Believe in the almost impossible

1. Building resilience in schoolProfessor Angie HartBoingboing social enterprise/University of Brighton

2. Academic resilience means students achieving good educational outcomes despite adversity. For schools, promoting it involves strategic planning and detailed practice involving the whole school community to help vulnerable young people do better than their circumstances might have predicted.

3. Believe in the almost impossible

4.  ‘Remember when George Smith left school and was doing that plumbing apprenticeship and we couldn’t believe it? Apparently he has stuck it out and is doing well. Even his mum used to say he was destined for prison!’  Deputy Head. • ‘Carl Jones was one of the lads painting the canteen this weekend as part of the alternative education programme. He was telling me about his previous exclusions and the kinds of trouble he used to get in to at weekends. He seems determined to do better at school now he can see a future for himself’  School caretaker.

5. Resilient moves: • The kinds of things we need to make happen (e.g. events, parenting strategies, relationships, resources) to help children manage life when it’s tough. Plus ways of thinking and acting that we need ourselves if we want to make things better for children.’Source: Aumann and Hart 2009

6. What schools do Additional assessments Counselling Activities e.g. Alt ed Family support Other services e.g. CAMHS, H&SC, VCS Create support roles and processes External processes e.g. CAF Knowledge and Expertise/training

7. Where is the line for schools between… Have we got the right skills and knowledge? How do we decide? Are we doing more harm than good? How do we recognise a ‘good service’?

8. A Revised Model of Social Ecology: Small things can make a big difference Macro-systemic level Micro-systemic level Meso-systemic level Exo-systemic level A Complex Social Ecology A Hierarchical Social Ecology

9. Resilience interventions: What works? Types of things people have done Professor Angie Hart & Dr Becky Heaver • Flavour of schools based interventions in a review we’ve done: • Range: psychosocial group2, dance/drama competition4, skills & training3, curriculum modification5,6 (2), recreation9,11 (2), teacher training1,12 (2), work experience10, tailored to individual7,8 (2) • Intensity: from 12 x 1hr sessions over 5.5 mths8 to 1 week residential9 • Country: USA2,3,7 (3), Australia4,5 (2), South Africa6,8,11,12 (4), Russia9, Israel1, Scotland10, Zambia11 • Sample size: 2-1449 • Example strategies: complementary skills groups for kids, parents & teachers 2; role-playing new skills3; reward points systems7

10. Complex needs specific – esp LDs • Much less published on this • Ferreyra, USA 2001 Facilitated group & one-to-one counselling; life-skills & substance use prevention; disability awareness & rights; adult female disabled role models; responsive curriculum (1-3hrs a week for 2 yrs) • Theron, SA 2006 School-based individualised program & group therapy; art, music, CBT, resilience curriculum, visualisation, role-play

11. Resilience interventions: What works? Professor Angie Hart & Dr Becky Heaver • Innovative, evidence-based strategies: • Evoking images of family, obligation and responsibility2 • Vocational training & field trips3 • Mountaineering & survival skills9 • Organising a dance competition for younger children10 • Using same reward points system across home & school environments7 • Peer-pressure limbo dancing11 • School-family-community veggie garden12

12. Hove Park School- Tutor toolkit Foster their talents: Exercise 5 - Approximate time: 20 minutes. Materials: Handout/iPad. Aim/outcome: To encourage students to identity something they are good at and so help them feel more resourceful and resilient.  Explanation: Ask students to bring in and show to the class something they are good at. This could be anything - computer game, making cup cakes, football, looking after an animal, riding their bike, art, playing a musical instrument etc Expansion activity: Get them to make a mini film or blog about something they are good at. One-to-one: Encourage the student to fill out the handout and if they are stuck suggest ideas. Students say: This is a great activity to encourage students who are left out by their peers to get praise and be noticed. It is really important to encourage students to think of things that really matter to them or things they are passionate about. Help students build on the qualities and good points they already have and maximise their influence. Help students to value the things that they are good at and this will help them feel a sense of achievement and competence in their life.

13. Resilience: Lets Get Real! Professor Angie Hart • Some kids do better than others having had very similar disadvantages in life – one thing that you do could make a big difference • ‘Resilience’ gives us a framework within which to plan positive chain reactions and to fight back from negative chain reactions • A resilient approach gives kids the opportunity to reinvent themselves • For young people doing risky things it is especially helpful to get some protective processes going • We need to focus on the fine grain – ‘management of effective detail’ • Use the resilience evidence base to challenge custom and practice in policy and organisations • There is hope for everybody! Every little can help.

14. Suggest: • Understand resilience for yourself and others you work with - don’t individualise resilience • Be energised by complexity • Consider what school can provide and what needs to be brought in • Acceptance – ‘planning for, hoping not’ • Prioritise what we know probably works • Make every thing you do a resilient move • Try to include YP and parents/carers in resilience initiatives

15. Resilient Framework (adapted from Resiiient Therapy)(Hart & Blincow with Thomas 2007) • The Resilience Framework strategically harnesses selected resilience ideas and techniques • ‘Ecological’ • Originally developed in relation to children, families and young people • Developed for use across contexts and by different practitioners, including parents and young people themselves • Is user-friendly and readily accessible – you don’t need a lengthy specialised training • Non-pathologising – ‘upbuilding’ • Focuses on complex children and young people living in challenging circumstances

16. Resilience: Lets Get Real! Professor Angie Hart

19. Resilience: Lets Get Real ! Professor Angie Hart Further reading: • Hart, A. and Blincow, D. with Thomas, H. (2007) Resilient Therapy: Working with children and families. London: Routledge • Aumann, K. and Hart, A. (2009) Helping children with complex needs bounce back: Resilient Therapy for parents and professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley • Email: a.hart@brighton.ac.uk / • Website: www.boingboing.org.uk • Tedex:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPUzjyAoOK4