You Can Do It!

(YCDI!)

The 5 Keys of YCDI! Education
Our core purpose is the development of young people’s social and emotional capabilities, including:

1.       Confidence (academic, social)

2.       Persistence

3.       Organisation

4.       Getting Along, and

5.       Resilience.

Central to the development of these 5 Key Foundations is instilling in young people 12 Habits of the Mind, including:

1.       Accepting Myself

2.       Taking Risks

3.       Being Independent

4.       I Can Do It

5.       Giving Effort

6.       Working Tough

7.       Setting Goals

8.       Planning My Time

9.       Being Tolerant of Others

10.   Thinking First

11.   Playing by the Rules, and

12.   Social Responsibility

This last point includes the values of Caring, Doing Your Best, Freedom, Honesty, Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Understanding, Tolerance, and Inclusion.

Included in our core purpose is the elimination of social and emotional difficulties and disabilities (“Blockers”) that constitute barriers to young people’s learning and well-being, including:

• Feeling Very Worried
• Feeling Very Down
• Procrastination
• Not Paying Attention or Disturbing Others, and
• Feeling Very Angry or Misbehaving.

YCDI is deliberate in restructuring negative Habits of the Mind that give rise to these Blockers and in the explicit teaching of alternative positive Habits of the Mind.

This approach includes positive, caring relationships with young people.

However, it is clear that in order to change the developmental trajectory of young people with poor mental health (emotional, social and behavioural challenges) and learning outcomes and to accelerate their social and emotional development, it is vital that schools, homes and communities be transformed so that the responsibility for supporting and educating, including quality social and emotional learning experiences and caring relationships, is shared throughout the community.