Leadership Strategy for Resilience

Module 1

Understanding Resilience in Schools and School Systems Video
Dr. Michael Ungar 
Read Dr. M. Ungar's Biography

The purpose of this video is to provide an understanding of resilience.   It is comprised of 4 main sections that includes:

• Definition of Resilience?
• Five Principles that Make Resilience More Likely to Occur
• What Students Need to Succeed: Seven Core Elements
• Translating Principles into Practice in Schools and School Systems (7 core elements)

The video can be used in two ways.  The entire 26  minute video can be seen at one time or it can be shown in segments of 5 to 8 minutes.  Each of these segments can be the basis of discussion relating to the context of your school or system environment.

	What is Resilience?   Resilience is the capacity of children and youth to navigate towards resources they need and to negotiate the use of these resources.
	Five Principles that Make Resilience More Likely to Occur. Shape the student’s environment to support their development Most disadvantaged students need the most help and support Early intervention is better but it is never too late to help/intervene Complex problems require complex solutions More is not necessarily better
	What Students Need to Succeed: Seven Core Elements  Positive relationships, advocate/mentor/role model Sense of identity Self-efficacy Social justice / to be treated fairly Access to basic services Cohesion / spirituality Culture
	Translating Principles into Practice in Schools and School Systems Believe all students can be successful Partnerships between schools and community "Velcro” your best ideas into a package that shape environments that are facilitative for students'  succeed  Provide students from the most disadvantaged situations with additional support and resources Build on your successes

 

Dr. Michael Ungar's Biography

Michael Ungar is a Killam Research Professor and Professor of Social Work at Dalhousie University where he directs the Resilience Research Centre (RRC) that coordinates more than three million dollars in funded research in a dozen countries. That research is focused on how youth and their families survive adversity in culturally specific ways.

Dr. Ungar has published over 75 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on this topic and is the author of ten books including The Social Worker, his first novel. Among his books for professionals are Counseling in Challenging Contexts: Working with Individuals and Families Across Clinical and Community Settings, and Strengths-based Counseling with At-risk Youth. He also writes for parents and educators. Among his most recent work is We Generation: Raising Socially Responsible Children and Teens and Too Safe For Their Own Good. In addition to his research and writing, Dr. Ungar maintains a family therapy practice in association with Phoenix Youth Programs, a prevention program for street youth and their families, and was the recipient of the Canadian Association of Social Workers Distinguished Service Award for Nova Scotia in 2010.

His work has been featured in numerous magazines (Reader’s Digest, Body and Soul, Today’s Parent) and newspapers (Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, USA Today) around the world, and he regularly appears on radio and television. His blog, Nurturing Resilience, can be read on Psychology Today’s website.