Introduction for BIGS

Thank you for participating!

• Exciting national program: Relationship - “Plus”

• Cutting edge science: Skills to reach for full potential

Research-based activities that are fun and useful

• Why did you sign up to be a BIG?

You are here to Start Something

Share Your Experiences with Your Little

What does it mean

to thrive?

• Forward, purposeful motion towards achieving

one’s full potential.

• No finish line.

• Life skills that position youth for a hopeful

future to be all they can be…

Thriving

• Helps you learn about Step-It-Up-2-Thrive

• Activities to do with your Little

• All of this and more available at

bbbs.stepitup2thrive.org

Your Bigs’ Binder

• Be a friend; Build trust

• Tap into your Little’s

intrinsic desire

• Need multiple

conversations to unpack

past hurts & adopt new framing

Aspiration in Tough Environments

• Protective shells that help

them disconnect from life

aspirations

• “You don’t understand me.

That doesn‘t apply to me

and my world.”

What We Can Expect…

#1: Acknowledge norms that have been

a part of your Little’s experience.

Your Little may need to adopt new norms

& behaviors different from peers.

So What Do We Do?

#2: Draw out unspoken

feelings or events in

your Little’s world and

the worthwhile price

that he/she pays to

advance dreams.

What do we do?

#3: Give your Little

permission and the

courage to grow up

differently than peers

and to be what he/she

aspires to be.

What do we do?

#4: When drawing out

Little’s passions & dreams,

draw out the barriers.

What will it take and what

might get in the way?

What do we do?

“I’m giving you this feedback

because I have high standards and

I know you can meet them.”

Wise feedback

Those inner passions, interests &

talents that start the drive for

personal growth.

Start the EngineWith Sparks

Video: Billy Elliot© Clip

• • 2/3s of Youth know their spark by age 10.

• Just 1/3 of those youth have spark champions.

Sparks Statistics

Sparks ConversationRole Play

Sparks Ideas

Sparks Champions

Sparks Resources

• Sparks Anchor Paper

• Sparks Conversation

• Sparks Champion Mapping

• Sparks movie clips & discussion

guides

Exploring Sparks with your Little

Find

Grow

Champion

Let’s “Rev it Up”

With a Growth Mindset

Fixed Mindset& Growth Mindset

Fixed Mindset:

Belief that intelligence, abilities or personality are primarily fixed or inherited.

Growth Mindset:

Belief that intelligence, abilities or personality are primarily grown through effort.

Eyes in the Forest…

Michael Jordan Video

Effort-based praise experiment

5th graders -easy puzzle

“You must have

worked hard”

“You must be smart at

this”

Seek challenge

Avoid challenge

Scores improve

Scores get worse

Group Activity I:

Growth Mindset

Months 3 or 4

Tune into your Gas Gauge

Helping your Little reflect on “thriving indicators” and

risk factors

The Thriving Wheel

Remind Little that he or she has a choice about all of these (except for Littles with an unhealthy family environment).

Risk Factors Wheel

Through Conversations…• Discover & apply strengths grown, and

• Find new skills to develop

…along the road to Thriving.

Goal Management Skills (GPS): Launch Navigation System

G: Goal Selection: Where am I going?

P: Pursuit of Strategies: How do I get there?

S: Shifting Gears: When the going gets tough!

What’s Ahead…

Recommended!

• Articles: Thriving in Youth, Sparks, Mindset, Growing Aspiration in Tough Environments, Behavior Change & Goal Management

• Your Match Support Specialist!

Everything in your binder and more is available at bbbs.stepitup2thrive.org

Thanks for your feedback on this session!