The Resilience Framework
The Resilience Framework takes its inspiration from resilience theories, research and practice experience. It highlights the ordinary things that can be done to promote resilience for young people. The activities in this resource are shaped by the Resilience Framework. This identifies five areas of a young person’s life that need to be addressed in order to support the building of resilience.
• Basics • Belonging • Learning • Coping • Core self
What the evidence says…
Basics • In order for young people to feel more resilient, basic structures need to be put in place such as good enough housing, enough sleep (students who have slept well will feel more alert and motivated to learn) and healthy diet (can improve behaviour, mood, ability to learn). • If these basic structures are in place then students will feel a greater sense of security and peace of mind and can better deal with the challenges of college life. • Although some of these improvements may seem beyond the reach of ‘college duty’ and are linked to family life and social circumstances, they can still be addressed through taking an interest or exploring sensitively with students. They could make significant changes to your student's wellbeing and enhance their ability to learn.
Belonging • Belonging is an important aspect of resilience building. When a young person has good relationships in their life, and they belong to a group that accept them as they are, this helps create a good sense of self and identity. • Teachers can help by trying to encourage good relationships with friends, teachers and other members of staff. • It is important that young people have somewhere they feel they belong (clubs, activities and favourite places in college) and that they meet people who are good influences, who can help them make sense of where they have come from and their place in the world. • It is really important for the pupil to find something they are good at, an activity or a talent, a way of expressing themselves, whether it’s sport, music, writing, helping out in the library … it can be almost anything. The important thing is that being part of a group where they do or talk about this activity can have a positive effect.
Learning • Learning is a fundamental part of the pupil being able to function successfully in the world. • Helping your students to develop talents, interests and life skills, encouraging them to learn how to cope, how to express their emotions, understand boundaries and have aspirations, are crucial parts of helping them become more resilient. • Helping your students have life plans, visions and getting organised allows them to develop new skills that are an essential part of them increasing their learning.
Coping • Coping helps students build up a particular set of skills to help them with the challenges of everyday life. • Encouraging young people to cope helps them develop a sense of bravery, an ability to solve problems and to stand up for their own views and beliefs.
Core self • Core self focuses on the importance of the young person's understanding of who they are and their own personal strengths.• Encouraging young people to put themselves in other people’s shoes and be sensitive to how to other people feel can help raise awareness of how they feel and how their behaviour can affect other people’s feelings. • It is important to help them be self-aware and take responsibility for themselves and their behaviour towards others while at the same time believing in them. • Help them try out different things and they might find something they are talented at.
