Social Emotional Learning

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to: develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions. It is an integral part of human development and education.

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Upcoming Programs

Youth Mental Health First Aid Certification

This course covers:
- Common mental health challenges for youth
- A 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations

Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Youth Mental Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders.

Online Training

Register here to request a link to the Positive Behavior Support Training video.

After watching the video you will be required to complete the Positive Behavior Support quiz to receive credit for this training.

Positive Behavior Support

In this recorded workshop, facilitated by Dee Spinkston, participants will understand positive behavior support (PBS) as a continuum of support for all students. We will identify and explore successful interventions for individuals and groups of young people.

participants will explore and develop understanding of the continuum of interventions to promote youth self-regulation and social competency.

Past Trainings & Programs

Introductory Level

W.A.I.T. Why am I Talking? Winter 2024
Facilitated by Mia Klinger
Consider how we use our voice with children, teens, and adults we work with. In daily interactions, when a child is having minor kinds of difficulties, overwhelmed or dysregulated. Think about how we make decisions, how and when we talk and what we say or don't say

Intermediate Level

Youth Mental Health First Aid Winter 2025
in Partnership with Cambridge Health Alliance
Facilitated by Sarah Lincoln and Danielle McPeak
Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Youth Mental Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations.

Partnering with Young People...Even When it's Hard! Spring 2024
Facilitated by Matt Dunkel
As youth workers, we believe that all young people can contribute positively to our communities. And we believe that sharing power with young people can enhance our collective work. But the day-to-day realities of our work don’t always match those beliefs. Our roles present intense demands. Young people bring a wide range of needs. Sometimes our practices fall short of meeting those needs. And unmet needs can contribute to youth behaviors that negatively impact others. In these moments, it’s easy to see young people’s behaviors as “the problem.” But if we re-ground ourselves in our beliefs, we can find other pathways forward. Instead of blaming young people, we can seek to better understand them. We can work with them to make things better. And in doing so, we can learn from and with young people to improve our own practices as youth workers.

This four-part series will offer a supportive environment to practice Since we can all learn from young people, this series is a good fit for anyone who works in Cambridge Out-of-School-Time programs: youth workers, program directors, and more!
Participants can expect some reading, a youth observation, and one initial action step as “pre-work” in between sessions. Readings come from the book Troublemakers: Lessons in Freedom from Young Children at School. All participants will receive a free copy of the book.

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