1. Introduction to Resilience
26th June Brighton
Jules Sivetar Reed
Dr Claire Stubbs
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger?
Some people just stronger, more robust to cope with difficulties than others?

2. Why does it matter how we define resilience?
What is resilience?
What is resilience?
Why does it matter how we define resilience?

3. Resilience is… Better than expected outcomes – in a context
of adversity-two crucial ingredients!
Bouncing back/up
Asset or strength focused
Compensatory experience – mitigating
Positive chain reactions

4. Useful definitions…
Hart, Blincow and Thomas (2007, p10) “…resilience is evident where people with persistently few assets and resources, and major vulnerabilities…have better outcomes than we might expect given their circumstances, and in comparison to what we know happens with other children in their contexts”.
Hart and Gagnon (2014) “Beating the odds whilst also changing the odds”.
Hart and Gagnon (2014) “Resilience is overcoming adversity, whilst also potentially subtly altering, or even dramatically transforming, (aspects of) that adversity”.

5. Other definitions………
'Resilience does not constitute an individual trait or characteristic… resilience involves a range of processes that bring together quite diverse mechanisms…' (Rutter 1999: 135)
‘The indication of a process which characterizes a complex social system at a moment in time.’ (Fonagy, Steele et al : 233)
Ordinary Magic ( Masten, 2001)
‘Ordinary Magic’ (Masten, 2001)

6. Experience of adversity (chronic and/or acute)
Better well-being than might be expected
(in all or some domains)

7. Data suggest that only about 1/3 of an ‘at risk’ child population experience negative long term outcomes; up to 2/3 appear to survive without serious developmental harm (Newman and Blackburn 2002)
rule: 70% will cope well with challenges in adverse family, school and community contexts;20% require more than just good homes, schools or community resources and need structural support + MH interventions; 10% of these need longer term support/little short term outcomes (Ungar 2014)
What does this mean for the 70% and resilience practice?
How come – what’s happening for the 2/3 or the 70% - are there some clues here….

8. Resilience factors – waves
Individual attributes: e.g. good looks, good nature, intelligence
Family relationships: e.g. good parenting, good relationships with brothers and sisters
Social and community factors: e.g. good schooling, decent friends, meaningful hobbies
Processes and mechanisms

9. Not too many surprises there
intelligence
good looks
good education
ability to problem solve
decent standard of living
love and sense of belonging
having had great parenting

10. Processes and mechanisms
Things that happen or resources we put in place that improve the odds for a child
Ways of thinking and acting that help a child to do better than we might have expected
Positive chain reactions we foster
knowing how things work, making sure it happens, trouble shooting, getting stuck in, trying again, choreography & ‘effective detail’.

11. Maybe not so obvious Opportunities to contribute
One good adult role model, preferably over time
Sense of purpose
Realising or setting up a talent/healthy interest
Sense of self efficacy
Reflective self-functioning
A life story that makes sense
opportunities to contribute
sense of purpose
realising or setting up a talent/healthy interest
a sense of self-efficacy
reflective self-functioning
one good adult role model, preferably over time
having a ‘coherent autobiographical’ narrative

12. Clubs and hobbies
Summer camps – tipping points
Belonging to something good (families, peers)
Getting kids to do good for others, volunteering
Holistic interventions that don’t just tackle issue/s
Having mentors who stick with kids over time
Continuity of practitioner/carer/parent
Reframing experiences
Problem solving skills

13. Working with the whole lot!
Research with the most vulnerable children shows very clearly that they heal best when we shape their environments to meet their needs (Jaffee, Caspi, Moffitt, Polo-Tomas, & Taylor, 2007; Prilleltensky, 2012)
Developing the protective factors associated with child development in adverse contexts
Requires an ‘inequalities imagination’
Multi-faceted strategies

14. Critique of resilience…
“A focus on resilience cannot adequately explain inequalities in [health] and wellbeing and may serve to disguise or distract from analysis of social structures that result in and maintain inequalities in power, wealth and privilege”
Friedli, 2012

15. Uniting resilience research and practice with activism
The Fifth Wave .
The 5th wave – an overarching critical approach which explicitly takes into account political and economic influences and privileges research co- produced with and alongside communities in adversity.

16. Resilient moves
Aumann and Hart (2009, p11) “The kinds of things we need to make happen (e.g. events, parenting strategies, relationships, resources) to help children manage life when it’s tough. Plus ways of thinking and acting that we need ourselves if we want to make things better for children”.

