EVOLVE
History/Background
Youth Guidance’s Evolve program is a social-emotional learning (SEL) program designed to cultivate a district-wide culture of support and trauma-informed engagement by delivering training and resources to school-based staff to implement the most effective components of the organization’s most renowned programs – Becoming a Man (BAM) & Working on Womanhood (WOW).
The Evolve program model creates the space for youth to thrive in a school ecosystem of supportive, emotionally attuned and culturally competent adults.
The urgency to create trauma-informed school culture increased as a result of the COVID-19 quarantine.
87% of public schools reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted student’s social-emotional development (NCES, 2022).
The Evolve Model addresses this urgency by bridging the therapeutic principles used to support youth growth and development in a mixed-gendered environment, with relatable engagement formats delivered by trusted school leaders, professional development opportunities, unlimited access to the Evolve Curriculum and youth engagement resources through Evolve Central.
THE EVOLVE EXPERIENCE
Evolve Circles
Relationship-centered safe spaces providing youth with the ability to see and be seen authentically, and the opportunity to learn, practice and internalize social-emotional skills
Collaborative Community of SEL Leaders
Direct collaboration between Evolve Team and School Behavioral Health Team empowering all school staff to become Circle Leaders
Universal Training
Annual school-wide training to support a healing-centered approach to serving youth and enable success of Evolve Circles
Evidence-Informed Curriculum
Schools are equipped with a SEL curriculum with 16 lessons focused on self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, self-management and responsible decision making
Access to Evolve Central
An online learning community inclusive of the full Evolve curriculum, SEL resources, adult wellness activities, Facilitator coaching and PD opportunities
Comprehensive Program Evaluation
Tools and resources to assess program impacts on staff & youth well-being, engagement, and achievement
EVOLVE PROVIDES SCHOOL-WIDE TRAINING ON THE EFFECTIVE COMPONENTS OF BAM & WOW
Becoming A Man® program (BAM®) is a school-based group counseling program that guides young men in 7-12th grades to learn, internalize and practice social cognitive skills, make responsible decisions for their future and become positive members of their school and community.
BAM integrates clinical theory and practice, men’s rites of passage work, and a dynamic approach to youth engagement.
Working On Womanhood (WOW) is a multifaceted, school year-long group counseling and clinical mentoring program.
WOW works to improve social-emotional competencies for girls in 7th-12th grade exposed to traumatic stressors in high risk and under-resourced communities.
Using a trauma-Informed approach, WOW targets young women with significant risk factors for dropout or delinquency such as: teenage pregnancy, trauma, drug or alcohol abuse, self-harm, gang involvement, fighting, academic failure and discipline referrals.