Alejandre, S - Comprehensive Group Curriculum-Foster Youth

Running head: FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP
Comprehensive Group Curriculum for Supporting Students in the Foster Care System
Susan Alejandre
San Diego State University
FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP
Table of Contents
Supporting Research/Background Information4
Screening Instructions 11
Lesson 1: Welcome/Group Guidance.13
Lesson 2: Causes of Feeling Depressed or Sad..16
Lesson 3: Coping with Change...22
Lesson 4: Trust....29
Lesson 5: Loss.32
Lesson 6: Drugs and Alcohol..35
Lesson 7: Anger..37
Lesson 8: Guest Speaker.....40
Lesson 9: Closure41
Appendix A-1: Parent Permission Form.42
Appendix A-2: Group Sign-In Sheet......43
Appendix A-3: Pre-test...44
Appendix A-4: Post-test.45
Appendix A-5: Group Evaluations46
Abstract
Foster youth continue to be the invisible populations in our schools. These students struggle
through various obstacles that include multiple foster placements, moving schools, disabilities,
trauma, alcohol and drug abuse, anger, and many other obstacles. In order for foster youth to be
able to preform well in school they need to be able to cope with the changes in their lives. The
Foster Youth Support Group focuses on the personal/social domains of school counseling. Group
counseling sessions are help once a week for fifty minutes for nine weeks. Lessons include
causes of feeling depressed or sad, coping with change, trust, loss, drugs and alcohol, anger, and
resiliency. The purpose of this group is to be able to help foster youth cope with their hardships
and provide extra support for these students.
Students in the Foster Care System

