Engaging Traumatized Youth: Understanding and Translating Bahavior as Communication

Target Audience:

This workshop is intended for supervisory and direct line staff working with DYCD-funded youth programs.

Description:

More than two-thirds of children report at least 1 traumatic event by age 16, and 26% of children in the United States will witness or experience a traumatic event before they turn 4. Whether you realize it or not you are working with youth who have experienced a traumatic event.

Have you ever wondered why a student is acting out, being aggressive, or shutting down? Crucial to working effectively with children and youth is an understanding of the impact that trauma has had in the life of a young person, and particularly how that trauma might be impacting behavior. You, as a youth development professional, need to understand that behavioral issues may be the result of ongoing, complex traumatic events that include poverty, violence in the community, domestic violence, or child abuse/neglect, among other sources. By understanding trauma as the potential source of behavior you will gain a greater sense of empathy and compassion, and will start to consider new methods to help youth cope and thrive. Interactive methods, including videos and role play will be used to apply these skills.

Learning Objectives

This in-depth and practical workshop will teach those who work with youth some fundamental concepts in how trauma can impact youth and how to work with traumatized youth. The ultimate goal is to leave participants feeling confident that the small lessons learned may be simple but doable and can have a significant impact on their quality of work and personal satisfaction in doing the work of serving traumatized youth.

• Understand how trauma impacts a child’s relationship to self, other and the world and potentially all aspects of development.
• Use knowledge of trauma to most effectively engage youth in productive and on-track behavior
• To acknowledge the impact of doing this work on helpers and how to care for oneself while caring for others.

Facilitated by: Jacob Ham, PhD., Director, Center for Child Trauma and Resilience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations for this training must be submitted within 48 hours prior to the training date.

This training is made possible by funding from DYCD, and is available at no cost to the CBOs with which DYCD contracts.