Have you seen Berkshire United Way’s social media
campaign, Humans of the Berkshires?
Humans of the Berkshires is a community of
celebration and support of the aspirations, challenges, and achievements of the
young people in our community. As part
of the interview process, a young person can choose from different questions, including,
“Who is a role model or influential figure in your life?” Sometimes interviewees will answer that one of
their parents/caregivers fit this description. One young woman, in particular, spoke about
how her mom sometimes has challenges and makes mistakes, but is absolutely the
most important person in her life. She went on to say that her mom loves and
supports her and always tries to understand what she is going through, even if
they don’t always agree. With her mom’s support, this young woman is pursuing
her dreams of becoming a social worker.
Every teen needs a caring adult to help guide them and
build a foundation to make healthy decisions. That is why Berkshire United Way
invests in programs that promote protective factors. Protective factors are characteristics associated with a lower
likelihood of youth engaging in risky behaviors with negative outcomes. Think
of them as ingredients, that when combined with a caring bond between parents
and child, result in a strong, healthy family.
Examples of
protective factors include:
·
Social
and Emotional Competence of Children = Children learn to talk about and
handle feelings.
·
Knowledge
of Parenting and Child Development = Parents know how children grow and
learn.
·
Social Connections
= Parents have friends.
·
Parental
Resilience = Parents can overcome hard times and rebound.
·
Concrete Support
in Times of Need = Parents know
where to turn for help
We all want our youth to make good decisions, which means
lowering risk factors and raising protective factors.
For more information
and ideas, visit Strengthening Families and The Search Institute.
Kat Toomey
Coordinator of Positive Youth Development
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