Adolescents

Against the Odds - building resilience in young people

Young People in Focus 

1 December 2010 Manchester
6 April 2011 Birmingham
21 June 2011 London

Why do some young people cope with difficulties more easily than others? What factors really make a difference to how we deal with adversity? What can practitioners do to make a difference? This course explores the concept of resilience in detail and how we can assess, identify and promote factors within the individual, the family and kinship network and the community. These factors can help a child / young person cope with adversity and disadvantage. It examines issues that increase vulnerability and risk and how workers can develop an approach that builds on strengths, and promotes resilience to help children and young people deal with adversity and cope with change.

Certificate in Supporting the Parents of Adolescents

Young People in Focus

A course for practitioners working with parents of young people
(Accredited over 6 months)

London 

15 & 16 February 2011 and
15 & 16 March 2011 and
21 and 22 June 2011

The course is relevant for all practitioners working with parents of young people (aged ten and over) and is designed to meet National Occupational Standards for Working with Parents. It provides an opportunity to:

• Specialise in working with parents of this age group
• Meet core national occupational standards for working with parents
• Gain credits in higher education.

The course covers:

• Considers what young people need from parents
• Explores the issues involved in parenting young people
• Familiarises participants with research that underpins evidence-based work with parents of young people
• Enables practitioners to develop skills to work effectively with parents from a strengths-based approach
• Encourages participants to reflect critically on their work with parents

Accreditation: The course is accredited by Middlesex University - Department of Work Based Learning (www.mdx.ac.uk/wbl) and will award successful students 30 C.A.T. points.

Challenging Years

Young People in Focus

Date: 24 May 2011

Location: London

This one-day facilitators’ training course will prepare practitioners for running the Challenging Years! programme. Challenging Years! is a short and accessible parenting programme for parents of young people in early adolescence. Challenging Years! examines the changing relationships between parents and their children as they make the transition to secondary school. The programme encourages parents to consider the new challenges their children will face as they move towards greater independence, and is ideal for running in schools and community settings.

The course covers:

• A working knowledge of the content of the Challenging Years! manual
• What is effective in supporting parents of teenagers
• The different needs of parents attending the course
• Development of facilitation skills within the context of Challenging Years!

Each participant will receive a copy of the Challenging Years! Manual.

ESCAPE and Parallel Lines parenting programme

Young People in Focus 

10, 11 & 12 November 2010 London
5, 6, & 7 April 2011 Bristol
19, 20 & 21 July 2011 Manchester

The ESCAPE parenting programme offers a flexible framework for working with parents and young people, and has been widely used with parents in the youth justice system and elsewhere. This programme promotes a problem-solving approach in helping parents establish a positive relationship with their teenagers.

The ESCAPE programme can be used in one-to-one or group settings, and includes Parallel Lines, a companion programme for working with young people in conjunction with their parents. This three-day facilitators’ training course will prepare practitioners for running their own parenting sessions using the ESCAPE programme.

Promoting Well-being - Boosting Self-Esteem in Young People

Young People in Focus

8 February 2011 Manchester
6 July 2011 London

The way a young person feels about themselves is central to their emotional wellbeing. However the concept of self-esteem is not straightforward and research has challenged some commonly held views. This course aims to help participants understand current debates about self-esteem and to consider the evidence for what works to boost young people’s self-esteem, as well as what to avoid. The session will also enable participants to try out practical tools and techniques.

Supporting Parents of Troubled Teens

Mindfields College

30 September 2010 Birmingham
7 October 2010 London

If popular representations are to be believed, the behaviour of many of our young people is worsening rapidly. What's more, the responsibility for all this is placed on parents whose confidence is severely depleted. 

This one-day interactive workshop is designed to teach the essential skills needed to engage with parents, who despite their struggles, offer the best hope for the future of their difficult and disorderly adolescents. Suitable for anyone who is involved with the parents or carers of teenagers and older children.

Take 3 Accredited Facilitators' Course

Young People in Focus

7, 8 & 9 December 2010 Manchester
8, 9 & 10 February 2011 London
14, 15, & 16 June 2011 Bristol

Take 3 is a comprehensive programme for practitioners working with parents who have challenging teenagers or teenagers that are at risk. It has been used successfully in many different contexts, including youth justice and in schools.

Take 3 refers to the three core elements of the course: nurturing young people; providing structure for young people; and self-care for parents. It is a group programme but can also be used in one-to-one work. The Take 3 pack is divided into two parts: a basic 10 session course, plus 10 extra optional sessions that deal with issues such as sex, drugs and alcohol, sibling rivalry, step-parenting, and anti-social behaviour. This facilitators’ training course will introduce practitioners to the core principles of Take 3 and prepare them for running the programme with parents.

Training for course leaders - Adolescence as a 'Second Chance' for teenage parents

Anna Freud Centre

24-25 September 2010
1-2 October 2010

or

18-19 March 2011
1-2 April 2011 

Four day training course for course leaders. A roll-out multi-disciplinary course on the emotional needs of pregnant teens and very young parents and their child.

This training will enable you to deliver a course comprised of five half study days, to be run fortnightly in your own location. It brings together the different practitioners working with this high-risk client group, to enhance their understanding of the needs, risks and double demands of adolescence and parenthood. The course comprises interactive workshops, skill-based seminars, work discussion groups and self-study units.

You can become a Course Leader if:

• You are working in a professional context with adolescent parents and/or their babies
• You are familiar with psychodynamic principles and mental health issues (knowledge of attachment theory, child development, group theory, intercultural and/or social theory are helpful).
• You have the leadership qualities, enthusiasm and organisational skills to deliver the Course in your own locality