Background Information
This group curriculum focuses on the foster youth population in schools. Foster youth
remain one of the most vulnerable populations in our schools and communities (Lambros,
Hurley, Hurlburt, Zhang, & Leslie, 2010). Foster Youth struggle significantly throughout their
schooling; few of them graduate from high school and continue toward a higher education.
According to the Legislative Analysts Office of California (2009) there are about 68,000 Foster
Youth in California; only 30% graduate from high school, and less than 3% attend college. The
number of Foster Youth not receiving a high school diploma and pursuing an education is not
just an issue in California, but it is an issue throughout the nation. There are numerous obstacles
in the lives of foster youth that prevent them from completing high school. The major factors
include instability within home placements, instability in schools, learning disabilities, and
trauma (Belanger, 2002; Iglehart & Becerra, 2002; Lambros, Hurley, Hurlburt, Zhang, & Leslie,
2010). There are four factors that need to be covered in detail in order for group facilitators to
understand the impact the factors have on students lives.
Home Instability
One of the major factors that impede Foster Youths academic performance is the childs
home instability. According to Lambros (2010), many children that are in child welfare
experience instability in their home placements, resulting in frequent school and community
changes, difficulty to master basic educational skills and to form positive long-term relationships
with peers and school personnel. Foster Youth are constantly being changed from their home
placement and are forced to not only adapt to their new home environment, but also to the new
foster parents. Students in foster care with five or more home placement are significantly less
likely to achieve proficiency of the English CST than students with one or two placements
(Stuart Foundation, 2011).
Instability in School
When a foster youth moves into a new home placement they as well move to a new
school. Foster Youth are often exposed to poor experiences in school settings including issues
with enrollment, the transfer of academic records, retention, inappropriate class placements,
restrictive special education placements, suspension, mobility, and a lack of coordination among
juvenile justice and child welfare agencies and schools (Leone and Weinber, 2010). Due to
instability of home and schools the youth might develop faade of social distance, selfconfidence, detachment, an defensiveness as a self-protective strategy (Iglehart & Becerra,
2002). This faade can become an issue within the classroom where the youth might try to
verbally, emotionally, and physically protect themselves from students and teachers. Students
might not only have problems in the classroom but they also encounter poor relationships among
racial and ethnic groups within schools, reactive and punitive approaches on the part of
institutional staff, a lack of positive behavioral supports and poorly treated mental health
disorders (Leone & Weinber, 2010). These students dont have any stability in the schools they
attend and dont have a positive support within the classroom, which makes it difficult to
academically preform well.
Disabilities
Foster youth also face learning disabilities in schools. Foster Youth with disabilities are at
more of a disadvantage that foster youth without disabilities (Greenen & Powers, 2006).
According to Lambros (2010), previous research using a national probability sample of children
in child welfare shows that foster youth are at significant risk for developmental, cognitive delay,
speech and language difficulty, as well as socio-behavioral and mental health problems also
characterized in this group. Due to the constant moving from school to school, foster youth arent
given the proper special education services to meet these needs. Child Welfare has higher rates of
special education use and is disproportionately representation in the Emotionally Disturbed
category. Lambros (2010) state that short-term and long-term outcomes of Emotional Disturbed
disability category include low academic functioning, dismal graduation rates, poor
communication skills, and high rates of mental health disorders when compared to persons with
no disabilities and those with to other disabilities. These students are at risk of not graduating
from high school and becoming unemployed.
Trauma
Youth in child welfare are taken away from their homes because of variety of reasons.
Reasons include physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, supervisory neglect, physical
neglect, and abandonment (Lambros, Hurley, Hurlburt, Zhang, & Leslie, 2010). Some of the
youth have experienced traumatic experiences before they were taken away from their homes
(Iglehart & Becerra, 2002). They also experience traumatic events in child welfare, group homes,
and in foster home placements. Such traumas are directly related to chronic fear and anxiety,
with serious long-term effects on health and other life outcomes (Rich, Corbin, Bloom, Rich,
Evans, & Wilson, 2009). Those who have been neglected or abused have a higher risk of school
failure (Harris, Jackson, OBrien & Pecora, 2009). Trauma that youth experience not only affects
them in school but it also becomes a factor in the youths everyday life.
Groups
Foster youth have so much going on in their lives that it becomes difficult to focus in
school and their grades. This group curriculum is geared towards middle and high school
students in foster care. The curriculum focuses on the persona/social domain and the sessions
include causes of feeling depressed or sad, coping with change, trust, loss, drugs and alcohol,
anger, and resiliency. These are topics that foster youth are encounter or that might encounter in
the future. It is important to go over a session on drugs and alcohol because as a result of all the
changes during the transition from childhood to teenage years, it is also a time of increased risk
for developing emotional and behavioral disorders, depression, anxiety and substance abuse
(Stevens, Brice, Ale, & Morris, 2011). In the 2002 and 2003 the National Survey on Drug Use
and Health found that 34% of youth that had ever been in foster care used illicit drugs in the past
year and those who had never been in foster care reported at 22% in the past year (Scott, 2011, p.
64).
Due the multiple placements it is essential to have sessions on changes in families,
transitions and stress. The sessions will give foster youth strategies on how to cope with the
stress of moving homes and schools, how to deal with the transitions, and to have a safe place to
discuss how they are feeling about these changes.
In order for foster youth to be able to preform well in school they need to learn how to
positively cope with the hardships they are encountering. Having groups for foster youth not
only allows them to have a support system at school but it also allows them to connect with other
students that are experiencing similar things. Schools should be able to provide a list of foster
youth from the schools database. The office clerks are a useful source in also identifying who is
in the foster care system at school. There usually is not a big population of foster youth at
schools unless a school counselor is working in a group home like San Pasqual Academy where
all the students are foster youth. Due to the population of foster youth being small it is best to
have a group of males and females in the group. I think both males and females foster youth
would benefit from these sessions.
Conclusion
With the use of these session student will be able to cope with some of the hardships they
are experiencing as well as know where they can seek for help. These sessions allow foster youth
to be able to also connection with other foster youth that are experiencing similar hardships as
themselves. By having foster youth learn how to cope with their hardships it in return might help
them be more present during class and be able to focus a little more. Students that are going
through tough issues arent going to be trying hard in class because they are more worried about
if they are going to be reunited with their parents or if their social worker is going to move them
to another foster home. As school counselors it is our responsibility to be able to serve this
population.
9
References
Belanger, K. (2002). Examination of Racial Imbalance for Children in Foster Care: Implications
for Training. Arizona: The Haworth Press, Inc.
Greenen, S., Powers, L. E. (2006). Are we Ignoring Youths with Disabilities in Foster Care: An
Examination of their school performance. Social Work, 51 (3), 233-241.
Harris, M. S., Jackson, L. J., OBrien, K., Pecora, P. J. (2009). Disproportionality in education
and employment outcomes of adult foster care alumni. Children and Youth
Services
Review 31, 1150-1159.
Iglehart, A. P., Becerra, R. M. (2002). Hispanic and African American Youth: Life After Foster
Care Emancipation. Los Angeles, CA: The Haworth Press, Inc.
Lambros, K. M., Hurley, M., Hurlburt, M., Zhang, J., Leslie, L. K. (2010). Special Education for
Children Involved with Child Welfare/Child Protective Services. San Diego, CA:
Springer Science + Business Media, LLC.
Legislative Analysts Office of California. (2009). Education of Foster Youth in California.
Leone, P., Weinberg, L. (2010). Addressing the Unmet Educational Needs of Children and
Youth in the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems. Georgetown University GPPI.
Rich, J., Corbin, T., Rich, L., Evans, S., Wilson, A. (2009). Healing the Hurt: Trauma-Informed
Approaches to the Health of Boys and Young Men of Color. Drexel University.
10
Stevens, S. B., Brice, C. S., Ale, C. M., & Morris, T. L. (2011). Examining Depression, Anxiety,
and Foster Care Placement as Predictors of Substance Use and Sexual Activity in
Adolescents. Journal of Social Service Research, 37, 539-554.
Stott, T. (2012). Placement Instability and Risky Behaviors of Youth Aging Out of Foster Care.
Child Adolesc Soc Work J, 29, 61-83.
Stuart Foundation. (2011). First Look: Foster Youth Education Outcomes in Four California
Counties. San Francisco, CA.
11
Screening Instructions
Any student in the foster care system would benefit from these group-counseling
sessions. It does not matter where they are at in the foster care system or what type of housing
they are living in. This group curriculum is aimed for both male and female foster youth at the
middle school and high school level. The curriculum consists of nine sessions, which include
topics such as causes of feeling depressed or sad, coping with change, trust, loss, drugs and
alcohol, and anger.
Due to the small population of foster youth in school it would be best that groups consists
of both males and females. There would be about 6-8 members in each group. It might be
difficult to get as many as six foster youth in groups because of the low number of foster youth at
the school. It is very common for students to be moving schools at any point of the years so it is
best if the school counselor is aware that at anytime any student will stop attending groups
because of the placement change. New incoming foster youth at the school are welcomed to join
the group even if the group has already started. It is a good idea because it will allow the new
student to get to know other foster youth and make friends, which is often difficult for foster
youth to do on their own.
Each school has their own database and in some data bases it will state which students are
in the foster care system. If the database does not include this information then it would be
beneficial to talk to the office clerk because she comes into contact with students social workers
all the time or asking the administrator if he/she knows of any students and teachers as well. The
facilitators of the group will meet each foster youth to determine if she or he would benefit from
the group and be supportive to others. When screening the foster youth it is important to look
into whether the student is receiving individual therapy or group therapy outside of school.
12
The facilitator should interview the student and ask if they would be interested in joining
a group that provides support for foster youth. If they would feel comfortable opening up to other
foster youth and talking about personal/social issues. Facilitator also needs address that the
purpose of the group is to help foster youth cope with their hardships and to provide extra
support for them.
Students have the option not to participate in these groups. If they are not interested we
can suggest that they attend the first meeting and if they do not like it they can drop out of the
group. Students that are interested in joining will receive a permission form that will be given to
their guardian or the individual that has educational rights. Permission form is found at in
Appendix A.
13
Lesson #1: Welcome/Group Orientation (50 minutes)

