ADOLESCENT CULTURE: ENGAGING AND MOTIVATING YOUNG PEOPLE - Tools and strategies to understand and effectively work with young people

Training commences with an icebreaker and group agreement activity to ensure that all participants feel comfortable and safe to share and learn. This is particularly important with the topic area being discussed.

The presentation includes but is not limited to information on adolescent culture, which will detail elements of alcohol and other drugs, sexual health (including sexual identity, gender diversity), mental health and social media to name a few.  This presentation will be a snapshot of young people today, laying the foundation for the rest of the workshop. Brainstorming activities will be used to explore how best to engage with young people.  This will give everyone the opportunity to discuss ways in which they have tried to engage young people and explore what worked, what challenges they experienced and importantly, what learning they took away from that engagement.

This brainstorm will give all participants the chance to learn from each other. Scenarios will be built into the session. This will give participants the opportunity to think about what young people are experiencing today and the pressures they are under. Utilising scenarios will allow the room to navigate their way through motivating young people, taking into consideration the issues impacting them today. Together they will then explore and discuss strategies and ways that they can best support the young people they are working with and each other. Having a safe learning space to do this will create confidence in participants and subsequently, they will then utilise the skills and knowledge learnt in the session, in the outside world.

Here’s what people have said recently about Kim’s training for PDP:

“The presenter was engaging and knowledgeable and made everyone feel safe and comfortable to participate. One of the best trainers that I have ever had the pleasure of doing a course with - thank you Kim!”

“The instructor was fantastic. From the moment you entered the room where everything was set up so well, to her manner and style, engaging, fun, knowledgeable and lots of opportunity to practice and work with others. Was a great course!”

“The course was an amazing insight into the world of youth mental health. Kim was a fantastic instructor who is knowledgeable and passionate about mental health. I would truly recommend to this course to anyone from parents to social workers...”

“Kim was a great presenter who shared so much information today. I feel so much more confident about ways to work with teenagers now.”

This was just what I needed to help my work with adolescents – very insightful and full of useful ideas and strategies – will recommend to others to attend this training.”