Session Twelve: Building Social Support Total Time: 2 hours and 25 minutes

Session Twelve: Objectives Identify who and where to turn to if they need advice. Build pro-social and pro-active support bridges. Understand behaviors that build and break trust. By the end of the session, we hope participants will: 1. Identify who and where to turn to if they need advice. 2. Build pro-social and pro-active support bridges. 3. Understand behaviors that build and break trust.

Session Twelve: Layout Overview of Session Twelve Welcome – 10 Minutes Meal – 30 Minutes Stress and Problems Discussion – 15 Minutes Trust Walk Activity – 25 Minutes Yarn Circle Activity – 25 Minutes Wrap-Up Activity – 30 Minutes Announcements and Reminders – 5 Minutes Closing – 5 Minutes Session Twelve: Layout Overview of Session Twelve Welcome – 10 Minutes Meal – 30 Minutes Stress and Problems Discussion – 15 Minutes Trust Walk Activity – 25 Minutes Yarn Circle Activity – 25 Minutes Wrap-Up Activity – 30 Minutes Announcements and Reminders – 5 Minutes Closing – 5 Minutes

Materials Supply Box Ball of Yarn Trust Walk Scenario Slips Ask families for Camera Project from Last Session Materials

Preparation Checklist Ask an Elder or spiritual leader, at least one week in advance, to be present at the session to give the opening prayer, food blessing, and closing prayer. Tobacco and smudge pack Set out the materials from the supply box that will be used for the Hand Activity. ____________________________________________________ Preparation Checklist

Session Twelve: Summary & Overview Overview of Session Twelve Stress and Problems Discussion FAMILY: YARN CIRCLE: Activity and Discussion FAMILY: Trust Walk: FAMILY: Personal mission statement: Discussion and Worksheet Session Twelve: Summary & Overview The session’s activities will focus on the positive influences in your community. Life in general can be tough, and everyone has faced stress and problems at some point. Who do you talk to and where do you go for guidance? We will learn how to build positive social support.

While we are waiting for all the families to arrive, take a few minutes and draw a picture of your favorite activity from last session. You can also write a brief sentence saying what important lesions it taught you. This isn’t only for kids, parents draw too! As the Families Arrive Welcome each family as they arrive. Check families in on the attendance sheet and ask the kids to put a sticker on the attendance poster.   As each person arrives, ask them draw a picture of their favorite activity from last session.  If an Elder attends, welcome them appropriately.

So how many of you were able to work on last session’s take-home activity? Youth, did you like Solve the Mystery activity? In your own words, what do all of the clues mean to you? How many of the parents were able to hold a family talking circle? How was holding the talking circle to discuss the behavior different from how you usually react to the behavior that you chose? Now, you were also asked to take picture of your home and community. Did you have fun taking pictures? What kinds of things did you take pictures of? Welcome Welcome everyone to the session. Reinforce to the families how important their participation is. Ask if there are any questions from last session. Discuss the take home activity from last session. The answers to the “Solve the Mystery” questions are on page 11-12 of this manual. The youth were supposed to solve the mystery by talking to others and building a positive support system.   The parents were supposed to hold a family talking circle in order to discuss the behavior contract that they completed during the last session. The families were also supposed to take pictures at home and in the community. Introduce the invited Elder to give the opening prayer. 10 Minutes

Answers to “Solve the Mystery”

Meal Announce that it is now time for the meal. Ask the Elder for the blessing of the food. Mingle with the families during the meal. Please spread out and sit with the families.   30 Minutes

Stress and Problems Discussion Who are some people that you count on? When was a time that you were going through a difficult situation and found out who is really on your side? Stress and Problems Discussion Explain that for the session we will not be breaking out into separate parent and youth groups. Instead we will have large group discussions and activities. The first discussion is about the kinds of people we can go to when we are dealing with stress and problems.   15 Minutes

Trust Walk Activity 25 Minutes Introduce the activity called a “Trust Walk.”   The goal of this exercise is to demonstrate that trust is a constant process of negotiation and that certain actions can easily destroy trust. Let families know these “Trust Behaviors” can be found on page 52 in the parent booklet and page 53 in the youth booklet. Begin the Trust Walk activity.   You could take this activity outdoors if weather permits. If you choose to remain indoors, ask participants to move chairs around before the activity. After you have gone through the scenarios in the cup, gather the group back to their seats. Lead a brief discussion about the activity. Ask the families to reflect on the scenarios from the activity and lead a discussion on what other actions could be considered untrustworthy or trust-destroying and trustworthy or trust-building. 25 Minutes

Yarn Circle Activity 25 Minutes Ask the families to move their chairs into a circle. Explain that they are going to do a “Yarn Circle.” This is a great activity to take pictures of each family.    Monitor and participate in this activity. After everyone has had a turn, take a minute to make a point with everyone. Stand up and pull on one of the strings that this activity has generated. It should move everyone else’s string as well.   Give families time to share their thoughts. After the activity is completed, wind up the yarn ball. 25 Minutes

Wrap-up and Activity 30 Minutes While still sitting in the circle, take a few minutes to get the group’s feedback about the session and the social support building activities. Ask the group to think about the Trust Walk activity and the Yarn Circle activity.   Ask participants to regroup around tables so that they can write in their journals for the next activity. Explain that the next activity will involve making a personal mission statement.   Direct the youth to page 54-56 of their booklets, and parents to page 53-55 of their booklets “Personal Mission Statement Worksheet” and go through each question, explaining in further detail and giving examples. Then allow the parents and youth time to fill out their personal mission statements. Walk around the room and answer any questions they may have. After the families finish, have a brief discussion about the activity. 30 Minutes

Announcements and Reminders After you have wrapped up the personal mission statement activity, refocus the group’s attention for the session closing. Explain that there is no take home activity for the night.   Ask families for the pictures taken throughout the last week. Let them know there are various ways they can get these to you. For instance: text message, email, thumbdrive, usb, flash drive, etc. Be sure to have the pictures developed before the next session. They will be used for the scrapbook. 5 Minutes

Closing We appreciate your participation. This program wouldn’t be possible without you! Our next session: Empowerment Closing prayer by Elder Tell the families how sincerely you appreciate their participation. Let the families know you look forward to seeing them next session.   You may want to ask a family member or Elder to give a closing prayer before ending. If there is time, ask the Elder to give a short talk on the importance of today’s session. Collect any paperwork, if needed, and/or pass out any possible items to participants. 5 Minutes