OBJECTIVE:
Students will understand the purpose of the Foster Youth Support Group. The students will
design the group guidelines and participate in an icebreaker activity in order to begin the group
bonding process.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
String or Yarn
PRIOR TO FIRST MEETING:
Inform teachers of students group participation, time, place, dates and any other pertinent
information on a need to know basis. Passes will be sent out during the class prior to groups
scheduled time.
LESSON:
1. Students sign in.
2. Facilitators will explain the purpose of the Foster Youth Support Group and the weekly
time and meeting place.
3. Creation of group guidelines and we need to break confidentiality. The group also should
brainstorm rules that they would like to add. For example: the right to pass during group.
4. Explain, model, and have students participate in the Feeling Check or group opener.
5. Discuss the goals of group and why each participant is there.
6. Icebreaker Activity Web of Questions
7. Closing reminders of time and location for the next group. Brief overview of the next
topic.
8. Pre-test
FRIENDLY REMINDER:
Build rapport with the students and make the group a safe place where students can talk about
anything. Make sure to tell students that it is important that we keep everything in the group and
that group members are sharing each others personal information.
14
ICE BREAKER: THE WEB OF QUESTIONS

OBEJECTIVE:
The Web of Questions has several primary objectives when used with a group of students,
clients, and/or friends. First, the yarn, or web, that is passed among group members is
symbolic for connectedness within the group and the relationship among group members that is
beginning to form. Second, the questions that are asked of participants as the ball of yarn is
passed around are questions that will help them get to know one another more personally.
Finally, the activity requires non-verbal communication with one another so participants can
practice understanding body language and showing attentiveness to others in more ways than just
speaking and listening.
Desired number of participants:
This activity would work best using a minimum of 5 players.
Time Frame:
This activity takes approximately 3-5 minutes to explain (depending on the developmental level
of the group, this may vary), and the playing time will also vary based on how many participants
are involved. For smaller groups, you may pass the ball of yarn to each player more than once.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
1. Ball of yarn or string (15-20 feet or an average-sized spool should suffice depending
on number of players and size of circle.)
2. A list of questions numbered 1-20 equal to or greater than the number of players in
the group. (See attached list of sample questions.)
PROCESS:
1. Participants are instructed to form a standing circle.
2. Group facilitator will introduce the game as the Web of Questions and explain the
rules, which are as follows:
A. The first participant (usually the group facilitator) will make eye contact or some
other form of non-verbal connection with another player in the circle. Without saying
the other persons name or using any words, Participant 1 will hold onto the end of a
piece of yarn, and toss the ball of yarn to their chosen person (now making a yarn
connection
between
him/herself
and
the
other
player).
B. Participant 2 (the receiver of the ball of yarn) will choose a number between 1 and 20
(or however many questions are available), and be asked the corresponding question
by the group facilitator.
C. Participant 2 will share their answer to the question with the group, and then continue
the process, making eye contact or a non-verbal connection with the next person to
15
receive the ball of yarn. Participant 2 will hold onto their piece of yarn, and then pass
the ball onto the next participant, beginning to form a web in the center of the circle
between players.
D. Eventually, every participant will be holding a piece of yarn and have answered a
unique question of his/her random choosing. The final participant will toss the ball to
the very first participant who will now hold the beginning and the end of the yarn,
completing the web of questions.
3. The group facilitator should then lead a brief discussion (2-3 minutes) with the group about the
importance and purpose of the activity, with special attention to the creation of the web among
the participants. The facilitator should comment on its unique design and also how different the
web would be if even one person was missing from the group. Another discussion topic could
cover what ways people chose to connect with others in the circle without using words.
Sample Questions:
1. If you could eat any food forever, what would it be?
2. If you could be any animal what would it be and why?
3. What is one of the things you would put on your bucket list?
4. Who is your favorite super hero and why?
5. What is your favorite summer activity?
6. If a movie was made of your life what genre would it be, who would play you?
7. If you could be any flavor of ice cream what ice cream flavor would you be and why?
8. If you could go any where in the world this weekend, where would you go and why?
9. What is the strangest thing youve ever eaten?
10. If you could trade lives with anyone for a day who would it be and why?
11. If you could buy yourself anything, what would you get?
12. Where is the worst place you could get stuck?
13. Who would you like to have an afternoon lunch with (dead or alive)?
14. If you were famous what would you be famous for?
15. What is the worst job you could have?
16. What celebrity annoys you the most?
17. What TV sitcom family would you be a part of?
18. Whats the best advice you could think to give someone on the spot?
19. What is the best Halloween costume you ever had?
20. Whats a food you could never give up?
16
Lesson #2: Causes of Feeling Depressed or Sadness (50 minutes)

