GRASA’s past two newsletters have covered the first and second domains of our new quality assessment tool, SEL PQA (Social & Emotional Learning Program Quality Assessment). If you missed it, you can find the installment on the first domain, Safe Environment, and the second domain, Supportive Environment, on our website.
This month we’ll discuss the third domain, Interactive Environment, previously called “Peer Interaction”. This will build on the first two domains and aims to foster teamwork, promote responsibility and leadership, and cultivate empathy. As a whole, this domain asks us to thoughtfully consider how our programming environment encourages productive interaction between staff, youth and their peers.
The first of three scales in this domain is about fostering teamwork by providing opportunities to collaborate and work cooperatively with others. Staff can encourage active collaboration, establish shared goals, and provide group-process opportunities. To thrive in this area, staff can create processes that ensure all youth have a voice in determining what each day looks like. If we help youth feel some ownership over the environment of the program, they will be more likely to be invested and engaged in it.
The second of the three scales is focused on promoting responsibility and leadership. Staff can incorporate this scale by providing mentoring or leadership opportunities by encouraging youth to present on topics to their peers and independently carry out their tasks and responsibilities. In quality programs, it’s our responsibility to create a space where youth can grow into strong community members and leaders. If we can offer opportunities for them to step up into different roles, we can help them uncover interests and skills they don’t know they have while fostering their independence.
The final scale is concerned with cultivating empathy and encourages staff to structure activities around sharing and listening, showing kindness, and supporting an understanding of other’s emotions and the value of differences. Modeling and mentoring are the foundation of a thriving interactive environment that helps youth understand and act with empathy. But we also have a responsibility to help youth practice empathy with one another. The lived experience can ensure they understand how their actions impact others and embed it in their behavior.
For more on the SEL PQA click here and check back next time for a look at the Engaging Environment Domain.