Hi-Five Brevard: An Early Intervention and Prevention Program
a
program of
Eckerd Youth Alternatives, Inc.
Hi-Five Early
Intervention and Prevention Program Objectives:
1)
to
enhance student knowledge of conflict resolution skills;
2)
to increase utilization of conflict resolution strategies in the
classroom;
3)
to reduce the incidence of physical aggression and classroom
disruption;
4)
to increase family involvement and utilization of conflict resolution
skills in the home; and
5)
to increase bonding to adult role models.
EYA’s early intervention programs are grounded in
the risk/resiliency (Bernard, 1991; Hawkins and Catalano, 1992) model of
prevention and youth development. This
model is based on the belief that most youth have personal characteristics or
experiences which place them at-risk for a number of negative consequences,
including school failure, alcohol and drug use, and juvenile delinquency (risk
factors). Nonetheless, youth also have
internal strengths, which make them more resilient to disappointments, personal
setbacks, and other negative events in their lives that might otherwise lead to
poor academic achievement, drug use, or criminal behavior. The model suggests that the strengthening of
protective factors can reduce the influence of risk factors, preventing school
failure, drug use, and delinquency.
Protective factors are the conditions that foster
the development of resiliency in youth (Bernard, 1991). Resiliency is defined as the ability to
bounce back from or endure major and/or multiple stressors in life. The concept of resiliency is best
illustrated by the child who, despite poverty, abuse, neglect, and a
disadvantaged background, still manages to establish healthy relationships,
achieve academic success, and lead a productive life.
This program
component involves teaching students skills that enable them to reduce
impulsive and aggressive behavior and strategies that increase their social
competence. These skills and strategies
taught from Second Step: A Violence
Prevention Curriculum are presented to targeted elementary grade classes
once a week 45 to 60 minutes utilizing role play, modeling, conflict resolution
games, thematic art projects, and recreational activities. The classroom
curriculum addresses six developmental skill areas: Empathy Training, Impulse Control, Appreciating Diversity, Anger
Management, Negotiation and Mediation, and Substance Abuse Prevention.
Additional lessons also address the following specific topic areas: personal
responsibility for making healthy and safe choices involving alcohol, tobacco,
drug use, and other problem behaviors, and the effects that social influences
such as peer pressure, family role models, advertising, and media have on
personal decision making. The classroom-based curriculum is complemented by the
use of low ropes, games, and other team-building activities during physical
education classes.
Students
involved in Super Kid Club (small group intervention) will experience lessons
that explore concepts presented in the classroom presentation. These lessons will be presented through “low
ropes”, art and other special projects which include a sequence of activities
that are designed for students to enhance empathy, anger management, impulse
control skills, as well as to experience relationship building, trust building,
and problem-solving. These activities
allow students to utilize the skills presented during Hi-Five lessons. Groups of
five to eight youth meet a minimum of once per week, 30 to 60 minutes. Additionally, these students may be matched
with a mentor. Parent permission is necessary for students to participate.
Targeted
(Super Kid Club) intervention services are provided to students who:
·
have
a minimum three to five office interventions;
·
are
referred by school personnel as having demonstrated excessive disruptive or
aggressive behavior, and/or use/possession of tobacco, alcohol, and other
drugs;
·
have
excessive absences from school (21+);
·
have
low academic performance;
·
have
not been designated as having a severe learning disability (SLD):
·
report
problems in the home (these problems may include violence, abuse, substance
use/abuse, loss, or any other situation that has proven disruptive to the
youth’s academic, behavioral, or emotional functioning in the academic
environment).
**Note** This intensive work group is
designed to enhance skills presented during Hi-Five, it is not a counseling
group.
This program component is
provided as a service to parents/guardians.
Hi-Five Family Nights, held a minimum of four times a year, for all
family members provided instruction in conflict resolution, family
communication skills, and inter-group relationships. This instruction is coordinated with lessons being learned by
their children in the program’s school-based component. Parents are given an opportunity to
role-play and to model appropriate responses to conflict with their children in
the home environment. The goal of
Family Outreach is to increase parent consistency and to help parents develop
as more effective role models for their children, to encourage the
parent/guardian to address the student’s primary needs, increase parental
involvement with the school, and encourage participation in parent education
opportunities. Enhancing parent knowledge and skills encourages clear,
consistent responses to conflict in school and in the home. Home visits may result in referrals to
resources in the community, based on family needs (i.e., substance abuse,
counseling, economic support services). This component also collaborates with
other school/family events/activities such as PTO and the School Advisory
Committee.
Conflict resolution training is provided to teachers
during grade level meetings, staff meetings, in-service training days and a
one-on-one basis. Emphasis is placed on
teachers learning the goals of conflict resolution curriculum and specific
skills that will be presented to students, as well as techniques and strategies
for incorporating these concepts into daily classroom activities. Curriculum integration is encouraged at each
level. Influencing the school culture is the desired outcome.
Coordinators are typically based at a summer school or local recreation center during summer months. Activities focus on learning social skills through a variety of experimental learning opportunities including team building and low ropes games. Efforts are made to collaborate with summer programs that serve students targeted during the school year.
If you have any questions
about the Hi-Five program, please contact Richard Rogers (Hi-Five Brevard
Supervisor) at (321) 633-7090 or email: rrogers@eckerd.org