HABERSHAM MOTIVES
LIFE SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM OUTLINE

The objective of this Life Skills training program is to improve each youth's—Behavior, Attitude, Skills and Knowledge. Listed below are the lessons to be taught which are designed to contribute to this goal.

Million Dollar Nuggets – Symbolizes the lessons below which are to be taught during the Life Skills Training program and if adhered to, these lessons will be worth millions of dollars to the youth that get involved in the training

Made Up Mind – Based on a true story about a person who smoked cigarettes for 40 years and suddenly made a decision to quit and has not returned to smoking since. This concept is simple but not easy and applies to any decision to be made in anyone's life at any time in their personal and/or professional growth and development. (You can do anything you want to do…if you make your mind up )

Attitude:-The facilitator provides an operational definition of the word “attitude” which basically explains that one's attitude is how individuals are perceived by others. An individual's  attitude ultimately determines how others responds to him or her in any given situation.  Essentially, a positive attitude brings about positive outcomes.

Million Dollar Nuggets – Symbolizes the lessons to be taught during the Life Skills Training program and if adhered to, these lessons will be worth millions of dollars to the youth that get involved in the training.

Slippers – The facilitator uses the game of marbles once played by young boys many, many years ago to illustrate this principle. In this game the larger marble is called the “toy” and is used to hit the smaller marbles.  In this game, unlike in life, if you make a mistake and release the “toy” unintentionally, you get to yell “slippers”  and that move would not count against you.  The lesson to be taught here is that in life, as individuals mature into adulthood, they don't have the luxury of yelling “slippers' Often times, the mistakes one make will follow them for the rest of their lives.

Equipment – The facilitator reads aloud a poem entitled “Equipment” that essentially states that each and every one present has the same abilities as other high achievers and can do whatever they decide they want to do provided they make good, low risk choices. The most powerful verse in the poem is “you are the  handicap you must face”

Courage - It takes courage to do the right thing. Going along with the crowd in order to be popular or to fit in does not take courage. Doing the right thing doesn't mean you can't have any fun and does not make you a “nerd.”

The Child is the Father of the Man – This graphic illustrates how a child develops into a man. The lesson to be taught is that what one does as a child determines the type of man (adult) he/she will become.

Easy Street – The facilitator will instruct the youth to follow the “Easy Street” diagram explaining that the only responsibility of youth is to go to school and to be good students. Young people are on easy street right now because they are dependent upon their parents/guardians to provide for their basic needs and many of the things they want. Being good students will result in the youths' ability to get good jobs, nice homes, cars, etc. If youth don't follow the right paths, they will end up on many dead end streets.

Thinking Bridge - This lesson has to do with considering the consequences of your actions. Always think before you act. The facilitator will give each youth a glass marble and ask them to give it an affectionate name and to always keep the marble with them, in their pockets or purses as a symbol to trigger the appropriate behaviors and responses when faced with making the right choices.

Code Switching – This lesson involves appropriate behavior at the appropriate time. The facilitator will illustrate how certain types of behavior are acceptable when addressing friends and fellow students while a more professional and mature behavior is required when addressing teachers, adults and superiors. The facilitator will discuss the importance of knowing what one's “position” is and how that position often changes depending upon the circumstances. Role playing exercises will be used to teach this lesson.

Action/Consequences - The facilitator will use role playing exercises involving the students in certain hypothetical situations to discuss how our actions are directly associated with consequences. Positive behaviors bring about positive outcomes. Negative behaviors bring about negative consequences.

Qualities of a Successful Person –Students will be asked to identify individuals that they know personally and/or professionally and provide a list of qualities that they feel those individuals have which have made them successful. The object of this lesson is to show the youth that certain qualities are required and must be demonstrated consistently in order to achieve success.

Etiquette – Students will be taken to a full service restaurant for a real dining experience. The objective is to teach young people how to dress, behave appropriately, order from the menu, proper table settings and use of utensils, and manners. Other information and activities will be incorporated into the nuggets regarding etiquette.

Opinions of Rap Music – The lesson is based on definitions of “Fantasy” versus “Reality”. The facilitator will ask each youth to take a blank piece of paper and draw a single line down the center of the page. On the left side the students will be instructed to make a list of all of the words they know which have the same or similar meanings of the word Fantasy. They will do the same on the right side for the word Realty.

The facilitator will stage a debate scenario between himself and the students. The students will give reasons why Rap music is good and the facilitator will give reasons why rap music is not good. The object of this exercise is to show that there are many more reasons why rap music is negative than there are to support why rap music is good.

Violence Prevention – Excerpts from a workbook will be used to teach the youth options to violent behavior. Students will be asked to assume the role of actual youth facing potentially violent situations. The object of this lesson is to present alternative ways of dealing with anger.

Fifteen Years From Now – Each student will be asked to complete a profile projecting how they will be fifteen years into the future. The students will describe their level of educational attainment, the type of jobs they will have, their home and family composition, etc. The object of this lesson is to teach the youth to plan for a successful future by imagining how they want to see themselves in the future. “If you fail to plan you are planning to fail”
More Focus Needed on Academics than Athletics/Entertainment-

The facilitator will distribute a news article detailing the odds young people face in being successful as professional athletes. In spite of the odds, many young people still dream of having good chances of turning pro or getting that major recording contract, etc. Being successful in these careers also requires having a good academic background and other options to pursue.

Career Development – Using the Georgia Career Information System (GCIS) from the local Department of Labor, each youth will participate in a computerized self-assessment designed to assist them in choosing careers for which they may have both the aptitude and interest. Each student will receive a report based on their assessment which also tells them about the future earning and training required to achieve their individual career objectives. Additionally, the facilitator will incorporate relevant information about careers and goal in the teaching of the other nuggets.