Leadership Team March 5th Meeting Summary and Next Steps

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Hello CAN Leaders,

Thank you for a productive meeting on March 5th. I enjoyed our vigorous dialogue. It is great to have authentic conversations, support and challenge one another, and ultimately make hard decisions. This is what CAN Leadership is all about so I thank you for bringing your authentic selves. 

Attached:

  • Meeting summary
  • Summarized meeting evaluations 
  • Scope of Work for Protective Factors research
  • Fortune Teller ice-breaker template
  • Access our meeting materials 

Next Steps for CAN Leaders:

Mark your calendars: June 18-19 Leadership Team Retreat in Sacramento 

We hope to have 100% Leadership Team attendance for both days. Save the dates, we will be sending an RSVP shortly. 

  • June 18th 10am – 4:30 (Leadership Team dinner TBD)
  • June 19th 9am – 3:30

Protective Factors, and “deep thoughts” about why they matter in our work

During our meeting we had a constructive dialogue about some of our work related to Proposition 64. We discussed that our programs are about youth development, about assets, and about helping children achieve their fullest potential. We change lives, we generate hope, and we support children as they develop their potential. We discussed how the language of “protective factors” may infer or suggest a deficit-based approach. Such language can insinuate that the youth we serve must be protected or guarded against something, instead of supporting them as they reach toward something. 

However, protective factors, as they are defined by WestED’s model of youth development and resilience are essential to the environments we create. Their presence has positive prevention outcomes, and so much more. They result in positive life outcomes (and they are measured by the California Healthy Kids Survey). They are: Caring Relationships, High Expectations, and Meaningful Participation. The research shows that such “protective factors” actually have an exponentially positive effect on those that are experiencing “risk factors.” Such risk factors might include stress or trauma in family and community life.

To further this research-supported point I want to share this video titled The Science of Adversity. 

The video lays out clearly that adversity, stress, and trauma negatively affect brain development. Many students come to school with this stress, and school itself can actually increase their stress. The presence of such stress actually has negative impacts for brain development AND prevents those experiencing it from learning in school. What, you ask, can help us positively impact brain development even in the presence of stress? Caring and trusting relationships. Yes, it’s true, the protective factors of positive youth development actually help brain development, and perhaps most importantly in developing brains experiencing stress and trauma.

We’ve known it all along, and we just need to keep doing what we do well. We need to help decision-makers invest in us, just as we are. And we need to help our field continue their work based on their strengths once they receive investment. This is the spirit that CAN will carry forward as it continues its work related to Proposition 64. 

Thank you for your passion. I look forward to continued and spirited debate as we move our collective work forward. 

Jeff