OBJECTIVE: Students will identify factors that contribute to feeling depressed or sad. They
will recognize which of these factors has affected them the most and the least. They will
brainstorm ideas on how to overcome their depression and sadness and make a weekly goal on
what ideas they will be trying.
MATERIALS: Colored pencils, crayons, or markers, pencils, box of tissues
Inform teachers of students group participation, time, place, and dates. Passes will be sent out
during the class prior to groups scheduled time.
LESSON:
1. Students sign in.
2. Review the agenda for the day and review group rules
3. Icebreaker: Jump In, Jump Out
4. Feelings Check: Have students pick a color the best represents how they are feeling at the
moment and allow them to share why they picked that color.
5. Explain that depression or sadness has different symptoms in different people and has a
number of different causes. The most common causes of feeling depressed or sad include
experiencing difficult life events, living in a negative family or social environment,
personality type, physical illness, medications, genetics, alcohol and drugs use, and other
events. Usually more than one factor contributes to a persons depression or sadness.
6. Activity:
a) Pass around the Worksheet #1 to students in the group.
b) Have student draw a picture of them in the center box.
c) Explain any terms that students might not understand. Worksheet #2 explains the
meaning of each term.
d) In each of the labeled boxes, have students list or describe any factors in that
category that are present or have been present in their life.
e) If they have not been affected by a category then it should be left blank. Then
have them draw lines from each box they have written in to the picture in the
middle.
7. Group Discussion Questions:
a) Look at your completed picture and labeled boxes. What do they tell you about
yourself?
b) Which category has affected you the most? Which category has affected you the
least?
c) Which categories do you feel you have some control over? Which do you feel you
have no control over?
8. Have students work on the third worksheet and have them list any ideas how to overcome
their depression or sadness and have students share their ideas.
9. Homework: Pick one of those ideas and practice it during the week.
Example: If student says that fighting with their foster siblings makes them feel
sad and that one of the ideas of overcoming their sadness is to stop calling their
17
sibling names. Then their homework would be to work on not calling their foster
youth names.
10. Breathing exercise. Breath in and out five times
FRIENDLY REMINDER: If student already know the definitions of social environment,

family environment etc. then going over the definitions can be skipped. The session can be very
sensitive to students because it makes them look at the factors and problems they are going
through. It is important that you tell students how STRONG they are to have been dealing with
everything they are going through and even point out the factors that theyve already overcome.
18
Ice Breaker: JUMP IN, JUMP OUT

OBJECTIVE:
While playing jump in, jump out; students learn about paying attention to what another person is
saying and doing and reacting appropriately. The ultimate goal of the game is to get everyone in
the group energized and ready to learn.
This activity would work best for larger groups of 5-20. Activity must have a large enough
number for activity to be interesting, but not too large that instructions will be lost.
Time Frame:
This activity takes about 3 minutes to learn and play.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
No materials needed!
PROCESS:
1. Students are instructed to form a circle and hold hands.
2. The group facilitator introduces the game as Energizer, and states the rule of the first round.
It will be a jumping instructions game and everyone will say and do what the facilitator says.
30 seconds of jumping instructions will be said.
3. The group facilitator then changes the rules for the second round. Now everyone in the group
will say what the facilitator says and do the opposite.
4. 30 seconds of jumping instructions will be said.
5. The group facilitator changes the rules for the third round. Now everyone in the group will
say the opposite of what the facilitator says and do what the facilitator says.
6. 30 seconds of jumping instructions will be said.
7. Reflection on how we need to actively listen to directions and even to each other because
today we are going to be sharing personal stuff about ourselves and we need to be respectful and
listen to what people have to say.
19
Life Events
Social Environment
ME
Personality Type
Physical Illness
Medications
Alcohol & Drug Use
Genetics
Family Environment
Other
20
Worksheet #2
Explanation of Terms
Social & Family Environment: An environment is a persons surroundings. Negative family or
social environments might include those in which there is poverty, hunger, emotional abuse,
physical abuse, crime, high degrees of conflict, poor communication, violence, instability,
unsanitary conditions, or neglect. They can mention their family situation of being in foster
home, being separated from their biological siblings, mistreatment in foster home, they live in a
violent neighborhood.
Personality Type: Personality type affects peoples perspective on life, other people, and
themselves. Personalities that are more vulnerable to depression are those with an unrealistic or
negative focus, such as perfectionistic, highly self-critical, overly passive or dependent or highly
anxious.
Physical Illness: Physical illness that is very severe or long-term can drain people of their
physical and emotional energy. Some illnesses may handicap people either temporarily or
permanently, limiting them or changing their ability to function as they once used to. Other
illness can affect certain glands in the body and create a depressed mood.
Medication: While the purpose of medication is to help people feel better, some types can affect
their brain chemistry in a way that causes them to feel depressed.
Genetics: We inherit both physical and emotional characteristics form our parents, grandparents,
great-grandparents, and beyond. The traits we get from our ancestors are said to be genetic.
Vulnerability to depression tends to run in the families.
Alcohol and drugs: Alcohol and street drugs can cause chemical changes in the brain that affect
peoples moods. While people often use alcohol and drugs to try to make themselves feel good,
the opposite occurs physiologically, and they become more depressed instead.
21
Worksheet #3
List any ideas you have of overcoming your sadness/depression:
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Weekly Goal:
_____________________________________________________________________________
22
Lesson #3: Coping with Change (50 minutes)

