include: 1) to understand what power is and how it affects us. 2) to understand how our identities relates to the power we have in the world. 3) to understand how powerful our communities are in fighting for change.
Get Rich or Die Trying- This workshop is filled with interactive exercises that break down economics in an easy-to-understand way. The activities are based on the participants' daily experiences and includes an understanding of how wealth is distributed in the United States and how economic inequality happens. Objectives: 1) to understand how economics affects our daily lives; 2) to understand the American economic system, including who benefits from it and who does not; 3) to explore ways we can organize for economic justice for our families and community.
American History X- This workshop talks about racism as it affects young people of color on 3 distinct levels: institutional oppression, interpersonal oppression, and internalized oppression. Participants will also create a vision for a society free of racism. Objectives: 1) to explore our experiences with race, racism, and identity. 2) to understand racism as a form of systemic oppression; 3) to understand how racism impacts communities of color. 3) to understand how we can fight back against these attacks.
Lockdown- This workshop the dominant myths about the prison system in this country and explores the truth behind these myths. Participants will also examine the effects of these myths on our communities. Objectives: to understand the myths about prison and the real truth behind these myths; 2) to understand how individuals, families, and communities are impacted by the mass incarceration of poor and working class people of color; 3) discuss how we can increase the number of youth entering college instead of prison.
Hustling for Change- This is a "how-to" workshop for young people interested in building a campaign around an issue in their schools or community. This interactive workshop takes young people through step-by-step strategies for community organizing. Objectives: 1) to understand what organizing is and how to do it; 2) to understand the steps to building a campaign and to get practice at it by going through those steps.
Reflections of Struggle- This workshop connects the struggles in our communities today to our legacies of struggle. We draw on past movements- the Young Lords Party, the American Indian Movement, the Black Panther Party, and others to learn our legacy of resistance. Objectives: 1) to discuss our experiences with discrimination and prejudice. 2) to recognize the people who have struggled for liberation in our communities. 3) to discuss what we can do to keep our communities' legacies of resistance alive.
Green Mile- This workshop breaks down the connection between race and environmental destruction and how communities of color live under daily envrionmental racism. Participants also look and envrionmental justice as a vision for change. Objectives: 1) understand what environmental racism is. 2) understand who benefits and who suffers from environmental racism. 3) understand how we can organize to fight environmental injustice.
What's Going Down in Our Schools- This workshop invites participants to draw on their experiences in school to understand how the school system is set up--who benefits from it, who suffers under it, and how it works. This workshop teaches high school aged youth that they are the primary stakeholders of their school district and schools must be held accountable. Objectives: 1) to discuss our experiences with school and understand how certain groups of young people are undervalued in school. 2) to understand how schools are set up to domesticate instead of liberate poor and working class communities of color. 3) discuss how to work to improve public education for all students.
Working to Live- This workshop breaks down the myths and realities of welfare and W2, and examines the real reasons people are poor in our society. Participants will examine how people on welfare really live and develop a vision for what basic rights every person should have. Objectives: 1) discuss our experiences with schooling and education and draw an understanding of the education system from these experiences. 2) to understand what popular education is and how it differs from traditional education. 3) to explore better ways to support and empower poor and working class families to make a living wage and move beyond poverty.
Globalization- In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to understand globalization as it pertains to people of color living in the United States. We cover structural adjustment in the Third World through interactive excercise as well as what structural adjustment look like in communities of color in America. Objectives: 1) to explore a working definition of golobalization and the way it plays out. 2) To explore the impact of globalization both locally and globally.
Training Day- This workshop educates young people about their rights and responsibilities during encounters with law enforcement. Interactive activities are used to teach youth how to demand fair and just treatment from law enforcement. Objectives: 1) teach young people about the 3 types of police encounters. 2) explore the role of police within communities of color. 3) teach participants how to document and fight police brutality.
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