Positive and Healthy Self-esteem - Part 2

Time

70 mins

Target

Suitable for 14+

Participant

8 -12 Participants

Delivery

Face2Face & Virtually

This session aims to support a positive and healthy outlook on self – esteem. This means that participants have a strong sense of worth, celebrate strengths and value themselves as an individual. This session will support participants to identify their own, and others, positive qualities and attributes.

AIMS

This activity will help build confidence and resilience in participants to reach their goals and develop skills to deal with challenges and/ or negative thoughts

OUTCOMES

By the end of this activity participants will be able to:

  • Identify and understand what is meant by self-esteem.
  • Demonstrate skills to address negative thoughts and situations in their life.
  • Recognise positive attributes in ourselves.
  • Devise coping strategies to support positive and/or healthy self–esteem to overcome barriers.

FACILITATOR NOTES

Here are some guidance to support the participants

ICE BREAKER

We recommend using - ‘If You`

Part 1: A story about having low self- esteem

Group Activity

In this activity, participants are asked to access a room that can accommodate a the participants to sit in a semi-circle. Activity sheet 1 and 2 to be given out to each participant and is a useful prompt to consider whether they would like to work on their own or in smaller groups.

Before the activity begins

How would you feel if you were Alix at 9:30 / 10:30 / 1:00 pm onwards. Can participants describe a time where they felt like Alix? Now think about Alix, were they right to 'fear the worst' because they were late?

9am

Alix woke up late today for their college work placement because they didn't put their phone on charge and their alarm didn’t go off. Their dad knocked on their bedroom door and shouted, ‘GET UP YOU'RE LATE, YOU'RE LETTING PEOPLE DOWN’. Their brother (aged 4) heard their dad and opened Alix’s bedroom door and jumped on their bed. Alix hid under the blankets, hoping that everyone would just go away. Alix felt tired and didn't want to get out of bed. Alix screamed ‘get out of my room, I’m not dressed yet’ and quickly jumped out of bed throwing their yellow socks at their brother. Alix was really upset that they had missed their alarm, they had been shouted at, and their brother was in their room without asking.

9:30am. (now 30 minutes late)

Alix is late on the fourth day of work placement and knows they will be the last one there and that this can make a bad impression. Alix thought “all I do is mess things up,” having experienced negativity towards them in the past from their parents and friends. Alix then heads off for the train in the rain (of course!). The train took ages as there was flooding on the line. Alix thought ‘could I use this as an excuse?’ and ‘it’s always me!’. The train line floods a lot in winter and is the main way out of the village (as Alix can't afford to drive yet and the buses are unreliable).

10:30am. (now 90 minutes late)

Alix arrives to their work placement and all the other workers are on a break. Alix thinks ‘everyone is looking at me’. Alix must speak to the manager - but they're in a meeting. Alix, thinks to themselves that 'the manager is going to shout at me too’ .

1.00pm

The manager of the work placement asks Alix to come into the office and sit down. Alix thinks ‘the manager is going to ask them to leave’, but the manager asks if Alix is OK-as Alix was usually early for placement. Alix explains that they were looking after their 4-year-old brother last night, as their parents' work shifts and didn’t go to bed until very late. Alix didn't hear their alarm, and the train was late due to the flooding. The manager explains that being late sometimes is OK as things happen in our life, but the policy says that they must phone in to let the team know. The manager explains that Alix on a work placement, so, they are here to learn. The manager says they can go over the induction and look at the policies and process, so Alix knows what to do in the future. The manager recognises that Alix usually arrives early and works hard, listens and seems to want to do their best - these are all positive things that employers look for in an employee.

Part 2: Positive words and phrases

The facilitator reads this statement:

Positives or successes are not always about winning the first time or achieving something as a reward (prize, money, etc.). It can be about the actions you take along the way, how you think about a situation and who want to be and are. Taking part in activities like this with other (young) people is a positive step in dealing with feeling of loneliness and being isolated from others.

The facilitator reads out - when you see these positives, which ones can apply to Alix and their situation?

• Smart • Caring • Loyal • Responsible • Determined • Honest • Reliable • Brave • Survivor

  • A talent – even if its currently not know to others e.g., sports, arts, music, etc.
  • Good memory of things I'm interested in
  • Confident to make choices for myself
  • I have a good relationship with my family
  • My opinions and ideas are worthy
  • I feel loved
  • Helpful
  • Patient
  • Kind

Part 3: Positive words and phrases

Part 3 - Videos on aloneness and loneliness

Prompt

Now ask the participants to pick three or more of the positives that relate to them. For each positive, ask them to describe a time where they remember thinking about this positive statement. For example, “honest”- when I was coming out of a shop an older person dropped money and I picked it up and give it back to them - as it could be the only money they had.

Discussion

Describe how you feel when you focus on things that are positive about you? Describe how you feel when you focus on negative things about yourself? Does your brain sometimes tell you that positives in your life or positive comments are a 'lie' and do you always believe it or challenge the thoughts? Do you think more about negative things in your life, and would you consider changing your focus to positives?

The facilitator will give participants the following instructions:

Ask the participants to pick three or more of the positives that relate to them and for each positive write a time where they remember thinking about this positive statement. For example, “honest” - "when I was coming out of a shop an older person dropped money and I picked it up and give it back to them as it could be the only money they had".

The facilitator will give participants the following instructions:

Describe how you feel when you focus on things that are positive about you? Describe how you feel when you focus on negative things about yourself? Does your brain sometimes tell you that positives in your life or positive comments are a lie and do you always believe it or challenge the thoughts? Do you think more about negative things in your life, and would you consider changing your focus to positives?

Notes

There is an activity sheet provided if participants would like to record their answers or this can also be used as evidence for Youth Achievement Awards or for completing the Participant Journal.

Part 4: Re–visiting & finisher

Has this session achieved the intended outcomes?

What can we do to help?

The facilitator refers to the learning outcome(s) for this session. Do participants all agree on the outcomes have been met? The facilitator can ‘test’ that learning outcomes have been met by a ‘pop’ quiz with prizes, etc.

Three questions to ask participants to reflect on:

  • What is meant by self-esteem and what are the main characteristics of it?
  • On a scale of 1-5, How comfortable do you feel about ide identifying positive attributes in ourselves?
  • On a scale of 1-5, do you now feel comfortable about being prepared for negative situations and feelings to support a positive and healthy sel-esteem?

Evaluation

The evaluation that we recommend for this activity is the People Tree

'The people Tree' is based of the Blob tree, aimed at supporting participants to articulate their feelings. the tree represents as setting, situation or location and the varying people on it represent different actions and emotions - This is subjective and participants can interpret the people in different ways.

Resources

Please feel free to download the activity resources. All documents are editable and can be adapted for your bespoke session.

Download Here