OBJECTIVE: Student will identify health coping actions they use and will use when they are
experiencing a huge even in their life. Due to foster youth moving a lot it is important that they
plan ahead on what huge changes are going to happen in the future how to they need to
positively cope with it.
MATERIALS: Pencils, box of tissues, and worksheets
LESSON:
1. Students sign-in
2. Go over group rules and agenda.
3. Ice Breaker: Tangled Web
4. Check in on how students did on their weekly goal. As if students completed their
weekly goal and how they felt after completing it. Did it help reduce their feelings of
sadness of depression? If they say no, then what would they modify or change from that
goal so that it will work for them.
5. Feelings check: On a scale of a 1-10 how are they feeling. 0 being that they are feeling
horrible and 10 feeling that they are amazing!
6. Explain the topic of today: It is normal for people to experience some feelings of
discomfort, sadness, and anger when faced with life events that bring about change.
Even when change is positive, adjusting to it takes time and emotional energy. When you
can learn healthy ways to cope with change, discomfort, sadness, and anger will pass
more easily instead of turning into more anger and sadness.
7. Go over Healthy Coping Action Worksheet and talk about how these actions can help use
their emotions when adjusting to change.
8. Ask students if they do any of the healthy coping actions
9. Give students the timeline worksheet.
a) Have students record their current age at the right end of the timeline.
b) Record all of the major events you have experienced in your life by marking them
along the timeline at the appropriate place.
c) These major events might include the starting of a new school, birth of a sibling,
moving to a new home, long illness, a special birthday, a graduation, or any thing
that has left like a major life event to you.
10. Students fill the second worksheet about how events have changed their life. Have each
student share a category that they feel comfortable sharing.
a) Why did certain events change their lives the most? Was this positive change or
negative change?
b) Explain why they think certain events were harder to cope with than other events?
23
11. Give students the More To Do worksheet. Have them choose the most recent life event
from their timeline. Have them describe and share to their group how they have used or
could have used, each coping action to help themselves through it.
12. Have student share their major event that is coming up and how they plan to cope with
that major event.
13. Talk to students about how in foster care there are also huge events coming up from court
cases, to reunification with parents, parent is being released from jail, graduating, turning
18 years old. We need to know how to cope with our emotions when these events come.
14. Last comments.
15. Breathing exercise: Breath in and out (five times)
FRIENDLY REMINDER: Not all the major events that students talk about have to be negative.
Encourage that they share some positive ones that way the group isnt in a negative mood the
whole time. Depending on how much time you have, some of the worksheets could be taken
away if there isnt much time.
24
Ice Breaker: TANGLED WEB

OBJECTIVE:
While playing Tangled Web, students learn how to work together to solve problems when
communication is a challenge. Students learn that problem solving often involve patience and
team work.
This activity would work best with about 4-12 participants. The less participants, the easier the
solution, so it is beneficial to start in small groups and work up to larger groups.
Time Frame:
This activity takes about 1 minute for 4 person groups and up to 4 minutes for larger groups.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
PROCESS:
1. Students are placed into groups of 4.
2.The group facilitator introduces the game as Tangled Web, and has the group stand in a
circle.
3. Before beginning, the rules are explained:
4. NO Talking
5. Once you take a persons hand, you cannot let go of that hand until the game is over, unless the
participant is in pain.
6. Group members place their right hand into the circle grab the right hand of another person in
the circle.
7. Participants do the same thing with their left hands, making sure they do not grab the hand of
person holding their right hand.
8. Participants then untangle themselves until they are standing in a circle.
9. After the game is done successfully in small groups, increase the size of the group and the
challenge!
25
Healthy Coping Actions

Getting enough sleep (creates energy)
Eating healthy foods (creates energy, feel healthier, reduces stress, and prevents illnesses)
Getting fresh air (creates energy, makes you feel relaxes, able to clear your mind)
Getting physical exercise (creates energy, releases emotions, relaxes the body, feel healthier)
Expressing your feelings by talking or writing (releasing emotions, able to vent on paper)
Focusing on the positive in yourself and the situation (happier mindset, creating hope)
Reminding yourself things will eventually get better (promoting hope, planning for the future)
Participating in fun activities (release of emotions, collaborating with other, happier mindset)
Laughing (creates energy and releases emotions)
Birth
26
Current Age
27
Which of these events created the most change in your life and which created the least.
Created Most Change
____________________________
Created Least Change
_________________________
Tell which of these events was easiest for you to cope with and which was the hardest.
Easiest to Cope With
_____________________________
Hardest to Cope With
________________________________
28
More To Do
Choose the most recent life event from your timeline. Describe how you used, or could have
used, each of the coping actions to help yourself through it.
EVENT:___________________________________________________________________
SLEEP:____________________________________________________________________
HEALTHY FOODS:__________________________________________________________
FRESH AIR:________________________________________________________________
EXERCISE:_________________________________________________________________
EXPRESSING OF FEELINGS:__________________________________________________
FOCUSING ON THE POSTIVES:________________________________________________
THINKING ABOUT WHAT WILL BE LIKE WHEN THINGS GET BETTER:____________
____________________________________________________________________________
FUN ACTIVIES:______________________________________________________________
LAUGHTER:_________________________________________________________________
Think of a life event that is coming up for you in the near future. Describe how you can use
each of the coping actions to help yourself through this.
EVENT:___________________________________________________________________
SLEEP:____________________________________________________________________
HEALTHY FOODS:__________________________________________________________
FRESH AIR:________________________________________________________________
EXERCISE:_________________________________________________________________
EXPRESSING OF FEELINGS:__________________________________________________
FOCUSING ON THE POSTIVES:________________________________________________
THINKING ABOUT WHAT WILL BE LIKE WHEN THINGS GET BETTER:____________
____________________________________________________________________________
FUN ACTIVIES:______________________________________________________________
LAUGHTER:_________________________________________________________________
29
Lesson #4: Trust (50 minutes)

