“Opening MINDS Not Filling GAPS”

2-day Skill Training Workshop
Time: 9am – 4pm
Participants: Teens / adolescents – Form Three Students and Form Four Students

It is important to acknowledge that our young people (teens/adolescents) are not succeeding in their learning due in lacking: (i) character strength (inner within oneself); and (ii) supportive social context. Positive behaviour mediates the link between character strengths and academic achievement. When our young people are at their transition stage of development, they are often at a crossroads in their life. It is important to support and promote personal development and growth in optimal functioning and wellbeing based on positive psychology in harnessing the power of happiness, mindfulness and inner strength (Segal and Leighton), learned optimism (Seligman), and positivity (Fredrickson). Character strengths are trainable personal characteristics and skills to improve coping with work-related stress and to decrease the negative effects of stress.

What is DNA-V?

• DNA-V stands for:
  – D for Discoverer
  – N for Noticer
  – A for Advisor
  – V for Value and Vitality
• DNA-V is a model of acceptance, mindfulness and positive psychology
• DNA-V Model (developmental model of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) in building character strengths, responsibility/accountability and wellbeing. DNA-V is a simple way of helping young people learn about the skills they have inside them – inner power within yourself. What is most important to you?

Learning Objectives:

• To help and empower teens/adolescents manage their growing sense of self:
  – Difficult thoughts, feelings (emotions)
  – achieve their strengths and potentials
  – build social connections
• To provide a springboard for young people to discuss their strengths, needs and interests in acquiring psychological flexibility and character strength.
• To help young people acquire practical skills in coping and struggling for identity in
  adolescence to flourish and thrive in schools
• To enable young people to be flexible in choosing the behaviour that best fits the
  situation (context) and circumstances (content/event) that influence behaviour.
• By changing and making the Inner experience more positive in order to be optimal functioning
• To discover and identify their character strengths and potential that lies within themselves.
• To promote positive education using positive psychology in resilience, positive
  emotions, engagement in their learning, meaning (values), curiosity, social
  connectedness.
• To introduce our young people to their DNA-V

Learning Outcomes:

• Young people will grow into strong and healthy
• Practical skills to flourish and thrive in schools
• Address a variety of life challenges
• Achieve positive personal outcome using character strengths

“With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an  obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose.”
– Dr Wayne W Dyer

Download: SALUS Programme: Transition from Lower Secondary to Upper Secondary Level “Inner Strength Training”