Assess
The next step is to assess your understanding of behavior, and your Club or Youth Center’s current approach to responding to behavior. There are two assessments in this section – the Behavior Support Self-Assessment, and the Behavior Support Organizational Assessment. The assessments will lead you through a personal reflection on your own experiences with behavior, and then a comprehensive organizational assessment to examine your Club or Youth Center’s policies, practices, and programs surrounding behavior. The tools in this section are designed for Club managers to lead a team of Club professionals through the assessment process.
Key Terms
- Behavior is an observable action and form of communication.
- Behavior support is a process of understanding what youth are communicating with their actions and using that information to adjust their environment and teach skills that promote positive behavior.
- For deeper context, refer to the 5 Guiding Principles of Behavior Support.
Step 1
Behavior Support Self-Assessment
Start by completing the Behavior Support Self-Assessment individually, or at a team meeting using the team agenda provided. The 11 self-reflection questions will help you examine the experiences that have shaped your understanding of and responses to behavior.
Your understanding of behavior impacts the way you respond to it. It is important to first examine the experiences that shape your personal approach to responding to and supporting behavior before making a plan for improvement.
Step 2
Behavior Support Organizational Assessment
Next, complete the Behavior Support Organizational Assessment. The assessment examines your Club or Youth Center’s behavior support policies, practices and programs using 26 indicators.
The assessment should be completed by a team with representation from organizational leadership and youth development professionals. The assessment will help your team better understand how your Club or Youth Center is responding to and supporting youth behavior.
How to Use the Assessments
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1
Select a variety of professionals from your Club to complete the Behavior Support Organizational Assessment. Make sure there is representation from executive leadership, Club/Unit and Program Directors, and key Youth Development Professionals.
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2
Prepare for the assessment by gathering all Club or Youth Center documents that outline policy, procedures, and practice guidance.
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3
As a team, review each indicator together, using Club or Youth Center documents along with experiences to guide the ratings.
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4
Use the Behavior Support Self-Assessment, and Behavior Support Organizational Assessment to guide your Club’s plan for improvement and the ways your engage with the resources provided in this toolkit.
Continue on to Plan to create your Club or Youth Center’s behavior support policy.