The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified that there are ten essential life skills:
- Self-awareness
- Empathy
- Critical thinking
- Creative thinking
- Decision making
- Problem Solving
- Effective communication
- Interpersonal relationship
- Coping with stress
- Coping with emotion
Children facing the challenges of being at-risk often encounter obstacles that hinder the development of essential life skills within their home environments. However, our steadfast belief at Communities in Schools of Northeast Washington is that these vital skills can indeed be cultivated. Pioneering research led by Bruce Perry, M.D., and other experts has unveiled the profound link between external trauma and the intricate development of neural pathways in the brain. Remarkably, their findings highlight how children exposed to trauma experience an accelerated development of brain regions associated with the primal fight-or-flight response, resulting in heightened hypervigilance and increased susceptibility to stimuli that provoke tension.
Yet, the research also illuminates a path of hope. Dr. Perry’s work demonstrates that the brain’s innate plasticity offers a way to foster positive change. He has shown that through deliberate interventions, new neural pathways, known as dendrites, can be cultivated to establish connections with the frontal lobes of the brain. This transformative process creates a gateway for learning crucial life skills that enable children to navigate challenges, regulate their responses, and engage effectively in their surroundings.
The implications of these discoveries resonate deeply with our mission. We are dedicated to providing targeted interventions that empower at-risk children to forge new neural connections, enabling them to develop the essential life skills they might have missed out on. By leveraging this knowledge, we strive to create an environment where these children can overcome the impact of trauma, learn vital coping mechanisms, and ultimately thrive as resilient individuals. This research underscores the power of fostering growth and change, affirming our commitment to equipping at-risk children with the tools they need to forge a brighter, more promising future.