This list was updated regularly from April-December 2020, and it includes many resources (relevant to the ongoing COVID-19 situation and beyond), which YDEKC had shared in our newsletters.
This list will remain posted for posterity, but please sign up for our newsletters for more monthly well-being strategies and for the most up-to-date information on current events and the youth development field.
(Updated December 15, 2020)
| Articles & Blog Posts | Practices & Strategies | SEL Resource Hubs |
With the unprecedented changes that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to our work and personal lives, we recognize that additional support — to ensure our social and emotional health — is needed now more than ever. On this page is a collection of SEL and wellness resources that we have shared in our weekly Response & Roundup (COVID-19) newsletters, continuing into our Bi-weekly Summer Newsletters. These resources are intended to support overall wellness for youth development professionals and the youth they serve. YDEKC will continue to update and add resources to this page following each newsletter mailing.
We also have an archive of SEL-related blog posts and resources from our Whole Child, Whole Day newsletters that we have shared over the years, plus a Resource Center of SEL tools related to the definition and measurement of SEL skills.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to see more regular posts about strategies to care for the well-being of yourself and others in these times.
Articles & Blog Posts:
- Coping with COVID: It’s just not you — a podcast from WA Department of Health
- Article from King County Public Health’s Zero Youth Detention Blog — Black Mental Health Matters: Culturally Relevant Resources are available in King County
- Check out Turn Around’s Blog post — Back to Basics: Why Staying Close to People Who Feel Like Sunlight is as Important as Food and Water.
- This article, Remote Work and the Psychology of Space, provides steps you can take to create a space that works for you.
- Check out the first story — What Black liberation looks like: 40 acres in Auburn, Washington — from Jenna Hanchard’s series, “Rooted in Liberation” on KUOW. It shares Nyema Clark’s story on what makes her feel whole.
- Wallace Foundation has released SEL+OST=Perfect Together: A Conference Report. It is based on a day-long meeting in in October 2019 that brought together youth development leaders, researchers, and educators to look at two of the field’s biggest challenges: developing the ability of adults to teach social-emotional skills, and communicating the importance of those skills to those who may be unaware of how vital they are.
- Seattle Times Ed Lab article — FAQ: What you need to know about mental health and schools — answers common questions regarding mental health and schools.
- This article — The Role Social-Emotional Learning Plays in Teaching White Children About Race — ponders a crucial question: “What would happen if we taught white children that they are not just Americans, but white Americans or European Americans? That they are not the yardstick against which everyone else is measured?”
- Greater Good Magazine’s latest article — Six Online Activities to Help Students Cope With COVID-19 — shares well-being practices that can help students feel connected and resilient during the pandemic.
- At the start of each day of our virtual Symposium, we shared messages from young people describing the kinds of supports they need right now. See what they have to say below:
- Heart Day 7/24: Our Hearts Need Healing
- Mind Day 7/31: Our Minds Are Busy
- Body Day 8/07: A Call to Action
- We continue to listen to young people about what they need as we enter fall committed to ongoing virtual learning: The Skyway Youth Network Collaborative’s (SYNC) Youth Leadership Council’s recommendations for Skyway can be found here, and watch their Instagram feed.
- The new issue of AfterSchool Today, featuring guest editors from the YMCA, explains why empathy matters, the positive value of meeting young people where they are through e-mentoring, and more.
- Soar, in collaboration with Education Lab, launched their Social Media Ambassador project. This youth-led project highlights what young people are experiencing during COVID-19 and how it’s shaping their future. Read the full Seattle Times article here.
- In this article — If You Really Want to Make a Difference in Black Lives, Change How You Teach White Kids — Nahliah Webber points out the failure of our system for White kids and to spend resources on how to disrupt school systems that produce, protect, and reward White violence.
- “Why We Can’t Afford Whitewashed Social-Emotional Learning” — This article succinctly states the need and lays out steps for courageous educators.
- This powerful article articulates the harm that SEL can have on youth when “SEL is Used as Another Form of Policing“
- The National Equity Project has had a profound influence on our SEL work and we are eternally grateful. We often recommend and reference their chart on SEL Equity Pitfalls and Recommendations.
- This article from Edutopia shares lessons on culturally responsive lessons from Black churches.
- This EdSurge article shares advice on fostering a positive school climate in a virtual world.
- This article — How Keeping a Pandemic Journal Builds Students’ Historical Thinking Skills and Helps Them Cope — is a teacher’s history assignment that has gone viral. Learn how it has grown into a way to contribute to history and how it strengthens student’s SEL skills.
- Education Week’s article explores the question of “How to teach SEL when students aren’t in school.”
- This article from the Road Map Project shares how community partners within the Renton Local Improvement Network (LIN) are adapting their offerings to support students by offering STEM, mindfulness, social and emotional learning, and counseling services online.
- The Mindful website has articles and resources to get you started with mindfulness practices. This article shares six daily questions to ask yourself to help keep you grounded.
- This article — The Mental, Emotional and Physical Benefits of Nearby Nature — from the Washington Trails Association shares ideas and explains the science supporting bringing nature into our lives, even during these times.
- Mindset Works’ Blog post: What does growth mindset and social emotional learning mean right now?
- How are you taking care of yourself during #COVID19? Check out these tips from Psychology Today on staying mentally healthy in a crisis.
- Search Institute’s blog post on creating flexibility for families that are able to work from home
- Best Starts for Kids blog posts:
- YDEKC SEL blog posts:
Practices & Strategies — actionable content:
- Try this art activity from Sound Discipline to encourage resilience through transitions
- 6 Ways to Increase Happiness at Work and at Home
- The Ethical Rainmaker’s latest podcast — Episode 8: Heal Yourself to Transform Society — features YDEKC Member Young Women Empowered‘s own Victoria Santos.
