Week 1 – See the Situation Clearly
Goals:
- Examine individual behavior and see how it affects others
- Recognize that other people have different perspectives
- Identify strategies to help understand and cope with situations
Outline for session:
Discussion and/or reflection about the following questions
- What is the situation that brought you here?
- Was there an obvious right or wrong?
- Is there another way to think about it?
- Are there situations that can be viewed from different perspectives?
Visuals that prompt discussion about different perspectives
- Lady with hat/Old hag
- Parallel lines
- Mosaic
- Self assessment (questionnaire)
Small group discussion on related topic, report back to large group
Week 2 – Know What You Want
Goals:
- Identify values and where they originate
- Identify goals and how individual choices affect them
Outline for session:
- Group discussion about values (social or personal beliefs or standards)
- Group discussion about defining a goal
- Delineate short, medium, and long term goals, in general and specific to each individual
- Discussion about how values and goals shape choices
- Discussion about action or inaction producing consequences that impact goals
Week 3 – Expand the Possibilities
Goals:
- Involvement in a variety of activities
- Recognize that the possibilities in life are endless
Outline:
Introduction to juggling, theater games, movement exercises, and poetry
Experience and discuss what happens when exposed to new activities
Week 4 – Evaluate, Decide, and Act
Goals:
- Identify choices prior to making a decision
- Identify the different consequences related to each choice
- Identify how others can be impacted by individual choices
Outline:
- Two circles (one of mentors, one of youths), one inside the other, rotate either circle and give topics to discuss between the two people
- Small groups (2-4 people) or large group discussions about topics related to decisions and how they are made. Discuss the related consequences of those decisions. Some topics might include lying; stealing; cigarette, alcohol or drug use; violent actions.
- Discuss who influences decisions (family, friends, self, others)
- Optional – discuss what they did to get into Jump Start, were they aware of the consequences, did anyone influence their decision, what were other options, what has changed for them as a result.
Week 5 – Addiction and Tolerance
Goals:
- Identify stereotypes and their impact on the person to whom they are directed
- Identify prevalent prejudices based on what is seen or heard from family and friends
Outline:
- Discuss commonly used terminology related to stereotypes and prejudices (ethnic, religious, racial, gender)
- Identify feelings related to these topics
- Identify how to interact with others when the other person goes beyond your comfort zone
Week 6 – Story Telling
Goals:
- Identify each person’s history through story telling
Outline:
- Mentor questions the youth to delve further into their personal story of how they got where they are. Questions are used to prompt a beginning, middle, and end to their story.
- Stories are shared with the large group to include a moral, so that others can learn from those experiences
Week 7 – Parent’s Night
Goals:
- Facilitate discussion between parent and child about the present, the future, their values, and what changes they would like to see
Outline:
- Explore individual responses to a variety of questions to include plans for the future, relationships, successes, dreams
Week 8 – Community Night
Goals:
- Identify how one person’s behavior can impact a community
- Identify ways people serve their community to make it a better place to live
Outline:
- Discuss the words community and communicate for definitions and their similarities
- Each youth interviews their mentor and then introduces them to the large group. Questions would include interests, hobbies, accomplishments, connections with the community
- Discuss individual crimes and extend the consequences of that action to people they do not know (ex. Vandalizing a street sign)
- Discuss why community service is part of Jump Start and what it does for the community and the individual