LIFE SKILLS

Broad objective   To empower service providers with knowledge to assist the youth to develop life skills that will help them face the challenges of growing up and make decisions about their future.

Specific objectives By the end of this session, participants will be able to: · Define self-esteem. · Discuss ways to improve self-esteem. ·Distinguish between assertiveness and aggression · Demonstrate effective assertiveness skills · Identify ways and steps of decision making ·Describe the purpose and process of setting and achieving clear goals.  

Definition Life skills -are an acquired ability, practiced and mastered to overcome the day-to-day challenges of life. They help young people identify goals and build good relationships and healthy future.  

Categories of life skills There are three categories: I. Skills for dealing and coping with oneself II. Skills for dealing and coping with others III. Skills for making effective decisions

Categories of life skills… Skills for dealing and coping with oneself Skills for dealing and coping with others Skills for making effective decisions Self awareness Interpersonal relationships Critical thinking Self esteem Friendship formation Creative thinking Coping with emotions Conflict resolution Decision making Coping with stress Empathy Problem solving Goal setting Effective communication   Time management Resisting peer pressure / assertiveness Negotiation

Categories of life skills… Self-awareness This is the ability to understand who you are, your strengths and weakness. It enables one to work on his /her weakness and build on his / her strengths. It helps people to accept corrections.   Critical thinking This is the ability of analysing a situation and give your own opinion even if it differs from others. It helps young people make their own personal decisions Self esteem Self-esteem is a word used to describe how people feel about themselves. How people feel about themselves influences their actions towards others and what they can accomplish in life.

Ways to improve self-esteem Not comparing yourself with others Recognizing your special talents and appreciating yourself Thinking about the kind of person you are and making a list of your best qualities Being aware of the things you would like to improve about yourself, but not being overly self-critical Being realistic Believing in yourself Spending time with people who care for you Staying away from people who damage your self-esteem

Factors that lower self esteem Discouragement Academic qualifications Lack of recognition Lack of achievements Names Refusal to accept praise Giving others chance to give their opinions first. Failure to stand up for ones rights

Assertiveness Being assertive means standing up for yourself and being honest with yourself and other people about what you need and want, even if other people think otherwise

Rules of Assertiveness Decide what you feel or want and say it Maintain eye contact Do not make excuses Do not seek approval from others Do not get confused by the other person’s argument Remember you have a right to change your mind

Passiveness, Assertiveness and Aggressiveness ·    Giving in to the will of others ·    Hoping to get what you want without having to say it ·    Leaving it to others to guess or letting them decide for you. ·    Being submissive ·    Talking quietly, nervous, giggling, looking down or away, sagging shoulders, hiding the face with hands ·    Avoiding disagreement   NB-These are submissive people ·    Telling someone exactly what you want in a way that does not seem rude or threatening ·    Standing up for your rights without endangering the rights of others. ·    Knowing what you need and want ·    Expressing yourself with “I” statements say “I feel” not “You…” ·    Look the person in the eye ·    Stand your ground These are balanced people ·  Expressing your feelings or desires in a way that threatens or punishes others ·  Insisting on your rights while denying their rights. ·  Dominating, shouting, demanding, not listening to others. ·  Looking down on people. ·  Saying others are wrong. ·  Blaming, threatening, or fighting with others. These are people who dominate others

Decision Making A decision is a choice that we make between two or more possible courses of action

Steps for good decision-making Describe the problem, situation and or issues Get more information if you have questions about the situation Think about the possible consequences or outcomes of each course of action Think about your personal and family values Think about the ways in which your decision may affect other people Choose the decision that seems most appropriate Re-think the decision and how you feel about it

The acronym DECIDE. D – Describe the problem in your own words E – Explore the available options C – Choose the best option that fits you I – Identify the advantages and disadvantages of the option you have chosen D – Do it if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages E – Evaluate whether your option is working. If not go back to “E”

Three C’s for Decision Making CHALLENGE Describe the CHALLENGE (or decision) you have CHOICES List at least three CHOICES you have CONSEQUENCES Consider the positive and negative CONSEQUENCES of each choice

Goal setting A goal is an achievement and accomplishment towards which our efforts are directed