September 10, 2019
Healthy, Happy Students start with Healthy, Happy Educators
New #SelfCareSunday video series encourage out-of-school time leaders to adopt new wellness practices.
Key findings from Healthier Generation’s recent social-emotional health market research study showed that staff well-being is largely absent from conversations around school wellness. We know that healthy, happy students start with healthy, happy adults – and this is even more important for educators supporting children dealing with adversity.
Through grant funding provided by the AmerisourceBergen Foundation, Healthier Generation, National Recreation and Park Association, and Afterschool Alliance have teamed up to create training resources to equip out-of-school time (OST) providers with the skills and knowledge to reduce risk factors, boost protective factors, and prevent opioid misuse among youth.
Self-Care Sunday, a four-part video series designed to “support adults as they support youth,” provides evidence-based strategies to help OST leaders practice gratitude, connectedness, mindfulness, and playfulness.
According to Erik Peterson, Vice President of Policy for Afterschool Alliance, “A key ingredient for quality afterschool and summer learning programs is a caring and trained staff… compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout are all challenges staff face and resources like the Self-Care Sunday videos are a helpful tool in ensuring staff have the support they need.”
“National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) fully believes in the practice of self-care and how it can help support all aspects of adult health and resiliency. Without proper self-care and mindfulness... adults may not be able to fully provide the support and care that is so greatly needed by the youth they serve,” said Lauren Kiefert, NRPA Program Specialist.