Homeless Children: How to Help the Economy’s Most Vulnerable Victims

One of the risk factors for ending up homeless is if your parents are homeless. In a crumbling economy, rife with job loss and foreclosures, the number of homeless people has started climbing again after experiencing a downturn from 2004-2007.

“‘I’ve never seen it like this before, and I have 30 years of experience working with the homeless,’ said Darlene Newsom, head of the UMOM Day Centers emergency housing project in Phoenix, Arizona, where the number of homeless families seeking services has doubled in the past three months.”

The Sun Sentinel ran a piece, entitled “Economy takes toll on kids” about the South Florida’s growing population of homeless children. Schools are often left to cope with the effects of families that lose their homes. Homeless kids struggle to stay focused, are often stressed, and act out to get attention. Many are teased by their classmates.

Broward County, FL has about 1,600 homeless children enrolled in the school system, according to the article. Palm Beach County has 953. Most of them are living “in shelters, motels and cars, or doubling up with friends or relatives.”

Being homeless puts kids at risk of foregoing their education and turning into homeless adults. “Fewer than one in four graduate from high school, and homeless children worry more and get sick more often than other kids.” (Sun Sentinel)

In addition to the high toll homelessness takes on their own lives, these at-risk kids, should they decide to drop out of school, cost taxpayers millions of dollars as they grow up and become dependent on the state.

So what can be done to give homeless children the tools they need to survive these hard times?  It is possible for homeless and at-risk youth to remain strong and resilient through their families’ struggles. Being homeless as a child does not have to automatically equate to a wasted life.

ARISE Foundation’s vast library of life skills material can help homeless kids build their self esteem, stay in school, handle bullies, manage their anger and experience an outlet for their emotions. ARISE lessons offer kids and teens practical advice, tips and tools to help them make the right decisions. The lessons are best taught in a group environment, where learners can share their experiences, get things off their chests and feel validated and appreciated in spite of their economic situations.

The following ARISE books are ideal for a homelessness prevention program, a support program for youth that are already homeless, a dropout prevention program or a life skills workshop:

1.  Anger Management
2. Self Esteem
3. So You’re Thinking of Dropping Out?
4. Networking, Jobs and Money
5. Learning Strategies and Time Management
6. Violence and Conflict
7. Substance Abuse and Guns

All ARISE material is best taught by certified ARISE Life Skills Facilitators. When you go through the ARISE Life Skills Group Facilitator training, you learn how to bring the learners out of their shells, how to engage and interest them, how to conduct the lessons in a productive way and how to make sure that you get the most out of each book.

To learn more about training or purchase ARISE materials, visit the ARISE Website or call TOLL FREE (888) 680-6100.

10 Tips for Developing Self Esteem, brought to you by ARISE Life Skills & Training

How’s your self esteem? Are you constantly wishing that you were more attractive, a little smarter or just a bit more sure of yourself? Take heart. No one is perfect. Even the most successful people have flaws. They just choose to focus on their strengths instead of dwelling on their weaknesses. There is no secret to increasing your self esteem, but there is only one person that controls it: you. YOU decide how you feel about yourself. YOU can choose to be happy or to wallow in self pity. YOU choose your thoughts. To help make the choice easier, here are 10 ways to develop your self esteem:

1. Believe in your ability to think, judge, choose and decide.
2. Have confidence in your values.
3. Realize that you have the right to be alive and happy.
4. Don’t allow intimidation or fear to hold you back from your dreams.
5. Join clubs and organizations. A sense of belonging increases self esteem.
6. Master a skill. Feelings of accomplishment inspire a sense of self worth.
7. Develop a meaning and direction in your life; know where you want to go.
8. Take part in different experiences. Show yourself how much you can enjoy a challenge.
9. Learn to accept advice without viewing it as criticism.
10. Solve problems instead of worrying about them.

Words Can Hurt, brought to you by ARISE Life Skills & Training

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.”

Quite the contrary.

Words are powerful. Harsh words spoken to a child can resonate throughout their life, as can words of encouragement. Words have the ability to elevate someone to their highest potential or shred their self esteem.

ARISE created this poster around the power of words. It’s just one of hundreds of motivational posters and materials created to help illustrate important ideas.  Each poster uses images and direct, to-the-point text to illustrate everything from the importance of staying in school and away from drugs to avoiding poisons around the home.  In a world of constant advertising built around bite-sized snippets of information, posters are a way to provide valuable lessons in a quick, impactful way. Each book in the ARISE Life Skills library features several different posters, each meant to provoke thought and inspire conversation.  These colorful, original pieces of art come in all sizes, from portable 11″ x 17″ sizes to the beautiful wall-sized 24″ x 36″ versions. Check out ARISE Foundation’s collection of posters here.

Teaching & Motivating Youth with ADHD/ADD and Learning Disabilities, brought to you by ARISE Life Skills & Training

Building a rapport with a learning-disabled, frustrated child or teen starts with tailoring your teaching style to their special needs. ADHD/ADD is a neurological disorder that impacts individuals in four main categories:

1. Attention: youth with ADHD/ADD have trouble paying attention and focusing on tasks, especially if they are not interested in them.
2. Impulsivity: lack of self-control can cause impulsive behaviors and choices.
3. Hyperactivity: many kids and teens with ADHD are “bouncy,” hyperactive, restless and on-the-go.
4. Boredom: Unless a task is very stimulating, those with ADHD/ADD often get bored easily.

ARISE lessons are specifically designed for people with difficulty reading, writing and staying focused. All guided group discussions and activities are structured, interactive, to-the-point and easy-to-understand.  Forget about boredom and acting out! These dynamic lessons will get even the most reserved students involved and learning about anger management, conflict resolution, job search and interview skills, health and hygiene, nutrition and exercise and much more.

Here are 15 ways to teach and connect with these unique, and often very bright, youth.

1. Give simple one-step directions.
2. Give both verbal and written instructions.
3. Maintain eye contact when giving instructions.
4. Help learners get started on an activity, then encourage them to complete the activity on their own.
5. When you ask a question, allow extra time for them to answer.
6. Encourage rather than criticize.
7. Focus on and praise positive behavior. Catch them doing good things and compliment them immediately. Praise and reinforce ALL good behavior: not interrupting, being patient, remaining seated, cooperating, participating in group activities.
8. Be sure they understand that it’s OK to ask for help.
9. Have them sit up front with their backs to other learners.
10. Let them doodle; it helps them focus and pay attention during quiet activities.
11. Hyperactive behaviors when seated are a release for the hyperactivity. It’s best to ignore them unless they are distracting for other learners.
12. Use activities that allow and encourage movement. Let the ADHD learner distribute and collect materials or erase the board.
13. If reading aloud frustrates them, do not ask them to do it.
14. Move closer to them when you want to get their attention.
15. Tell them what you want them to do, not just what NOT to do.

For more information, or to order from the ARISE curricula, please visit http://www.ariselife-skills.org or call 1 (888) 680-6100.