HEREWARD COLLEGE In partnership with Queen Alexandra College

HEREWARD COLLEGE In partnership with Queen Alexandra College, Birmingham and City College Coventry

Project THE PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL AND COGNITIVE RESILIENCE IN THE POST 16 SEN POPULATION

Context • Hereward College • The Social Emotional Development Department • The mentors • The students

Positive Mental Health ‘We believe that children who are mentally healthy will have the ability to: • Develop psychologically, emotionally, creatively, intellectually and spiritually • Initiate, develop and sustain mutually satisfying personal relationships • Use and enjoy solitude • Become aware of others and empathise with them • Play and learn • Develop a sense of right and wrong • Resolve (face) problems and setbacks and learn from them’ Bright Futures, The Mental Health Foundation, 1999

Emotional Literacy • Emotional literacy is the ability to recognise, understand, regulate and appropriately communicate our emotions. This refers particularly to self awareness. • This ability involves being able to read and interpret the emotions of others. This refers particularly to social awareness. • A third component of this ability involves the use of the above to guide and develop our thinking. This combines, self, social and cognitive awareness and skills Navraj Matharu, Educational Psychologist 2011

Resilience “The human capacity to face, overcome and ultimately be strengthened and even transformed by life’s adversities and challenges…. a complex relationship of psychological inner strengths and environmental social supports throughout a person’s life” Ann S Masten, University of Minnesota

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Passions and Pastimes Objective of the Unit: To develop and enhance own sense of self and self-awareness through exploring likes and dislikes • Skills developed in this Unit: • To identify and name feelings; identify personal preferences (likes and dislikes); identify reasons underlying feelings; • To identify connections with others through my interests and preferences • To develop an awareness of physical changes in the body linked to external stimuli • To link thoughts, emotions and behaviours • To understand the basis of choice and making decisions • To recognise own preferences as unique and of value

The Project Phase 1 Developing staff • I feel much more confident. I have been able to demonstrate my skills and abilities but also be challenged and stretched. This has bought growth, motivation and confidence. • I am constantly motivated by student responses to this project. If the students had received the units poorly I wouldn’t have enjoyed the work as much but they love it and want more!

The Project Phase 1 Developing students Enjoyed looking at me in different relationships and how I behave. I understand that I am different with different people. My friend CJ has noticed that I am immature around her and more mature when I am not around her. I like being young. I have learned something new, the different types of relationships. Thought staff were my friends, they are not they are friendly. The work has helped to build a relationship of trust. I felt listened to at all times.

The Project Phase 1 • Developing college structures and systems • Evaluations

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Some of our post 16 learners applying the emotional and resilience skills they have learnt

The Project Phase 2 Where next? Final reporting and dissemination