17. Jules Story
What are the resilient moves that you notice in Jules’ story?
The impact of these resilient moves on his experience and resilience
What would you plan for him next and why?
Q and A for Jules

18. The Implications for Resilience Practice
Individual and social resources
Positive chain reactions and turning points
The importance of the basics
Its not prescriptive- taking a leap and seeing what works
A “fifth wave approach to practice”
Holding the complexity of individuals and experimenting
More than just coping and important attachments
Increasing opportunities for social capital development
Trying a number of options and hanging on in there!
The Implications for Resilience Practice

20. Magic …. someti mes the smalle st move can make the most surpris ing differe nce!

22. Team Exercise Split groups into five potions
Choose a potion ( or more if you are feeling adventurous) and create an activity that you can use with young people within your service
Each group to present to the rest of the team so everyone can appreciate the move!
Have fun and enjoy! :)

23. Ten steps to applying RT
Get familiar with the framework
Have it to hand
Remember the noble truths
Use the framework to map out where the young person is at
Does one or other potion bottle shout out at you?
Pick your priorities to make the most resilient moves (what’s most urgent, what’s most doable, quick wins?, what you’re up for, what the child/family wants, what the child/family can most easily manage, time available)
Come back to the noble truths. How can they help you?
Make your resilient moves
Check out with them, and yourself. How well did it go?
What have I learnt for another time?

24. Take the resilient QUIZ
On a scale of 1(very little).…..5 (very much)
QUESTION 1
Curious, ask questions, want to know how things work, experiment. 2
Constantly learn from your experience and the experience of others. 3
Need and expect to have things work well for yourself and others. 4
Take good care of yourself. 5
Play with new developments, find the humour in things, laugh at self, chuckle. 6
Adapt quickly to change, are highly flexible. 7
Feel comfortable with paradoxical qualities.
Caveat….

25. Anticipate problems and avoid difficulties.
QUESTION
1.….5 8
Anticipate problems and avoid difficulties. 9
Develop better self-esteem and confidence every year. 10
Listen well. Read others, including difficult people, with empathy. 11
Think up creative solutions to challenges, invent ways to solve problems, trust intuition and hunches. 12
Manage the emotional side of recovery. Grieve, honour and let go of the past. 13
Expect tough situations to work out well, keep on going. 14
Help others, bring stability to times of uncertainty and turmoil. 15
Find the gift in mistakes, accidents and bad experiences. 16
Convert misfortune into good fortune.
REFERENCE: Al Siebert “The Resiliency Advantage” – Public sector educator at the Resiliency Centre in Oregon
80 + = very resilient
65-80 = better than most
50-65 = slow but adequate
40-50 = you’re struggling
Less than 40 = seek help

26. What might your results tell you about your resilience today
What might your results tell you about your resilience today? What resilience qualities do you bring to your work? What might you want to develop more?
SO what’s this got to do with nursing?
Need to know it in ourselves to recognise it in others – cannot help to build it in others if we don’t what it involves
3 Research shows us some of the common factors that make resilience possible

27. WHAT DO YOUR RESULTS SUGGEST TO YOU? 1
Curious, ask questions, want to know how things work, experiment. 2
Constantly learn from your experience and the experience of others. 3
Need and expect to have things work well for yourself and others. 4
Take good care of yourself. 5
Play with new developments, find the humour in things, laugh at self, chuckle. 6
Adapt quickly to change, are highly flexible. 7
Feel comfortable with paradoxical qualities. 8
Anticipate problems and avoid difficulties.
SUGGEST TO YOU? 9
Develop better self-esteem and confidence every year. 10
Listen well. Read others, including difficult people, with empathy. 11
Think up creative solutions to challenges, invent ways to solve problems, trust intuition & hunches. 12
Manage the emotional side of recovery. Grieve, honour and let go of the past. 13
Expect tough situations to work out well, keep on going. 14
Help others, bring stability to times of uncertainty and turmoil. 15
Find the gift in mistakes, accidents and bad experiences. 16
Convert misfortune into good fortune.
Turn to person next to you and discuss>
One thing you scored highly for? One thing you scored more lowly for?
WHAT MIGHT YOUR RESULTS TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR SENSE OF RESILIENCE TODAY?
So what does mean for your roles as nurses?

28. Professor Angie Hart