Staying Positive in Youth Development

This resource completed a review process by Positive Youth Development Educators. This review committee noted a need to engage specifically with those in a supportive adult role to ensure that adults also took the time to center their learning and skill development. So, we need to talk, but we need to talk about you and how you feel in your role, as the supportive adult.

First, A Wisconsin Conversation was developed in youth-adult partnership over time because youth recognized a need for continued learning through conversation. We recognize that the reflection question headings in this Getting Started section apply to youth AND adults. We invite adults and youth as learners into this conversation. Name the emotion.

All emotions have a purpose. In stressful situations, naming the emotion can reduce the intensity of the experience. WeCope recommends the following questions for practice:

What feelings or emotions do you have?
What kinds of thoughts did you have?
What kind of body sensations did you feel?

If the emotion you name is a negative emotion in response to perceived threats, dig a little deeper.

• Are you experiencing a challenging emotion while considering participating in a difficult conversation yourself?
• Are you experiencing a surprising emotion reading a new educational resource?
• Are you experiencing a difficult emotion anticipating someone else’s reaction to a resource you chose?
• Are you experiencing a confusing emotion considering youth engaged in these conversations,

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