OBJECTIVE: Student will learn to trust their partners during the trust walk. They will learn
about how people can loose trust in each other and how they can gain trust. For there homework
assignment they will have to identify someone at school that they could go up and talk to in case
they ever need help.
MATERIALS: Tissue box, piece of papers, and pencils. Blind Folds!
LESSON:
1. Students sign-in
2. Go over rules and agenda.
3. Icebreaker: Backward Clumps
4. Feelings Check: Have them pick a weather forecast that best describes how they are
feeling at the moment.
5. Begin discussion on trust. Have members define trust and its importance in this group in
comparison to other environments.
6. Trust Walk: Have group member pair up. Once is blindfolded while other leads him or
her on a short walk. Have students switch so that their partner has the opportunity to be
blindfolded too. Have students discuss:
a) How did it feel to not be able to see where you were going?
b) Have you felt that way before?
c) Did you trust your partner?
d) Did your partner do anything to make you trust him/her less?
e) Do you trust all of your friends?
f) What could a friend do to another friend to cause a loss of trust?
g) Can broken trust ever be repaired completely? How? How long does it take?
7. Explain: At various times in our lives we place trust in other people. Just like in this
group we have to place trust in our group members to keep things confidential. We also
have to trust others in order to reach out to them when we are in need of any help.
8. Ask: Do you have anyone in your life that you can trust when you need help or need
someone to talk to? Are there any individuals here at school that you could go to incase
of anything, who are they?
9. Homework: For homework I would like you to think of a person or a place on campus
that you can go to whenever you need any help.
10. Deep Breath: Breath in and out.
30
FRIENDLY REMINDERS: Make sure to do the trust walk outside and away from the
classrooms. That way teachers are not upset with the students talking outside their classroom.
Make sure everyone is at your sight and no kids are wondering off somewhere else.
31
Ice Breaker: BACKWARD CLUMPS

OBJECTIVE:
The object of this game is to get students to work together to accomplish the goal of standing up.
This game would especially be useful for a social skills group or any type of group that involves
trust and communication as main ideas. Ideally, the partners will be able to stand up rather
quickly starting out with only two people, but as the number of people grows, the
communication will have to become much stronger. This is probably not the best get to know
you game because it does involve physical contact. It would be more successful with a group
that has known each other for a couple of sessions.
This activity needs at the minimum 4 people, but it can go up until about 16-20 students. It is
also going to more successful with older children (middle or high school).
Time Frame:
This activity really depends on how well the students can work together. The first time, with just
pairs, should only take 1-3 minutes.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
PROCESS:
1. Students are instructed to find a partner who is roughly the same height as them.
2. The group facilitator introduces the game as Backward Clumps, and states each pair has a
goal they have to reach together.
3. The pairs will be instructed to sit on the ground back to back.
4. Next, they will be told they have to stand up, without touching their hands to the ground or
desk (or any other material that would help with balance and strength). They can only use each
other to stand up.
5. Once the pairs have stood up, the group will wait and cheer on the other pairs as they work
toward the same goal.
6. Next the facilitator will instructor each pair to match up with another pair (a total of four
people). They will then proceed exactly as before, sitting on the ground back to back, and have to
stand up.
32
Lesson #5: Loss (50 minutes)

OBEJCTIVE: Student are able to identify a major loss in their lives. The loss could range from
the break up of a friend to the death of a family member. They are able to identity one happy
memory before their loss and being able to find different coping strategies for those that are still
grieving there loss. Homework assignment is to practice something positive that will help with
the grieving process.
MATERIALS: Magazines, glue, tape, colored pencils, crayons, and pencils.
PRIOR TO MEETING:
LESSON:
1. Go over group rules and agenda
2. Ice breaker: Mingle Mingle
3. Feelings check: Pick one word that describes how you are feeling
4. Go over homework: Have each student share a place or person that they can go talk to on
campus if they ever need any help.
5. Explain: Tell students that today they will be talking about losses. Everyone experiences
different kind of losses in their life. Losses can include a breakup of a romantic
relationship, breakup of a friendship, someone passing away, incarceration of a family
member, a friend moving away, the loss of a pet, etc.
6. Give students the Frame worksheet. Have them draw a picture, make a collage, create a
poem, or write about a loss they have experienced. Give your creation a title.
7. When they are finished with their art piece they can share it with the group.
8. Discussion:
a) Share with us the art piece you did
b) Why did you choose the title?
c) Can you tell us about the loss you did your artwork on?
d) Before the loss, can you tell us a happy memory that you have of the
person/pet/thing?
e) Where there any rituals you did or could perform to help you with this loss?
f) Is there anything you could have done or could still do to help you through the
grieving process over this loss.
9. Homework: If you are still in the grieving process I would like you to choose something
positive that could help you through this grieving process. Have them share what they
plan to do.
10. Closing: Have students hold on to each others hands. Have one person squeeze the other
persons hand in a chain reaction.
FRIENDLY REMINDER: Remind students that a loss doesn't have to be the death of a person
but it can be the loss of a social worker during change of placements or a breakup.
33
ICE BREAKER: MINGLE MINGLE

