A Personal Responsibility Program for our young people.
“The Switch Project aims to equip young people with the skills and strategies firstly for making wise choices and secondly, for taking personal responsibility for unwise choices. To provide a forum where they can learn the power they hold in the process of making choices, and in accepting the consequences those choices might evoke.” – Shannon Lea, BA(Psych)PGDIP(Psych)
The Switch Project not only starts the conversation about taking personal responsibility, it also discusses the questions, keys and strategies around making wise choices.
More importantly, The Switch Project deals with ways of taking personal responsibility when an unwise choice is made, thus equipping our young people with invaluable and practical tools around how to accept personal responsibility and move forward in positive ways;
Your response is your responsibility.
It is this distinctive aspect of The Switch Project that allows it to cater to all aspects of the decision making process; not only how to make a wise choice, but also:
“What can I do to rectify an unwise choice and move forward?”
The Switch Project addresses the ways that “I” can take personal responsibility:
In the Immediate Situation: Apologising, accepting consequences, making a better plan, and also;
In the Long Term: Learning practical strategies to earn back trust and respect as well as suggestions for making wiser choices in the future.
This is the skillset and collection of strategies young people will greatly benefit from learning; how to properly own my choices, and how to navigate taking personal responsibility for my choices.
The Switch Project has been developed for young people from 11 years onwards. It complements several of the Values & Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge and Understanding outcomes and indicators from the PDHPE Curriculum. The program contributes to several strands, including Interpersonal Relationships, Growth and Development, Safe Living, and Personal Health Choices. It also contributes to 4 out of the 5 Skills outcomes (Problem solving, Communicating, Interacting and Decision making). In addition, with regard to the NCCD, consider what percentage of your students experience social and emotional difficulties? The Switch Project falls well within the Positive Psychology approach to student well-being.
The Switch Project will build confidence and resilience through a relaxed, supportive, affirming and practical small group setting.
The switch Project is an excellent tool to use in stage 3 for both orientation to high school or middle school, as well as a refresher once integrated into those early high school and middle school grades. Learning to take personal responsibility is a continually evolving skill.
The Switch Project was piloted with 19 students over 8 weeks in Term 4 of 2015. Data collected before and after the program revealed that over 60% of the students reported an increase in confidence with regard to taking personal responsibility for their choices. 74% of students reported an increase in confidence in both making wise choices and in taking personal responsibility.
The 4 Core Switch Strategies
- What Strengthens ME to choose wisely?
- What Strengthens ME to take personal responsibility for my unwise choices?
- What Strengthens ME to Switch?
- What Strengthens ME to keep making wise choices?
