. y o u t h e n g a g e m e n t 2 .
"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete."
-R. Buckminster Fuller
Socioeconomic Indicators Impact Youth Health and Wellbeing
“Socioeconomic status can encompass quality of life attributes as well as the opportunities and privileges afforded to people within society”(APA, 2021). In the Wisconsin Rapids area, many families are living in poverty or are qualified as “ALICE” families, meaning they are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed. The Boys and Girls Club provides children with afterschool programming in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment, allowing parents additional time between the end of the children’s school day and the end of the parent’s work responsibilities. Children of lower SES without access to a resource like The Boys and Girls Club face an increased risk for developing sedentary behaviors, making nutritionally deficient food choices, and potentially becoming exposed to or involved in violence and peer pressure.
Activity: What is a Pantomime?
Combating the effects of ACES at The Boys and Girls Club
Today’s activity brought the group together to learn how we can communicate without using words. The students were shown a short video of a mime interacting with the crowd solely through his facial expression, body language, and eye contact. After the video, the children were challenged to gather into a circle to practice how they can communicate without using words.
This group activity was enjoyed by most of the students; however, there were a few students who chose not to participate. Some students chose to act words out with big dynamic movements, while other students cautiously looked around the room to see what their peers were doing before they joined in. It is possible that children who behaved more cautiously or more introvertedly have experienced adversity related to their socioeconomic status.
The purpose of this activity was to promote self-confidence, communication, and perseverance, all of which are crucial components for resiliency. The activity was designed to be fun and promote freedom of expression while at the same time providing an opportunity to learn and experience new things in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment.
Lower levels of socioeconomic status are linked to higher levels of emotional and behavioral difficulties.
Low-income families with exposure to substance use exhibit the highest rates of child abuse and neglect
Additional Programming to Help Combat ACEs
As children grow into adolescents, it can become more challenging to engage them in activities in the same way they participated as youths. The Boys and Girls Club does a great job of providing confidence and self-esteem-building opportunities for youth, so perhaps the Teen Center could consider adopting the LEO Program into their curriculum as it is specifically designed to speak to youth between the ages of 14-19.
The program is a state-approved interactive resilience-building program available to students in Wood County, WI. LEO stands for Learn & Empower Oneself. The mission of the LEO Program is to empower youth to understand their unique brains and quickly improve resilience, adaptability, and fearlessness in a rapidly changing world. LEO teaches simple yet powerful “brain hacks” to stop negative patterns and promote resilience and mastery. These Brain Hacks help us to understand, control, and adapt our own brains. Thought-provoking activities reinforce these new neural pathways to achieve rapid transformation.
Program Contacts
To find The LEO Program near you or to bring The LEO Program to your school/ community, please contact:
Wood County Coordinator: Kathryn Draper
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Region: North Wood County (Marshfield area)
Phone: (715) 540-0784
Email: draper@changewithin.net