CDLI_Guidebook_18_Final_Print

Recommendations
In the recommendations section of your report, you will see identified the “Youth Development
Experiences”. Based on the thousands of young people who have participated in the Hello Insight
platform, four types of experiences that are especially effective at boosting SEL growth have
been identified.
Youth Development Program Experiences
Youth Engagement
• Staff focus on building relationships with youth (Larson & Dawes,
in press).
• Staff work hard to discover what youth are interested in (Ryan & Deci,
2000; Scales, et al., 2011).
• Staff provide youth with opportunities to make decisions about what
they want to do and how they want to do it
(Benson, et al., 2006; Larson, 2000; Rehm, 2014; Norman, 2001).
• Staff Communicate high expectations (Dweck, 2006).
Peer-to-Peer Engagement
• Programs root learning opportunities in group work/processes
(Anderson, et al., 2007; Honig & McDonald, 2005).
• Staff intentionally bring youth together in diverse groups
• Staff teach youth to rely on and learn from one another.
• Staff coach youth through solving problems together.
• Programs create safe space for youth to take risks, reflect on their
work and share personal experiences (Brown & Campione, 1994; Heath
2011; Soep 2003, 2005).
• Staff encourage youth to listen.
• Staff help youth see the strength of their personal experiences.
Goal Management
• Programs support youth to both set and manage goals
(Catalano, et al., 2004; Learner, 2013; Sinclair, et al 2012).
• Staff support youth to clarify and set goals.
• Staff help youth break big goals down into mini-goals.
• Staff create opportunities for youth to reflect on successes and
challenges, adjusting goals when necessary.
• Program encourages a growth mindset (Dweck, 2006).
• Staff re-frame challenges as learning opportunities
• Staff provide youth with feedback about their effort.
SEL PQA Scales
• Belonging
• Choice
• Skill-Building
• Encouragement
• Collaboration
• Problem Solving
• Emotional Safety
• Empathy
• Goal Management
• Collaboration
• Reflection
• Encouragement
• Problem Solving
• Skill Building
Staff Engagement
• Tap into staff interests to help shape programming and
professional development.
• Create safe spaces for staff to take risks, reflect on their work and share
personal experiences.
• Match staff with other staff from whom they can learn.
• Encourage staff to embody a growth mindset and use data to support
their ongoing learning, program planning and improvement (Sabo
Flores, 2010; Algorhythm, Youth INC, News Corp 2017).
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT GUIDEBOOK
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