The five core competencies of social-emotional learning (SEL) are self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making, according to CASEL, the leader in SEL research, resources and collaboration in education. By using the toolkits, advisors will support these competencies with activities that involve self-understanding, self-care, expressing empathy toward others, active listening, respect between members, personal goal setting, and more. Members and officers will also use and build essential skills such as:
- Communication (with interpersonal and public speaking).
- Critical thinking (investigating community needs and resources).
- Collaboration (working with teammates and community partners).
- Analysis (doing research and assessing effectiveness of service).
A significant change this year is the combined Member and Officer Toolkit, which helps members learn more about themselves, build skills and gain effectiveness as team members. The toolkit provides officers with step-by-step instructions for leading activities and explains officer and committee chair responsibilities. All members can follow along to see what it takes to serve in a leadership role and hear an important message: Every member can be a leader!