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Life skills lessons for at-risk youth are essential for equipping them with the knowledge and abilities they need to navigate challenges, make positive choices, and build a better future. At-risk youth may face various difficulties, such as poverty, family issues, substance abuse, or involvement in the juvenile justice system.

Managing the behavior of difficult populations of youth can be challenging but is essential for their well-being and their development.  Difficult populations can encompass a range of issues, including delinquency, behavioral disorders, substance abuse, and more. Here are some strategies and considerations for effectively managing the behaviors of at-risk youth and improving their life-skills.

Active listening is therapeutic.  It is the most effective form of conflict resolution. Many things can create conflict, but what sustains it is the feeling on the part of at least one of the parties that they have not been heard. They have not been listened to. We have not “heard their pain”. There has been a failure of empathy. That is why the use of force to resolve conflict is so profoundly self-defeating.

At-risk youth, particularly those facing metal health challenges, require special attention and support to address their unique needs. Here are some common mental health challenges faced by at-risk youth and potential strategies for addressing them.

As the at-risk youth get older, they need to start making their own decisions about how to be healthy.

When you buy a new car, you get a manual that tells you about all the parts and how to take care of the car. However, no one receives a manual like this when you are born.

Utilize ARISE Homosapiens Parts Operations and Maintenance Manual as part of the life skills lessons you teach the youth in your charge.

According to the U.S.  Department of Justice “there are more than 24,500 different youth gangs around the country, with more than 772,500 teenage and young adult members. A gang is defined as a group of people who engage in joint violent, illegal, or criminal activity. Teenagers join gangs for excitement and a sense of belonging.”

If youth are encountering gangs in school or in the community, they need opportunities to talk about these issues with adults.

The CDC “defines bullying as unwanted aggressive behaviors by another youth or group of youths, that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance, and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated. Bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical, psychological, social, or educational harm. Bullying can also occur through technology, which is called cyberbullying.” 

Emotional triggers can be memories, people, or objects that bring out intense negative emotions. It can affect anyone at any time. For example, some people may be triggered by getting into an elevator because of a fear of heights.

Children look to their fathers to lay down the rules and enforce them. They also look to their fathers to provide a feeling of security, both physical and emotional. An involved father promotes healthy development in his children.

Life is complicated. We are forced to navigate the world of work and of our home life. We need to bring our whole selves to work by dropping the stress, worry, anxiety, and guilt at the door.  When we leave to go home, we need to bring our positive selves home and leave the stress, worry, fears, and anxiety collected from dealing with the day’s events at the door.  This is a tough challenge for everyone. We all need to improve our mental health.  We need ARISE life skills for adults.

Research has shown that gratitude plays a big role in an adult’s wellbeing and success.

Recent studies are showing that gratitude is beneficial in children and young adolescents. Grateful adolescents are happier and more optimistic and satisfied with their lives and more engaged in school. 

Middle school is a time of immense growth and development and at the same time emotional turmoil in which there are peer conflicts, conflict with adults and conflicts with themselves. Here are strategies to share to help middle school at risk youth develop conflict resolution skills.