The Importance of Social and Emotional Skills in Achieving Youth

OutcomesYouthPower LearningCross-Sectoral Skills

Community of PracticeJanuary 29, 2020

Advancing solutions to transform the lives of young people

YouthPower LearningAdvancing knowledge to transform the lives of young people

YouthPower Learning generates and disseminates knowledge about the implementation and impact of positive youth development (PYD)

approaches in international development.

What is Positive Youth Development (PYD)?

PYD programs recognize youth’s inherent rights and result in youth who have assets, the ability to leverage those assets (agency), and the ability to contribute to positive change for themselves and their communities, surrounded by an enabling environment that supports them.

http://www.youthpower.org/positive-youth-development

How can we partner together?• Connecting with other YouthPower activities

• Sharing Resources, Events, Information, and What Works: Learning Hub YouthPower.org

• Contributing to the PYD Learning Agenda• Identify What Works• Measure PYD• Send your youth-related resources to info@youthpower.org

• Engaging with YouthLead.org• Under 35? – Join the platform• Support youth networks or content? – Become a sponsor

• Joining/Engaging with the Communities of Practice:• Youth in Peace and Security• Gender and PYD• Youth Engagement• Cross-Sectoral Skills for Youth

Today’s Speakers

Hillary Proctor, Director, Technical Services, Making Cents International

Moderator: Kalene Resler,Education Program Analyst, USAID

Matt Streng, Senior Youth Development Advisor, Mercy Corps

SaledHammad, Project Officer, Mercy Corps

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Social Emotional Learning and Soft Skills: USAID Policy BriefJanuary 29, 20 20

3/1/2017 FOOTER GOES HERE 7

Background

Partner Advocacy

2018 Education Policy

SEL Working Group

SEL Policy Brief

● The USAID Education Policy (2018) includes social and emotional skills as a priority learning outcome, alongside literacy and numeracy.

● Lays foundation for global aggregation & further technical guidance

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THE 2018 USAID EDUCATION POLICY

1.Provides an introductory understanding of what USAID means by the terms “social and emotional skills” and “soft skills” and how to communicate about them.

2.Specifies the desired outcomes and quality standards for programming that teach social and emotional skills or soft skills.

3.Identifies areas in which evidence and best practices still have gaps, and areas in which we should consider investing in further learning.

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THE 2019 USAID POLICY BRIEF

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USAID Education Policy Definitions

Soft SkillsBroad set of skills,

behaviors, and personal qualities that enable people to effectively navigate their

environment, relate well with others, perform well, and achieve their goals.

Social and Emotional Learning

Set of cognitive, social, and emotional competencies that children, youth, and

adults learn through explicit, active, focused, sequenced instruction that allows

them to understand and manage their emotions, set and achieve positive goals,

feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive

relationships, and make responsible decisions.

USAID will continue to use

this term in:Basic Education Programming Youth Workforce Programming

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Unpacking SEL/Soft Skills

Source: Forthcoming UNICEF Global Framework on Transferable Skills

1. Build an explicit theory of change2. Understand your context and recognize that some SEL skills may be culturally

specific3. Provide opportunities to practice and apply skills 4. Ensure the wider learning environment is safe and secure5. Consider how to place SEL into existing systems6. Consider and plan for measurement

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Principles for Programming in SEL

● Role of technology

● Bringing effective interventions to scale within education systems

● Best-fit higher education partnerships to create contextually relevant research & measurement

● Role of higher education institutions in preparing the workforce

● Intervention effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, & causal mechanisms

● Measurement of skills and outcomes across ages and stages

● Role and meaning of gender, power, culture, and privilege in skill development

● Role of an inclusive learning environment in skill development

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RESEARCH & LEARNINGSHARED PRIORITIES

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WHERE TO LEARN MORE?EDUCATIONLINKS

● Technical guidance:

○ Integration of social and emotional skills interventions into primary education programs

○ Indicator guidance (global aggregation, assessment, monitoring, and evaluation)

● Evidence products:

○ Systematic review

○ On demand ‘best available evidence’ briefs

○ Gender & SEL literature review

● Global Education Conference

● SEL Champions Listserv

● SEL Toolkit Page @ EduLinks

● Hosting technical discussions

● Continued funding of programming through missions & DC-based funds

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2020 PRIORITIESAT USAID

Welcome

Saleh Hammad

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS FOR YOUTH OUTCOMES

Training Unit Officer / Mercy Corps Jordan

Matt Streng Director, Young People and Protection / Mercy Corps

NubaderDuration: 5 years (2014-2019)

Program participants:

• M/F, 12-25 yrs

• Vulnerable at-risk Jordanian and Syrian refugees

• 79% completion rate (8,192 participants)

• 1,879 parents

• 97,450 indirect beneficiariesIrbid, Mafraq, Ajloun, Jerash, Zarqa City &

Rusifeh, Salt, Madaba, Karak, Ma’an

Structure and Delivery Method

Structure and Delivery MethodSANDWICH MODEL

• Conflict affected population, needing targeted PSA/PSS to help with coping/recovery

• PSA/PSS and SEL interaction, especially for vulnerable populations

Profound Stress + Attunement (PSA), PSS, SEL

The YDP is introduced by coaches in segments throughout the life of the program and contains 5 topics that help youth plan for their future.

SEL IntegrationYOUTH DEVELOPMENT PLANS (YDP)

Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA)

COLLABORATING● Community Action Hub● NLG Co-lead Adolescents and

Youth● Locally driven research

ADAPTING ● Duration extended from 16 to 24 sessions● Parental involvement ● Demystify the neuroscience

LEARNING● Developed Arab Child and Youth Resilience Measure● Invest in mentor/coach selection and dev.● Ensure spaces are socially/physically safe

Results RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIALArabic Child and Youth Resilience Measure (pre/post, + 11 mos)

● Reduced levels of insecurity and mental health difficulties

● Social support aspects of resilience unchanged

BIOMARKER (Hair Cortisol Concentration)

● High levels of cortisol dropped by ⅓

● Abnormally low cortisol up 60%

● Biomarker corroborated self-report changes of improved psychosocial wellbeing

Results (cont.)

Results (cont.) COGNITIVE FUNCTION/WORKING MEMORY● Current poverty may impact brain

function (WM) more than past trauma exposure

Q + A

Thank You!

SALEH HAMMAD / MATT STRENG shammad@mercycorps.org / mstreng@mercycorps.org

What can you do next?

• Contribute to the Twitter stream and spread the message of #PositiveYouthDevelopment.

• Join a YouthPower Community of Practice.

• Visit the YouthPower Learning Hub at www.YouthPower.org and use the resources, best practices, and knowledge shared.

• Send materials that advance the evidence base to info@youthpower.org.

www.YouthPower.org

Thank you!Thank you for participating in this YouthPower Learning

event.

The recording of today’s event will be shared with all registrants.

Please visit www.YouthPower.org for more.

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