Learning life skills is an important part of growing up. From tangible skills like cooking and budgeting, to intangible skills such communication and decision making, these skills are vital.
The National Resource Center for Youth Development recently published “Life Skills Training Tips for Caregivers”, which helps individuals pass on important life skills to youth in their care. It highlights how tangible skills also build intangible skills (i.e., learning to change a tire develops problem-solving skills), and the link between attaining life skills and gaining self-esteem.
The tipsheet advises that learning life skills begins at a very early age, and that every interaction with a young person is an opportunity to share life skills. It encourages caregivers to impart knowledge, and then give youth ample opportunities to practice what they have learned.
Other tips include:
- Make learning fun.
- Look for “teachable moments” – opportunities that arise in everyday life to learn or practice a skill – but don’t make every moment a “teachable moment”.
- Ask the youth to select which skills he/she wants to learn.
- Pay attention to how the youth likes to learn.
- Provide lots of opportunity to practice.
Click here to download the tipsheet, tips4caregivers(1).
