The Problem
The Youth Advocate Program is a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to helping at-risk teens & their families, including teens who are involved in the youth justice & child welfare systems, youths with behavioral health needs, young people with educational challenges, & adults returning from prison. YAP's goal is to help their clients heal from exposure to hardship & violence, access basic needs supports & services, form healthy & stable relationships, meet their educational goals, & develop essential life skills.
Because YAP clients have experienced a range of hardships, they may struggle with emotional dysregulation, leading to higher incidents of conflict with authorities, educators, & YAP staff. To help their staff respond positively & proactively, YAP asked me to create a course on conflict resolution.
The Solution
As a former k12 educator with decades of experience working with at-risk teens, this assignment hit close to home. Combining my own knowledge with extensive research on de-escalation best practices, I created a course using Storyline 360, Camtasia, and Vyond; the course begins by covering the amygdala hijack, the neuroscience behind why emotional dysregulation can occur in YAP clients...as well everyone else! Then the course walks users through strategies for first managing their own amygdala response & then helping their client to self-regulate. The course ends with a training simulation where users must apply what they have learned to a hypothetical situation with a troubled teen client.
I deeply respect the work that YAP does, & it was a pleasure to provide their staff with a practical resource to help them in their essential mission.
