What is it?
- Resilience is the art of being able to ‘bungy jump’ through the pitfalls of life. It is the ability of rebounding or springing back after adversity or hard times.
- Like you have an elasticised rope around your middle that helps you to bounce back after experiencing difficulties (e.g. bullying, death of a loved one; break up of a relationship; family troubles; anxiety, depression, a friend in trouble; rejection from peers)
- It is the ability to adapt to changed circumstances or situations that can often be unpredictable and scary!
Building Resilience: How?
- Sense of belonging, connectedness and empathy.
- Factors that promote or build resilience in young people are –
- Family connectedness: (feeling loved and respected; stable family)
- Peer connectedness: (sharing and supporting)
- Fitting in at school: (being accepted and feeling part of the group)
- Empathy: (caring about others; being able to be in someone else’s shoes without judgement)
- Do I behave towards others as I want them to behave towards me?
- Do I say or do things in ways that will motivate others to be willing
- to listen and respond to me?
- Make a list of the words you hope people would use to describe
- you and then the words you think they would actually use.
- Accept Yourself and Others: act in accord with your values and goals
- Problem-solving skills (being able to see options or solutions).
Building Resilience: Why?
- Strong antidote or remedy for self-harm, depression, drug and alcohol abuse;
- Helps to strengthen self-esteem and promote well-being;
- Improves mental health of young people and prevents suicide;
- Promotes empowerment, self-respect and leadership among young people.
- Increases ability to cope in the face of bullying or difficult situation.
Resilience: What do we already know?
- Worldwide statistics that show an alarming downturn in well-being and stress hardiness or ability to cope with life challenges (e.g. mental health problems).
- Need to create a “resilient mindset” in western societies that can build a strong foundation for emotional strength and working through routine life challenges. Feeling better about ourselves and each other and dealing with change and hard times.
- Strengthens a sense of connectedness between communities (rural, isolated groups); peers and families.
- Promotes empowerment of young people; a sense of belonging and self-worth.
- Research in resilience shows that effective programs for young people at risk (self-harm, mental health problems, suicide, drug and alcohol, violence) are –
- Child centred (focussed on young people making their own decisions);
- Build trust and are based on establishing relationships with adults who are caring and respectful of young people.
Implementing a program across a community for change:
- Increased focus on activities and programs specifically for young people across a Shire or council.
- A structure that enables young people to be more empowered about the programs for them – they make the decisions, and their views sought.
- More understanding and respect for young people’s ideas and interests.
- A dedicated Youth worker position in the community.
- A greater sense of connectedness and belonging among young people.
- More involvement by young people in the activities across their shire and willingness to assume positions of responsibility.
- Young people saying that they feel understood and heard.
- Public recognition of the role of young people in the community – awards etc.
- Improved mental health and a reduction in problems such as suicide, depression, self-harm, drugs and alcohol.
- Increased involvement of young people in the decision making in the Shire (e.g. Youth Council).
- More involvement by adults and young people in their community.
Jeannette Fraser MAPS
Educational and Developmental Psychologist
Director,
Creating Praxis Consulting Pty. Ltd.