OBJECTIVE:
While playing Mingle Mingle students learn to listen to directions and work as a team to make
sure they get in an accurate group. If students are not paying complete attention, they will be left
without a group. The ultimate goal of the game is to become part of a group with the correct
amount of members in it. Another effect that this game may have on students is in helping them
to feel more comfortable around others and in such close proximity of each other in order to
accomplish the task.
Time Frame:
This icebreaker takes about 2 minutes to explain and playing time can be anywhere from 5-10
minutes, or as long as the group would like to play it for.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
PROCESS:
3. Students are instructed to stand up in no particular order or shape.
4. The group facilitator introduces the game as Mingle Mingle, and states that the students
will be walking along saying Mingle Mingle. The only rule is that they cannot walk close
enough to be linking arms or getting ready to form groups.
5. The facilitator will then shout a number (leaving a group member will be left without a
group), and the group members are to form a group with that amount of members.
6. Whoever does not get a group will then join the facilitator in choosing numbers for the
next round.
7. The game then continues until there is 1 group of winners.
34
35
Lesson #6: Drugs and Alcohol (50 minutes)

OBJECTIVE: Students will learn about how when the body is under the influence of drugs and
alcohol that it can cause the nervous system to speed up and the person has less control over their
actions.
MATERIALS: none
PRIOR TO MEETING:
LESSON:
1. Students sign-in
2. Ice breaker: No Icebreaker since we are doing an activity outside
3. Go over homework assignment: What have students been doing to help the grieving
process of their loss.
4. Find a place outside, preferably on grass.
5. Activity Speed:
a) Have the group stand and form a circle and have them hold hands.
b) You will give them commands that they will need to follow. While still holding
hands have them run in a circle. See how fast they can make one, tow, or three
revolutions.
c) Designate a leader of the circle. Now have them run and after they get up to
speed, you place the mark on the ground. When the leader gets to the marker he is
to stop. Everyone else in line is to stop as soon a the leader does.
d) During this activity you can have them run clockwise and counter clockwise.
Always holding hands, having them run fast and slow.
e) Sometimes have the marker placed way ahead of the leader and other times throw
it down right in from of him/her.
f) Change the leader often.
g) Note to school counselor: What you should be seeing is that when the speed is fast
or the marker is placed down only a short distance in front of the leader, then his
is able to stop but the rest of the line has trouble stopping. At a slower speed this
does not seem to be such a great problem. This has a direct correlation to the body
under the influence of an upper or speed. The mind can see what should be
done, but the body cant react as it should because of the central nervous system is
actually over reacting.
6. Discussion questions:
a) What was happening during this activity?
b) How did it feel when you were the leader?
c) How did it feel when you were not the leader?
d) Could you stop easily when you were the leader?
e) Could you stop easily when you were not the leader?
f) What difference did you position relative to the leader have on your ability to
stop?
36
g) Did the speed of the group impact the ability of people to stop?
h) What kinds of activities would be impaired the use of drugs and alcohol?
i) What kinds of jobs would be dangerous under the influence of drugs and alcohol?
j) How could these drugs be a danger to our bodies?
k) How could it affect us in school?
7. Explain that when the body is under the influence of an upper or speed. The mind
can see what should be done, but the body cant react as it should because of the central
nervous system is actually over reacting.
8. Homework: Write down three different things that you can do instead of using drugs and
alcohol?
9. Closing: Do some stretches that way no one has tense muscles from running.
Friendly Reminder:
Be conscious of student that have asthma or have physical disabilities. These students can always
yell out instructions to the game and throw in the marker.
37
Lesson #7: Anger (50 minutes)

OBJECTIVE: Students are able to identify their anger triggers, how they have reacted to those
triggers in the past, and how they will react in the future.
MATERIALS: Stress balls or something for students to squeeze incase they are feeling anxious
or angry.
PRIOR TO MEETING:
LESSON:
1. Students sign-in
2. Go over group rules and agenda
3. Ice Breaker: Have each student pick an animal that best represents him or her. They each
have to share their animal and why they pick it.
4. Feelings check: Make a facial expression and best describes how you are feeling today.
5. Todays topic we will be going over anger. We all go through the feeling of being angry.
Some of us feel angry more than others.
6. Worksheet: I would like you guys to fill in the worksheet with the things that trigger
anger. How have you dealt with that anger? How will you deal with that anger in the
future?
7. Have each person share what their triggers are and how they have dealt with that anger.
Have peers give suggestions on how they would have dealt with it if they had been in that
same situation as them.
8. Closing: Do some yoga poses to relax students down.
FRIENDLY REMINDER:
Make sure student are not leaving angry from group after talking about their triggers.
38
Anger Decision Sheet

Trigger
How did you react?
How will you react in

the future?
Example:
My friend arrives late at the
theater and we miss the start of
the film.
I yelled at my friend in front of

all the people and told her that I
never want her to be late again.
I will take deep breaths and

tell myself that people run
late sometimes and I cant
always have things my way.
39
40
Lesson 8: Guest Speaker(s) (Resiliency)

OBJECTIVES: Have a foster youth from the SDSU Guardian Scholars Program come speak to
the students about their experience group up in foster care, their resiliency, and their experience
in college.
PRIOR TO MEETING: Confirm with guest speakers that they are able to come. Send them
talking points and have them rehearse with you what they are going to tell the students that way
they dont say anything inappropriate. Send them directions on how to get to the school. Greet
them at the office and bring them to group session.
MATERIALS: None
LESSON:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Have speaker touch on their experience in foster care?

