Since 1992 every April has been recognized as National Stress Awareness Month. Here at Project Access, we take mental and emotional health seriously through our Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs.
Social and emotional learning is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
Our SEL programs which are available to our Residents concentrate on five core components: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision Making. The skills within each of these components are significantly correlated to success in school, work, and life.
For kids who participate in SEL-type programs, the outcomes for kindergarteners through young adults are significant. They are more likely to graduate high school, receive a college degree and obtain stable employment in young adulthood.
For Project Access, social and emotional learning is an integral part of our organizational culture, from interactions between staff, Residents, and partners, to being a core component of all of our Education for Youth programs. We know learning to cope with stress and finding healthy ways to deal with its impacts can go a long way in living a healthy and positive life. It’s gratifying that our efforts have a positive impact on families, especially young students.