Foster Care Training

Many of the challenges that youth in care face come from feeling disconnected. When we act from a place of disconnection, we can’t value, understand, or respect ourselves, we can’t value, understand, or respect others, we can’t value, understand, or respect the world around us. This training explores mentoring young people in connection: to themselves, to each other, and to the natural world. These three concentric circles of connection rely on a foundation in mindful awareness, a tool that allows us to focus our attention in the present moment, in an intentional, non-judgmental way. Through the process of bringing mindful awareness to our own internal experience, to our experience of relationships with others, and to our experience of the natural world, we can explore each of these dimensions, get to know them more deeply, and come to feel connected to them. This training will explore concrete tools and develop provider’s skillfulness around mentoring connection.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to identify 8 hallmarks of connection
2. Participants will be able to list 3 characteristics of mindful awareness
3. Participants will discuss qualities of effective mentoring
4. Participants will be able to guide simple sequential exercises for helping young people develop connection to:
   • Self (Self-Awareness)
   • Others (Relational Mindfulness)
   • Nature (Nature Awareness)
5. Participants will review ways that building connection in one area supports building connection in other areas