Pilot program offers lessons to help youth overcome adversity
A UTSA researcher is helping youths cope with life’s challenges and build resiliency skills. Heidi Rueda, an associate professor of social work in the College of Public Policy, is collaborating with a San Antonio youth-serving and community-based after-school program to conduct exploratory research on building skills to overcome adversity.
The area selected for the implementation of the program, in the 78207 ZIP code, is located at the center of “concentrated poverty” on San Antonio’s Westside. According to the 2019 strengths and needs assessment survey by Good Samaritan Community Services, over half of the youth in this area are being raised by a single mother with low levels of literacy, low school performance, food insecurity and a high crime rate that in turn can contribute to trauma.
In collaboration with Good Samaritan Community Services, “Mind Matters: Overcoming Adversity and Building Resilience” consists of 12 lessons targeted to youths who have experienced these forms of trauma. The program includes life skills on soothing and regulating emotions, managing stress, developing empathy, developing goals and intention, building a support system, and seeking help. Rueda is studying how youths are benefitting from the curriculum as part of evaluating the program’s efficacy.
