YES! for Schools is an inspirational programme from IAHV for self confidence, empowerment and resilience. [YES! stands for Youth Empowerment Seminar! ] The programme uses cognitive and physiological tools to help students, teachers and parents deal with stress and modern learning.
The challenge:
‘It is easier to build a strong child than repair a broken man’ .
Many children leave school ill-equipped for life. In the UK our education system is focused on academics, but many of our schools are overwhelmed with pressure, stress, emotional burn-out, bullying and trauma.
The young become disengaged from education and this has drastic implications for the mental wellbeing of our young. Statistics from Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA):
- Self-harming behaviours can begin at any age, but commonly begin at ages 13-15.
- About 18% of students age 12-17 report self-harming at some point in their life.
- 26.8% of people aged 16-24 report having had suicidal thoughts in their lifetime, a higher percentage than any other age group.
- 34.6% of females and 19.3% of males aged 16-24 have had thoughts of suicide in their lifetime.
- Suicide is the most common cause of death for those aged 10-19.
This has very severe consequences for the young people and our society.
We can change that!
YES! for Schools
YES! for Schools gives young students, teachers and parents tools to manage stress, allowing for more effective learning. YES! for Schools empowers the young to take responsibility for themselves and their education by giving them simple and effective cognitive and physiological tools.
This approach has had great success in schools Internationally over the last 10 years with a reach of over a 100,000 young people. These schools have witnessed significant improvement in all aspects (e.g. behaviour, results, wellbeing).
The statistics below further demonstrate the benefits:
YES! for Schools delivery model
Through a 16 hour programme young students are taught essential life skills in how to effectively manage stress and emotions leading to increased achievement in the classroom and beyond.
- Programme workshops are integrated into the curriculum. These give training in powerful breathing techniques, mind skills and interactive processes to reduce stress.
- YES! for Schools empowers and inspires the young to take responsibility for their education, giving them cognitive and psychosocial tools.
- YES! for Schools brings alive core values in young people: confidence, respect, resilience and service.
- Graduates of our programme have experienced a 44% increase in ‘growth mindset’ and they in turn empower their peers, leading to a strengthened and resilient community.
- YES! for Schools promotes happiness and wellbeing amongst students and teachers.
Peter’s Story:
Peter is an International Trainer and is IAHV’s project lead for YES! for Schools in the UK. He has taught the programme in the USA, Germany, Greece and the UK. This has also included working with refugee students from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In the UK, Peter has led a pilot YES! for Schools programme from September 2019 where he is working with a group of disengaged students at a secondary school in Cambridge.
Here is what the Head of Student Experiences has to say:
”The programme covers so many important elements of PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) and RSE (Relationship and Sex Education) and in many ways, Pete is able to bring these to life better than a typical classroom environment.”
Christopher Gee
Director of Student Experience, Humanities Teacher, UK
How is the money being spent:
To enable YES! for Schools to serve 300 students, teachers and parents in Cambridgeshire as the next step in delivering the programme in the UK.”
NB. YES! for Schools is branded as SKY Schools in the USA.
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