How many schools and foster homes they were in?
Who was someone at school that motivated them to continue their education?
What was their resiliency? How were they able to overcome everything considering the
hardships they had encountered?
5. There favorite memory from middle school and high school.
6. What they recommend the youth to do to academically achieve in school.
7. Advice
8. Their experience in college.
9. Q&A
10. When guest speakers leave have students discuss what they liked and learned from the
guest speaker.
11. Remind students next session is the last session
FRIENDLY REMINDER: Make sure to sit down with the guest speaker to talk about what they
are going to say and to rehearse. Tell them not curse.
41
Lesson 9: Closure (50 minutes)

OBJECTIVE: Students will provide positive feedback to one another, review what they learned
in the past sessions, and feel a sense of accomplishment.
MATERIALS NEEDED: Beads, string, certificates, and evaluation form
LESSON:
1. Welcome to the final day of group. Even though we are finishing up, it doesnt mean that
you cant still get together with each other or visit the counseling office.
2. Activity t Each student will get a bead as a gift. These beads will be infused with
positive strengths you possess and wishes for you from the group. Each member of the
group, in turn, passes his or her bead around the group. The other members rub the bead
and say something about the persons positive strengths or make a wish of good fortune
for the person. Each member will get a string where they can insert their bead and wrap
around as a bracelet.
3. Certificates Of Completes Present each person with their certificate and share at least
one positive contribution or growth they made while in group
4. Closing: Each member with give each other a high five or a hug. What ever they feel
most comfortable in.
5. Evaluation handout
FRIENDLY REMINDERS: Remind students that they can always seek for your help.
42
Letter to Parent/Guardians
Dear Parents/Guardians:
___________________________________ has been recommended to participate in a Foster
(Students Name)
Youth counseling group that I will facilitate this year. I have met with _____________________
(Students Name)
and explained the content and nature of the group. This group will meet once a week for 50
minutes. _________________is aware that he/she will miss a different class every week
and
(Students Name)
he/she is responsible for obtaining make-up work from teachers. During these nince sessions we
will be working on:
1. Causes of Feeling Depressed or Sad
2. Coping with Change
3. Trust
4. Loss
5. Drugs and Alcohol
6. Anger
7. Resiliency
Since counseling is based on a trusting relationship between counselor and client, all
information shared by group members is kept confidential except in certain situations in which
there is an ethical responsibility to limit confidentiality. If a student reveals information about
hurting himself/herself or another person, the parent will be notified.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. Thank you for
your support.
Sincerely,
Susan Alejandre
School Counselor
Return to School Counselor (check one).
______ The child may participate in these counseling sessions.
______The child may not participate in these counseling sessions.
Parent/Guardian Signature___________________________________________________
Student
43
Group Attendance
Pre-test for Group:
44
Name:
Demographics:
Male___________
Female_________
Grade Level_______
1. How do you deal with your emotions when you are sad or depressed?
______________________________________________________________________________
2. How do you cope with different changes in your life?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Name one individual that you trust.
______________________________________________________________________________
4. Name one individual that you trust here at school.
______________________________________________________________________________
5. Are you currently coping with a Loss?
Yes
No (circle one)
6. If yes, how are you coping with that Loss?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
7. Have you used drugs and alcohol in the past two months?
Yes
No
(circle one)
8. What do I want to get out of group

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Post-test for Group #1
45
Name:
Demographics:
Male___________
Female_________
Grade Level_______
1. How do you deal with your emotions when you are sad or depressed?
______________________________________________________________________________
2. How do you cope with different changes in your life?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Name one individual that you trust.
______________________________________________________________________________
4. Name one individual that you trust here at school.
______________________________________________________________________________
5. Are you currently coping with a Loss?
Yes
No (circle one)
6. If yes, how are you coping with that Loss?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
7. Have you used drugs and alcohol in the past two months?
Yes
No
(circle one)
8. What did you get out of group

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Group Evaluation
46
Overall, being in this group was:

__________ very helpful
__________ helpful
__________ OK
__________ not helpful
In this group I felt
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
because
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Some important things I learned were
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
The most helpful part of this group as
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Something I have improved in is
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
A goal I have set for myself is
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Some changes that would make this group better are
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
I would/would not recommend this group to my friends because
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Other comments:
47
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Alejandre, S - Comprehensive Group Curriculum-Foster Youth

Încărcat de

Informații document

Descriere originală:

Titlu original

Drepturi de autor

Formate disponibile

Partajați acest document

Partajați sau inserați document

Opțiuni de partajare

Vi se pare util acest document?

Este necorespunzător acest conținut?

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

Alejandre, S - Comprehensive Group Curriculum-Foster Youth

Încărcat de

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

Running head: FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Students in the Foster Care System

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Review 31, 1150-1159.

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Lesson #1: Welcome/Group Orientation (50 minutes)

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

ICE BREAKER: THE WEB OF QUESTIONS

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Lesson #2: Causes of Feeling Depressed or Sadness (50 minutes)

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FRIENDLY REMINDER: If student already know the definitions of social environment,

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Ice Breaker: JUMP IN, JUMP OUT

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Lesson #3: Coping with Change (50 minutes)

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Ice Breaker: TANGLED WEB

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Healthy Coping Actions

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Created Most Change

Created Least Change

Easiest to Cope With

Hardest to Cope With

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Lesson #4: Trust (50 minutes)

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Ice Breaker: BACKWARD CLUMPS

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Lesson #5: Loss (50 minutes)

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

ICE BREAKER: MINGLE MINGLE

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Lesson #6: Drugs and Alcohol (50 minutes)

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Lesson #7: Anger (50 minutes)

FOSTER YOUTH SUPPORT GROUP

Anger Decision Sheet

How did you react?

How will you react in

I yelled at my friend in front of