AWAKENED LEADERSHIP series

MINI FAMILY BREAKTHROUGH GYM

LEARN Emotional Literacy. Become a Student Parent. Connect as a Family in a fun and playful way. Grow and learn together.

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Talk about those feelings

Emotional literacy helps us engage respectfully as a family.

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Values-based Leadership

We are grounded in our values.
It guides our decision making

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A Student
Mindset

I am a Student Parent.
My child is my Teacher.

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Learn through
Fun and Play

We learn and grow as a family.
Together is always better.

MY FAMILY UNION

What's included?

As a family you will have an opportunity to attune more deeply to each other, to strengthen your connection and to learn a shared language which helps you strengthen your family union and become even better Travel Companions.

Sharing Practice

Let's get real. Sharing spaces are filled with treasures. Learn to create a space that invites each of you to share openly and honestly.

WHO IN ME SPEAKS™

Learn to face the brutal facts. Identify behaviors that no longer serve you. Practice ownership and avoid polluting shared spaces.

The Student Parent

Learn to listen and embrace your child as your Teacher. Patterns often hijack our parenting. Let's pause and reset.

Engaging workshop space

The workshop is designed to spark creativity and curiosity. Learn to create fun spaces for growth and learning.

Feedback

We need each other to grow. Learn to give and receive feedback in a safe space. Be curious about how to best support each other.

It's a Journey

Remember that your family is like a garden. It needs care, attention and lots of nurturing. Trust the process and show up daily.

Emotional Literacy

Interview with Karina: LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE FEELINGS

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Built to last...

The background of our approach for families and youth is a culmination of 15+ years of extensive work in highly diverse environments in South Africa. We provide enabling platforms, our highly skilled team of coaches and change agents, as well as our personal values-based leadership programs based on our Depth Coaching Methodology The Responsible Individual™ (TRI).

With a seasoned depth coach, clients are guided towards a strengthened family union and cohesive home environment.

Intuitive Depth Coach
Author, FEMpreneur
STUDENT MOM

Founder of SmilingOne
Co-Pilot Circles of Change™ Academy

Karina Andersen

Seasoned Depth Coach
Change Agent
STUDENT DAD

Co-Pilot: Circles of Change™ Academy

Franklin Esau

We are an a mission of activating South Africa's full potential - one person at a time!

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DIRECT PARENT ACCESS/TIME: In April 2020 onwards our phone calls to Parents intensified to make appointments for House Visits and to check in on Students coping through the pandemic - this made a huge difference in families becoming more familiar with us and the program. During a house visit we have learnt what challenges the Parents have revolving the Students.

TRUST BUILD TO PARENT: We have on numerous occasions found that Families open up about personal Challenges. They allowed us into a personal space in family challenges during our house visits.

360 FEEDBACK ON STUDENTS | SPACE TO SHARE: It is essential for us to understand the Student through the eyes of Parents and GrandParents. Here we see what Challenges the Students are dealing with in the home environment. We provided a safe space for them to discuss issues that revolved around their kids.

SOUNDING BOARD FOR PARENTS: What was particularly interesting/important was the understanding that was built between SmilingOne and Parents. On many occasions Parents contacted us to ask for a visit and advice in regards to Challenges that the Parents were facing to understand the Child. This shows us increased involvement from the Parent to be a partner in the Childs/students education (inner/outer)

AGILE DURING LOCKDOWN: We always had a place to go and check on the Students (at home). Our Student session space was moved to their homes and it was the perfect place for the Parents to join in on sessions. The parent had the option to benefit and equip themselves to understand more about the student - normally those sessions would have taken place at school. So the pandemic really was a win in this regard.

SAFETY | MINDFULNESS IN HIGH RISK AREA: The Change Agent being mobile made it much easier for them to navigate around in the area to the Students' Houses. The area is not really safe - however it made a difference having a car. Also Franklin grew up in the area which meant he understood to be aware while moving around.

EVIDENCE ON IMPACT | PARENTS & STUDENTS TACKLE CHALLENGES BETTER: We experienced dramatic Changes in the parent/student relationships during this time. The Parents observed changes in the Students behaviours through first hand experience of how they dealt with the challenges in our sessions (Students and Parents present). The Parents and the Students are now equipped to tackle the identified Challenges differently

PARENT SUPPORT: There has been instances where Parents call upon the Change Agent to chat to the Student. There have been challenges that made some of the Students contemplate dropping out of school and Parents ask the Change Agent to speak to the Students. Parents also got involved and wanted to know how to handle certain situations when it came to challenges that the Students are facing.

DIRECT INSIGHT: By doing our House Visits - we had direct insight to the Learners and Families living conditions. Families shared insightful developments that is influencing the Learner. We had an opportunity to build a relationship with families based on the assistance and support for Learners which allowed us to see Learner background, Family structures, and financial circumstances. We also get to see hobbies, sports activities, and talents of the Learners outside the school environment.

