Wondering how to make meaningful life learning connections while maximizing community-building opportunities in a variety of settings? This training offers simple and effective strategies to achieve resiliency and life skill-building by integrating signature practices such as welcoming rituals, engaging practices, brain breaks, and optimistic closures in any OST activity. Participants walk away with a signature practices toolkit containing sample activities, lesson planning templates and practices for both adult and youth interactions.  

Physical Environment and Activities 

Apply – C. Employs schedules, routines, and structured transitions, D. Creates engaging, physically, emotionally safe, and inclusive environments to encourage play, exploration, and learning across developmental domains. 

Physical, Social/Emotional, and Cognitive Development  

Apply- B. Implements strategies to develop young people’s self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, relationship-building and responsible decision-making skills, C. Models healthy interactions and guides children and youth in self-awareness, social awareness, relationships, and responsible decision making, D. Incorporates activities promoting cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development, 

Relationships and Interactions with Children and Youth  

Individual Child / Youth Guidance  

Apply - D. Practices positive, healthy interactions and guides children and youth in self-awareness, social awareness, relationship building, and responsible decision making.   

Enhancing Group Experiences  

Apply – D. Observes and evaluates group activities and transitions and adjusts to enhance experiences. 

Primary QIS Scales Addressed  

I. Safe Environment  

I-E. Creating Safe Spaces: I-E-1. Foster positive climate, I-E-2. Convey warmth and respect, I-E-3. Provide support for safe space, I-E-4. Demonstrate positive group management style, I-E-6. Show active inclusion.   

III. Interactive Environment  

III-K. Sense of Belonging: III-K.1. Young people get to know each other, III-K.2. Inclusive relationships   

III-N. Cultivating Empathy: III.N.1. Structure activity for sharing and listening, III.N.3. Structure activities for showing kindness, III.N.4. Support valuing of differences.  

IV. Engaging Environment  

IV.O. Furthering Learning: IV.O.1. Support connections to previous knowledge  

IV.R. Reflection: IV.R.1. Intentional reflection, IV.R.2. Multiple reflection strategies, IV.R.4. Structured opportunities to provide feedback