Youth are great problem solvers naturally! Just look at how they navigate through Minecraft or use phone Apps to make memes and videos. There are, however, strategies and specific steps youth can learn to become better problem solvers. Knowing these strategies can help youth when they become frustrated, angry, tired, or when they just draw a blank on a solution. This happens with homework and even when dealing with social issues like friends and disagreements.
‘Team development’ could be renamed as ‘group development’. Basically, when a group (or team) gets together there are some natural phases the group goes through that strengthens their bond, interactions, and productivity. ‘Team’ doesn’t just mean a sports team. I can be a school club, student council, 4-H club, or a youth group. Knowing the specific phases of a group’s development gives an individual insight into how they can put effort into a phase that needs more work, thereby strengthening the group overall.
Ron Jakubisin, the Positive Youth Development Educator, has been facilitating virtual workshops that address the topic of problem solving and group development awareness. These workshops are available to all youth-serving agencies and schools to host for youth to participate in.
Explore Available Workshops:
Session One: Think Outside The Box (problem-solving strategies & fun) 45 min
This fun workshop will use brain-teasers and puzzles to help us learn how we can approach problem-solving in a positive effective way. We will discuss tips to use for problem-solving in a group (or individually) and ask participants to interact and share their tips as well. (Suggested session audience 5th-8th grade and/or 9th-12th)
Session Two: Creating Your Effective T.E.A.M. (together everyone achieves more!) 45 min
Creating Your Effective T.E.A.M. (together everyone achieves more!) is a fun workshop that will have you interacting with the screen and as we learn about the 5 steps of group development. Anytime a group gets together, they go through stages that are important to know. Image being on a soccer team and no one trusted the other player on their team to know their position. Not good teamwork. What if you were part of the school Homecoming Committee and no one was organized! Confusing and frustrating right? We will have fun in this workshop and show you how you can figure out how to strengthen your group (or team) in simple ways! (Suggested session audience 5th-8th grade and/or 9th-12th)
If you would like to schedule one or both of these workshops for your youth group, team or club please contact Ron Jakubisin, Positive Youth Development Educator at ron.jakubisin@wisc.edu or phone 920-929-3144.
