• Kids’ Connection for ages 4-12 in Schools and Communities
• Youth Connection for ages 10-17 in Schools and Communities
• Kids’ Connection, Too for Ages 4-15 in Homeless & Domestic Violence Shelters, Group Homes & Other Transitional Living Environments

• Simply put, “Social-Competence is the ability to handle social interactions effectively.” - John Wiley & Sons

• “…social competence refers to getting along well with others, being able to form and maintain close relationships, and responding in adaptive ways in social settings.” - John Wiley & Sons

• “Social competence consists of social, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral skills needed for successful social adaptation. Social competence also reflects having an ability to take another’s perspective, learn (and apply learnings) from past experiences.” - Wikipedia

• Social Awareness: The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures. - Merriman Webster

•  Competence: “the quality of having sufficient knowledge, judgment, skill, or strength.”  - Merriman Webster

• I CAN focuses on the interaction between people. Social Awareness and Competence develops perspective about, and empathy for, others, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures. It is the ability to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and support. Resilient children are considerately more responsive, more active, more flexible, and more adaptive.” - The CBSG® Program

• Empathy: Being able to “walk in another’s shoes” and “feel” what they have perhaps felt, without having the identical experience, is an important skill. (Brené Brown has a YouTube video in which she cleverly explains the difference between empathy and sympathy.    

• Perspective Taking: I cannot tell you the number of times I cannot find my phone! (Perhaps you can relate?) Often the way to find this elusive object is to simply change my perspective. By turning around or moving slightly to the left or right I suddenly see where it was all along. It was there in plain sight but from my perspective I could not see it. On a more serious note, when we realize there are many points-of-view on a topic or situation, and the lens through which we view the world is not the same as others, then we can better appreciate, accept, and celebrate our differences.

• Appreciating Diversity: The world would be a boring and ineffective place if we were all the same! A Google definition of Diversity is “differences in racial and ethnic, socioeconomic, geographic, and academic/professional backgrounds. People with different opinions, backgrounds, religious beliefs, political beliefs, sexual orientations, heritage, and life experience.” Because of technology, travel, immigration, and education, we have more opportunities than ever to learn about others.

• Respect for Self and Others: The first step in having respect for others is to have respect for ourselves. It is impossible to give something we do not possess. When we have self -respect we have pride and confidence in ourselves and can in turn show esteem and honor to others. We are more likely to be considerate of their beliefs, even if we disagree.

• Ability to Assert Oneself: One of my first memories of asserting myself was in the 6^th grade. Our history teacher gave our small group’s project a “C” grade stating we did not follow the guidelines. I strongly disagreed and proceeded to tell her not only was she wrong, but not a very good teacher, who no one liked. Those less than socially competent comments got me a trip to the Principal who insisted I apologize. My apology was given (not a very sincere one) and I learned having restraint when it comes to not saying exactly what I am thinking was wise. But the confidence I gained in standing up for myself and others, and asserting myself, has been a lifelong beneficial skill. For the children we work with being able to assert themselves is powerful when it comes to resisting negative peer pressure.

• Ability to Adapt to Change: Heraclitus, an ancient Greek philosopher who lived around 500 BC is the first to have said "The only thing that is constant is change.” He believed nothing in life is or can be permanent because the very nature of existence is change. (iaseminars.com)

• Resilient children are more responsive, active, flexible, and adaptive,
• Increased empathy (according to some researchers one of the most critical skill we can have),
• Appreciation for differing points-of-view,
• Acceptance of others from different cultures, race, ethnicity, language, beliefs, etc.,
• Decreased discord and strife,
• Treating others like we want to be treated,
• Ability to adapt and accept the circumstances and realities we cannot change, 
• Courage to change and cope with the circumstances and realities we can change,
• Wisdom to know we cannot change other people,
• Demonstration of respect for oneself and others,
• Being able to resist negative peer pressure, and;
• Developing the competencies to stand up for oneself and others in appropriate, socially acceptable ways.