CREATED IN RESPONSE TO THE CURRENT PANDEMIC AND EPIDEMIC OF LONELINESS...
THIS IS ME is a social-emotional, student voice program for youth ages 12-18. The foundation: 3 guided verbal journaling interviews captured on video. Students choose their preferred peer path finder from four options; answering key life questions about themselves, their community, and the world. Each interview takes about 30 minutes to complete and should be done in a private setting. Teachers or school counselors complement the 3 verbal journaling interviews with further classroom exploration, using the THIS IS ME curriculum to build life skills such as self-compassion and listening with empathy. THIS IS ME is designed to help students:
Learn to tell the most difficult story — their own
Process the complicated world around them
Raise self-awareness and build social-emotional skills
Capture this epic time in an video time capsule for their future selves
Create a THIS IS ME short-film for posterity as well as for college/job applications and scholarships
THIS IS ME gives young people a voice and a chance to share that voice. THIS IS ME creates opportunities for reflection, (introspection), to build connection, and offers protection.
THE THREE PILLARS OF THIS IS ME
1) REFLECTION
THIS IS ME is based on the brain science surrounding Verbal Journaling. Participants are invited to reflect on key life questions with the aim of helping to answer the ultimate question: “Who am I?”
Watch this short video to learn a bit more about our questioning methodology.
2) PROTECTION
THIS IS ME offers training and support to faculty, staff and students in becoming Mental Health Ambassadors in their schools and organizations. THIS IS ME features keyword technology that, while honoring the confidentiality of the participant, has the potential to identify and prevent a crisis before it occurs.
3) CONNECTION
We build connection between students within their own schools as well as across globe with the THIS IS ME International Film Festival. Story- based and Strength-based, it facilitates the sharing of hopes and fears letting young people know that others are experiencing what they’re experiencing and that they are not alone.
THIS IS ME offers Middle and High School students the option of African American, Latinx (in Spanish) and Caucasian path finders to guide the verbal journaling experience.
THIS IS ME is flexible enough to use in Advisory, English, Health or Tech Classes, Affinity or Mental Health Clubs. School counselors can also use the program with small groups of students they are supporting.
Training for schools new to THIS IS ME will be offered.