WHAT WORKED WELL

TRUSTED SPACE, RELATABLE ADULT, OPENING UP ABOUT CHALLENGES, SHARING EMOTION

The Change Agent has been a trusted relatable Adult for the Students to come and share and explore their Challenges in groups and in one-on-one engagement sessions. Opening up can for many Students be daunting as they do not have someone to talk to, or trust in. We have seen Students fully engage in this space offered to them and using the Change Agents to hold space for sharing of challenges and deeper feelings.
The one on one sessions are offered to our After School Club Students. It assists us to measure where they are at with understanding their tools, and what we must further build on. The Students appreciate both the group space and the personalised space.
The one on one sessions has also been an alternative to Students that did not want to be part of the After School Club (a group process), yet found that The Responsible Individual was something they really needed to be a part of. We have 11 Exposure Students that make use of regular 1-on-1’s. Last year these Students were more drop-in’s - now they are consistent in the process.
The venue that the school provided has been an exceptional space which Students identify with as the place of their development. It has been a safe space for interpersonal engagement for their development through The Responsible Individual and the gathering of Champions who are interested in changing their lives for positive Academic results.
The Grade 12's took full advantage of the space we provided after they had been thrown into speed Studies with excessive academic classes due to COV19. Grade 12 students came to release and share their Challenges with us. We hosted sessions for them to identify the abnormal/intense school tasks as an opportunity. One-on-one sessions were hosted for Grade 12 students who felt that they needed to deepen their understanding of personal Challenges hindering them from focusing on school tasks. Lorenzo Jantjies - one of the Grade 12s - became a real Champion of Change this year - inviting his fellow mates to session. They realized they needed a more intensified approach to strengthen their toolkits. They brought their lunches to sessions and enjoyed a space to relax and have open dialogues.

STUDENTS EMBRACE THE SMILING ONE APPROACH, CONCEPTS/TOOLKIT & WAY OF ENGAGING

Students are connecting with the Change Agent and the approach that SmilingOne uses. As time progresses we find that Students are becoming well known to the approach
Students are becoming Champions of the program which sparks curiosity amongst their fellow students. This has really stood out in the year of the pandemic! We have seen many more students showing interest. The Champions are bringing other Students along with them to benefit from the trusted sharing and development space.
We made graphic and colourful illustrations of the concepts and hanged them on the walls in the SmilingOne classroom, which sparked further interest of the Students. At first it was not easy for them to identify or relate to all the concepts, now it has become so much more tangible for them, easier to use - the visuals are greatly appreciated by the Students.
Students who enrolled in our program the year before (while still in Grade 11) are now showing up more intensified as Grade 12’s in our program. We also receive great feedback from Grade 12 teachers on how one of our Champions is impacting his fellow Grade 12’s positively, bringing them with him to sessions (Lorenzo)
We have seen students who last year experienced TRI through Exposure Classes to enrol in the program this year for support and then to be chosen for the Accelerator Program (a bridge between matric and their tertiary studies)

INSIGHT INTO DISENGAGEMENT | WE ARE EQUIPPED TO SUPPORT THEM

Students development through the program is revealing to us different aspects of why the disengagement happens and why it is so important to address. We have been learning as much as the students have so we can better support them to navigate through their challenges. Disengagement often leads to drop-out of school which will severely impact their future and any possibility for a promising life and career.
Students follow trends, what is popular amongst the youth.
Students do not consult or ask advice which often leads them to make choices alone - going solo in their adventures.
Students close down and are secretive about their feelings - suffering in silence
Students prefer gangsterism over families, they are much easier accepted in the gangs than in their families. At home there is expectations. In gangs… what flows goes.
Students regard the teachers almost as their parents - meaning someone they cannot easily share with - this is how they have framed it. Every adult is often perceived by students as a threat - as someone they cannot engage with. It makes it hard for them to open up and share. So they don’t accept the guidance and the teaching offered.

VIRTUAL SPACE DURING LOCKDOWN

During lockdown we created a space for the Students to communicate with us and stay connected with the Change Agents. This allowed them to share about their Challenges and experiences with the changes that came with the lockdown.
Old Students who were previously part of the process rejoined due to the Change Agents reaching out to them during the lockdown (via WhatsApp and phonically).
We posted videos in the virtual space and shared daily inspiration. We had 3 Change Agents in intensified daily sharing to inspire and motivate the students.
Our connection with Students never faded during time of Lockdown, on the contrary it increased. It wasn’t a usual thing to have the Change Agent so intensified in a virtual space, coming right into the home. It lead to the Change Agents being easily invited to house visits once lockdown was eased in June (activity 3).

ARMY OF SUPPORT (READ MORE UNDER ACTIVITY 2)

Partnership with the School and Teachers worked very well and was intensified during the Pandemic. We had access to the intercom system. Our sessions were announced via intercom. It was helpful instead of us going from class to class to remind Students. Teachers also reminded Students, nudging them to attend sessions.
The Principals and Management was guiding us in Covid-19 safety strategies of the School as we reopened School. This added to the strength in togetherness as we keep nurturing our Partnership.
We got a second classroom - one for the Students process and one for the Teachers process during the pandemic times to ensure no cross contamination, shows a strong Partnership - how willing they are to work hand-in-hand with us

MINI FAMILY BREAKTHROUGH GYM

Talk about those feelings

Values-based Leadership

A StudentMindset

Learn through Fun and Play

MY FAMILY UNION

What's included?

Sharing Practice

WHO IN ME SPEAKS™

The Student Parent

Engaging workshop space

Feedback

It's a Journey

Emotional Literacy

Built to last...

Karina Andersen

Franklin Esau

Featured links

Connect with us

KEY OBJECTIVE 3:Support Family Relationships of learners who show high risk of dropping out

KEY OBJECTIVE 1:Tackle learner disengagement by establishing a nurturing and relatable adult in a school to facilitate intensive personal development with learners

A Student
Mindset

Learn through
Fun and Play

KEY OBJECTIVE 3:
Support Family Relationships of learners who show high risk of dropping out

KEY OBJECTIVE 1:
Tackle learner disengagement by establishing a nurturing and relatable adult in a school to facilitate intensive personal development with learners