Well-being and Life Skills Initiative

Six live trainings series (two hours each) for all staff plus hands-on group and individualized coaching.  Two live Resilient Leadership series trainings  (two hours each) for directors/activity leaders only. plus leadership coaching.

This cohort is a "hybrid" learning experience. By registering for this series, you are committing to attending all training sessions, both in-person and virtual.

Let’s be real: you can’t pour from an empty cup. In youth work, protecting your mindset isn't a luxury, it’s the foundation for everything you do. When you show up grounded, healthy and supported, the youth in your program notice and follow your lead.

This in-depth, six-part cohort series is a community space designed for afterschool professionals who want to do more than just "get through the day." Together with a tight-knit crew of your peers, you’ll dive into practical strategies to manage stress, navigate conflict, build emotional intelligence and protect your mental health. You won't just learn theory; you'll gain a ready-to-use toolkit with templates to create a safe, vibrant afterschool space where both you and your youth can truly thrive. You will learn to teach your youth to regulate their emotions and behavior, to meet their needs and to solve their own problems.

Why join?
We know your time is valuable. This cohort is built to support your life, your career and your wallet:

• Get Paid to Grow: Receive up to $345 in training incentives upon successful completion.*
• Boost Your Resume: Earn up to 1.8 CEUs to level up your professional credentials.
• One-on-One Coaching: Get personalized support and real-time modeling to help you handle tough behaviors and build youth resilience.
• Team Coaching: Receive targeted team building to improve program culture and staff well-being.
• Leadership Track: Earn additional incentives and CEUs and receive leadership coaching.
• Ready-to-Go Tools: Walk away with mindfulness games, well-being activities and plug-and-play lesson plans to run meaningful "Afternoon Meetings" without the prep stress.
• Habits for Life: Build self-care boundaries and tools to manage emotions that will serve you way beyond working hours.

*Includes attendance incentives and a completion stipend for participants who meet all program requirements.

How do I participate?
1. Complete the pre-requisite - Resiliency and Life Skills Basics Onboarding Self-Paced Training (one-hour)**
This self-paced, one-hour training module is available on a monthly rotation on the Prime Time training calendar.  You will be automatically enrolled to attend only ONE of the fall monthly offerings when you enroll in the series.
**If you have already completed this training, you do not need to take it again.

2. Register to attend all six live virtual and in-person two-hour sessions on Tuesday mornings, 9:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.

Part 1 – Introduction to Well-being: October 13, 2026
Part 2 – Growing into My Best Self: October 20, 2026
Part 3 – The Art of Social Connection: October 27, 2026 **IN PERSON**
Part 4 – Thriving in the Face of Stress and Trauma: November 3, 2026
Part 5 – Building a Culture of Empathy and Compassion: November 10, 2026
Part 6 – Expressing Gratitude and Serving the Community: November 17, 2026 **IN-PERSON**

Note: The cohort incorporates Resilient Leadership track as a Community of Practice for directors, assistant directors and aspiring afterschool leaders only.

Resilient Leadership 1: Leading from Within – Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Resilient Leadership 2: Leading with Compassion – Wednesday, November 4, 2026

3. Participate in two rounds of personalized coaching, at the beginning and at the end of the cohort, with the well-being and life skills specialist.

 

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Cohort Training Objectives:
Cultivate foundational understanding of resiliency and life skills and the science-based benefits for adults and youth.

Practice and reflect on adult-focused well-being practices in intrapersonal and interpersonal contexts.

Learn, apply and plan activities by applying the responsive classroom approach and instruction to youth resiliency and life skills in a regular Afternoon Meeting.

Explore innovative ways to create a positive and welcoming climate and culture through integration of well-being, resiliency and life strategies in staff and family interactions and youth activities.

Core Knowledge, Skills and Competencies Addressed (CKSCs):

Child/Youth Growth and Development
Identify - F. Identifies physical, cognitive, language and communication, well-being and life skills, and creative development benchmarks.

Apply - C. Communicates about physical, cognitive, language and communication, social and emotional, cultural and creative differences among children and youth.

Learning Environments and Curriculum
Physical, Well-being and Life Skills, and Cognitive Development

Identify -A. Recognizes that change, stress, and transition affect social and emotional development and behavior.

Apply- B. Implements strategies to develop young people’s self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, relationship-building and responsible decision-making skills,

C. Models healthy interactions and guides children and youth in self-awareness, social awareness, relationships, and responsible decision making,
D. Incorporates activities promoting cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development,
E. Is responsive and encourages learning through questions, active listening, problem-solving activities, and conversations,
F. Adapts cognitive and physical activities and interactions to support diverse needs, abilities, and interests,
G. Supports children and youth in developing a sense of self,
H. Facilitates learning and other opportunities that reflect the cultures and values represented in the local community.

Relationships and Interactions with Children and Youth
Individual Child / Youth Guidance
A. Provides a supportive environment in which children and youth can learn and practice pro-social behaviors,
B. Guides child/youth behavior in positive, developmentally, and culturally responsive ways,
C. Shows self-respect and respect for others,
D. Practices positive, healthy interactions and guides children and youth in self-awareness, social awareness, relationship building and responsible decision making.

Enhancing Group Experiences
Apply – D Identifies child/youth abilities and corresponding positive guidance techniques to support successful group experiences.

Youth Engagement Voice and Choice
Apply – E. Develops the capacity for self-reflection, communication, empathy, and appreciation of the various cultures and diverse opinions of children and youth.

Primary QIS Scales Addressed:

I. Safe Environment
I-E. Creating Safe Spaces: I-E-1. Foster positive climate, I-E-2. Convey warmth and respect, I-E-3. Provide support for safe space, I-E-4. Demonstrate positive group management style, I-E-5. Demonstrate mutual accountability, I-E-6. Actively create space for all voices.

II. Supportive Environment
II.G. Emotion Coaching: II.G.1. Acknowledge emotions, II.G.2. Support young people to name emotions, II.G.3. Discuss constructive handling.
II.H. Scaffolding Learning: II.H.2. Model skills.
II.I. Fostering Growth Mindset: II.I.1. Guide young people to self-correct, II.I.2. Use non-evaluative language, II.I.3. Attribute achievement to effort.
II.J. Active Engagement: II.J.1. Staff actively involved with young people.

III. Interactive Environment
III-K. Sense of Belonging: III-K.1. Young people get to know each other, III-K.2. Welcoming relationships
III-L. Fostering Teamwork: III.L.1. Promote active collaboration. III.L.2. Establish shared goals.
III-M. Promoting Responsibility and Leadership: III.M.1. Assign responsibility for tasks, III.M.2. Support carrying out responsibilities independently, III.M.3. Provide mentoring opportunities, III.M.4. Provide leadership opportunities
III-N. Cultivating Empathy: III.N.1. Structure activity for sharing and listening, III.N.2. Encourage understanding other’s emotions. III.N.3. Structure activities for showing kindness, III.N.4. Support valuing of differences.

IV. Engaging Environment
IV.P. Supporting Young People’s Interests: IV.P.1. Provide open-ended choice, IV.P.2. Provide multiple opportunities for choice, IV.P.3. Support creativity.
IV.R. Reflection: IV.R.1. Intentional reflection, IV.R.2. Multiple reflection strategies, IV.R.3. Young people make presentations. IV.R.4. Structured opportunities to provide feedback