Rethinking Behaviour Management
November 10th, 2026
12pm ET
Is it time to give up the behavior charts? Unlearning Traditional behavior management practices are rooted in the belief that youth behaviors develop as a result of rewards and punishments. In this workshop we discuss why these practices are limited and outdated. A fresh approach will be explored that shifts the narrative about how we think about student behavior.
December 9th, 2026
12pm ET
Have you ever found yourself showing up in a way that is less than your best? You may be extra reactionary with the youth in your program. You snap at your co-workers. The voice in your head screams “I’m DONE!” What if you could learn to PAUSE before getting to this point? When we learn this invaluable skill, we show up as our best more often, making the positive impact we want to make.
January 14th, 2027
12pm ET
Emotions are human. We all have emotional hot buttons that cause us to show up as less than our best. Once we see and recognize these triggers, we can regain control over them. One important part of the process is to understand what sets us off. When we add clear action steps for what to do in these moments, we can quickly get back to showing up fully for our youth.
Discover what part the brain plays in reactionary behavior how past messages impact our current emotionsyour personalized plan for managing hot buttons.
Engagement When It Matters
Feburary 17th, 2027
12pm ET
What do young people do when they get bored? Usually, they find something to do. Unfortunately, it may not be what we had in mind.
Some of the toughest program moments happen in the spaces between: transitions, waiting, early finishers, long directions, and unstructured time. In this interactive workshop, participants will explore the connection between boredom, engagement, and behavior and rethink the moments we often overlook. Participants will leave with simple tools for transitions, early finishers, and program environments that keep young people engaged before boredom takes over.
Why is it so easy to remember the one thing that went wrong and forget the twenty things that went right?
Our brains naturally give more attention and weight to negative experiences. In youth programs, that can influence how we see our days, our staff, and the young people around us. In this interactive workshop, participants will explore negativity bias and how intentionally noticing and celebrating the good can shift the experience of a program. Participants will leave with simple ways to build celebration into everyday moments, helping staff and youth feel seen, valued, and connected.
Every day, adults interact with behaviors they don't always understand. The eye rolls, thesilence, the phones, the joking, the resistance. But those behaviors are often rooted insomething much deeper. In this workshop, participants will step back into their ownteenage years before exploring what it might feel like to be an adolescent today. Togetherwe'll look beyond behavior to better understand what teens may be thinking, feeling, andneeding, and how that understanding changes the way we respond.
Participants will explore:
• What it felt like to be a teenager
• Common behaviors we see in middle and high school youth
• What's happening beneath the surface
• How understanding leads to stronger relationships
Summer camp moves fast—and the small moments matter. In this practical and engaging workshop, staff will explore simple, actionable strategies rooted in relationships, planning, and presence to help create a camp experience where young people feel connected, engaged, and supported. Participants will leave with mindset shifts and ready-to-use tools that strengthen belonging, reduce stress, and help both youth and staff thrive throughout the summer.
In this session we will understand how overwhelm builds, why it takes over so quickly, and what it looks like before everything tips. You’ll leave with simple, human ways to pause, reset, and respond with more clarity instead of pushing through on empty.
Step aside! What happens when we allow children the opportunity to lead? No surprise: they bloom. Whether pinch-hitting as a helper, or leading an activity for the day — encouraging youth to step into leadership roles in any moment, leads to noteworthy gains in social and emotional skills. Once we acknowledge that children are born leaders, all that remains is to spot the opportunities in plain sight, pass the baton — and step out of the way! In this session, we’ll discuss the magic children can bring to any table, when given the chance.
Discover what is means to be a youth leader opportunities for everyday youth leadership the cumulative impact of providing youth with leadership opportunities.
The Feeling Factor (micro)
How youth feel in program shapes everything: from how they show up to how they connect and engage, and it’s something we have the opportunity to influence every day. This workshop explores how to elicit positive feelings in three core areas: Relationships, Adult Presence and Planning. There will be key takeaways and actionable tools in each of these three areas.
September 16th, 2027
12pm ET
Every behavior starts with a feeling. Children, like adults, have emotional emergencies — they just look different from ours. On closer inspection, we learn that there’s a predictable pattern to escalation — an arc of sorts, that if caught in time, can re-direct outcomes from explosive to calm. Using a child-first, relationship-centered mindset, this module teaches us that strong behaviors are no mystery, and that all feelings make sense. We also discover that preventative techniques (like focusing on connection), can help facilitate a sense of calm.
Discover...
• that the best strategy for de-escalation is prevention
• five specific strategies to help young people bring calm to strong feelings
• five adult behaviors to avoid, in the presence of strong feelings
Goal Setting: A Skill Building Gold Mine
October 14th, 2027
12pm ET
We like to think of goals as micro-plans with purpose. Goal-setting infuses any program and activity with naturally occurring opportunities for social and emotional growth. Goals nudge us to deal with disappointment, and make room forpure, unadulterated celebration (over and over again). This workshop celebrates the benefits and ease that can come frominspired goal setting.
Discover…
• how to formulate intentional goals for everyday activities
• the many benefits of goal setting for youth (and why it’s so worth the effort!)
• strategies for in-the-moment celebration
Youth Voice and Choice:Make Way for Self-Expression
November 17th, 2027
12pm ET
Great things happen when we ask young people to use their voice, and then watch and listen. Any time a young person has a say in THEIR project, THEIR plan, THEIR program, we open up all-important opportunities foryoung people to shine. And we get to know them on a deeper level. We can’t say enough good things about building thisinto your game plan! Planning for self-expression generates thoughtful programing that speaks to the strengths anduniqueness in every child.
Discover…
• why encouraging choice and voice encourages engagement
• how to build youth choice and voice within any activity
• what youth choice looks like in practice
December 14th, 2027
12pm ET
When we are at our best, the sun seems to shine brighter, and there’s a bounce in our step. We also have moments thatfeel quite the opposite. To address the ups and downs of life and work, this module explores inner critics, self-compassionand how to practice empathy for yourself so that you can be ready to lavish it on the children you serve.
Discover...
• that being human means having an inner critic
• strategies for building self-compassion and acceptance
• why self-empathy is a critical element in teaching empathy
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