Check in with yourself

By Karyn Santl

One of the main roles of a youth worker is to create a safe environment for youth to learn and feel they can share their thoughts and feelings. Creating this environment is based on research in positive youth development. I, along with colleagues from the Center for Youth Development, authored a discussion guide, Creating space for dialogue on difficult and important topics with youth, in response to many of the events that occurred in our country in the past year.  

In my further research into the topic of creating space for dialogue, I noticed there was similar advice given to “check in with yourself” first before having a conversation with youth on a difficult topic. As youth workers, we have to make time to process our own feelings and become aware of the way our own identities and experiences shape the perspectives we hold before we can support young people to do so.  

Self-reflection is important preparation for facilitating conversations about troubling events that occur in our community, state, country or the world. Facing History and Ourselves says we have to be aware of our own strongly held beliefs, political positions, emotional responses and biases. We need to be thoughtful about how they influence what we say and do when the “headlines” enter our youth program. 

According to Facing History and Ourselves and Unconditionallearning.org there are actions youth workers can take when current events take over our plans:    

1. Disconnect from the news and social media and take a moment to journal or move your body. Take time to slow down and reflect. How are you feeling? What emotions do you have? What questions are you grappling with? What perspectives do you have on this event?
2. Reach out to your professional colleagues and personal networks. Discuss your thoughts and how the youth in your program might be responding. Coordinate a plan of action of support and learning for the youth
3. Don’t be afraid to let others know you need support around your own emotional response.  

 

Being reflective and aware of your emotions is a way to role model emotional management to youth in your program. It also leads the way for you to create a caring space for youth to critically reflect on their emotions and recent events.

Do you have a practice of reflecting and becoming aware of your emotions? How does this practice make you a better youth worker?

-- Karyn Santl, Extension educator

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