· Multi-week for males only (normally 8 weeks)
· Promotes healthy adolescent transition to adulthood
· Provides learning that helps achieve the following developmental tasks: positive personal image, critical thinking, independence through responsible decision making, assertiveness, problem solving skills, healthy sexuality
· Designed to build skills and decrease chance of risky behaviour
BREAKTHRU description for:
BREAKTHRU feedback:
For Elementary Schools:
· Meets the Ontario Elementary Curriculum for Health and Physical Education and Language in the Growth and Development, Personal Safety and Injury Prevention and Substance Use and Abuse Strands.
· Matches the Developmental Asset Domains for Boundaries and Expectations, Positive Values, Social Competencies and Positive Identity.
· Topics covered:
|
Week
1
|
Introduction to Boys’ Issues
Goal: Develop group cohesion and create rules for the group
Goal: Explore the concept of individuality and personal power
Task: Prioritize topics that are important to the group participants
|
|
Week
2
|
Communication
Goal: Understand the importance of communicating assertively
Goal: Explore the different styles of communication
Task: Learn and practice assertiveness techniques
|
|
Week
3
|
Anger
Goal: Recognize anger triggers and physical cues
Goal: Learn healthy anger expression techniques
Task: Create personal anger management strategies
|
|
Week
4
|
Developing Healthy Relationships
Goal: Improve skills to evaluate whether a relationship is healthy or unhealthy
Task: Develop effective strategies on how to deal with an unhealthy relationship
|
|
Week
5
|
Personal Image
Goal: Explore how the media can affect the thoughts of others and ourselves
Task: Increase self-esteem by acknowledging their skills, attitudes, and strengths
|
|
Week
6
|
Labels & Acceptance
Goal: Understand the impact of labelling someone
Goal: Explore the myths and inaccuracies of societal labels
Task: Begin to build acceptance for others and their differences
|
|
Week
7
|
Values & Choices
Goal: Learn how to avoid and effectively manage peer pressure
Task: Identify personal values and strategies to protect them
|
|
Week
8
|
Planning for the Future
Goal: Recognize the importance of setting goals
Task: Discover how to effectively set and measure personal goals
|
For Secondary Schools:
· Meets the Ontario Elementary Curriculum for Health and Physical Education in the Social Skills, Decision Making, Personal Safety and Injury Prevention and Healthy Growth and Sexuality Strands.
· Matches the Developmental Asset Domains for Boundaries and Expectations, Positive Values, Social Competencies and Positive Identity.
· Topics covered:
|
Week
1
|
Introduction to Boys’ Issues
Goal: Develop group cohesion and create rules for the group
Task: Prioritize topics that are important to the group participants
|
|
Week
2
|
Communication
Goal: Understand the importance of communicating assertively
Goal: Explore the different styles of communication
Task: Learn and practice assertiveness techniques
|
|
Week
3
|
Developing Healthy Relationships
Goal: Improve skills to evaluate whether a relationship is healthy or unhealthy
Task: Develop effective strategies on how to deal with an unhealthy relationship
|
|
Week
4
|
Anger
Goal: To recognize anger and express it constructively
Goal: Identify and cope with primary emotions underlying anger
Task: Create personal anger management strategies
|
|
Week
5
|
Labels & Acceptance
Goal: Be able to identify different labels and groups that are labelled
Goal: Understand the link between labels and oppression
Task: Explore the labels put on themselves and the impact it has on self esteem
|
|
Week
6
|
Personal Image
Goal: Explore how the media can affect the thoughts of others and ourselves
Task: Increase self-esteem by acknowledging their skills, attitudes, and strengths
|
|
Week
7
|
Healthy Sexuality
Goal: Develop critical thinking skills needed to change attitudes
Task: Explore and debunk sexual myths regarding teenage males
|
|
Week
8
|
Planning for the Future
Goal: Recognize the importance of setting goals
Task: Discover how to effectively set and measure personal goals
|
Student Experience:
A participant had demonstrated aggressive and disruptive behaviour throughout the group and had disclosed serious anger management problems. After the session on Anger Management, he disclosed how he was in a physical altercation with another student outside of school. The participant had gained the upper hand and had the other student on the ground with a crowbar raised above his head. He then took some deep breaths and threw the crowbar away and walked away from the fight. He said it was the techniques he’d learned in that session that helped him walk away from a fight for the first time in his life.
Teacher Testimonial
A teacher at Humberview Secondary School in Bolton has arranged for the BreakThru Program to be run with his students for five consecutive semesters.
“BreakThru is an excellent reinforcement of the school curriculum. I’m looking for ways to expand Family Transition Place’s role within our school. I would definitely recommend this program to any school that inquired. It is well run with very pertinent topics for discussion and discovery.”
With your help, we can make respect the norm,
not the exception in our homes, schools and community!