- The Science of Happiness is a podcast from Greater Good Science Center that shares research-tested strategies that can boost happiness. Check out Episode 76: If You Want to Be More Productive, Cut Yourself Some Slack.
- EdWeek’s video series — Black student voices reflecting on Race & Racism in Schools — shares reflections from teens across the country including a local Seattle student. The series shares insight on what they need from their schools to feel safe and supported, how they’ve experienced classroom discussions about race, the importance of having Black teachers, and the role of school police.
- A Facilitator’s Guide to Remote and Socially Distanced SEL instruction in Out of School Time is a short article with six strategies to adapt programming for SEL instruction this fall.
- Education Trust released a new report — Social, Emotional, and Academic Development Through an Equity Lens — which offers six key recommendations, calling for school and district leaders to approach SEL through an equity lens.
- CASEL’s new report summarizes five emerging insights on advancing SEL as a lever for equity and excellence. This includes the emphasis on relationships between school and district staff, students, families, and communities as foundational to equity and systemic SEL.
- Here are 5 Tips for Supporting Students Socially and Emotionally During Distance Learning.
- This article — How to Create an At-Home Learning Space for Your Child — recognizes the importance of creating impactful learning spaces and gives tips on how to do so.
- Heart Mind Kids is a parent community sharing resources on teaching mindfulness to their kids. Their site includes this article on 5 Mindfulness Activities for Kids That You Can Do with Just Your Hands.
- This article, “How to Develop Culturally Responsive Teaching for Distance Learning,” shares tips from Zaretta Hammond’s recent webinars on three design principles of culturally responsive instruction, which can be used to support students’ cognitive development in remote settings.
- In response to the painful events that have highlighted ongoing systemic racism, CASEL is hosting a webinar series on SEL as a lever for equity. You can register for upcoming workshops or view the webinar recordings.
- The Children’s Literacy Initiative has developed a four-part virtual workshop to guide your thinking for starting school to ensure changes are addressed with care and understanding. During these workshops, they will discuss the mindsets and actions for creating learning environments where care, trust, strength, and equity are the foundation for teaching and learning.
- New Guide to Building Equitable Learning Environments (BELE) — this framework provides resources to create culturally-responsive classrooms designed to offer equitable education experiences to all students. The guide includes evidence-based tools to help collectively design and test changes from the school to the state legislature.
- The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture has just released a new online portal called, “Talking About Race.”
- Visit the RESilience Initiative for this Racial Stress & Self Care: A Parent Tip Tool and for
additional resources on how to uplift children and youth through healthy communication about race and ethnicity. - Arts Corps Teaching Artist Maria Luisa Guillen Valdovinos has created a breathtaking coloring book that explores themes of wellness, healthcare, and collective community. Download, print, and get coloring!
- Liberate is a meditation app by and for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
- This toolkit from the University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development includes activities, templates and tools to help support staff and youth in SEL. The toolkit’s resources are designed to engage youth’s cultural values and identity in order to support a variety of SEL skills. They also offer ideas on understanding and confronting racial injustice — this page provides action-based resources for individual reflection, engaging with youth, and addressing systemic change.
- These two resources — Building Resilience in Troubled Times: A Guide for Parents and Strengths-Based Practice in Troubled Times (for providers) — from the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) give specific tips for parents and providers to manage through these tough times. CSSP also has other resources on the COVID-19 pandemic.
- This quick article from ASCD In Service — 5 Essential Trauma-Informed Priorities for Remote Learning — provides tangible steps for integrating trauma-informed practices into your virtual settings. As an international nonprofit education association, ASCD is dedicated to providing the resources that empower educators to support the success of each learner.
- Forefront at UW is partnering with the School Mental Health supplement, University of Washington SMART Center, DBT in Schools, NWPBIS Network, and WellEducator to bring you a series of webinars for kids, parents, and educators, focusing on mental wellness and suicide prevention.
- In response to uncertain times, CASEL has released this new brief: An Initial Guide to Leveraging the Power of SEL as You Prepare to Reopen and Renew Your School Community. School leaders can take action now using this guide to co-create supportive learning environments where all students and adults can enhance their social and emotional competencies, feel a sense of belonging, heal, and thrive.
- Looking for activities geared for promoting kindness and compassion? Doing Good Together has a growing list of ways that families can share kindness, volunteer, donate, and learn together while at home. The list includes free printables, discussion activities, and kindness kits.
- This Human Moment hosts a series of 90-minute online gatherings to help teams discover the resilience, calm, and creativity we’ll need to move through the COVID-19 crisis. Recorded sessions and tools are available on their site.
- This info-graphic, A Path to Resilience in the Face of COVID-19, from researchers at Seattle Children’s Hospital offers four techniques to instill calm, control, and hope.
- Edutopia has many articles and videos that spotlight best practices in education, including pieces specific to SEL & wellness. This article focuses on fostering student well-being in times of crisis. Young children will likely process the tumultuous events of 2020 in the only way they know how—through play. Here’s how adults can be supportive.
- Committee for Children has a collection of resources on their site, including the Grow Kinder podcast. Listen to the most recent episode, Preventing Youth Suicide during the Pandemic with Jordan Posamentier.
- Stressful times may strain relationships. Check out The Search Institute’s Relationships Check-Up. It is a tool for self-reflection and conversation among peers and within families. #wellnesswednesday
- Partners for Youth Empowerment (PYE) is providing free Creative Catalyst workshops every Tuesday, led by PYE facilitators from around the world. Each workshop demonstrates how to use creative expression for your own well being as well as to deepen the impact of any work you may do with groups of youth or adults, online or in person.
- Morning Moment of SEL – a series of 4-minute videos to support students, teachers, and families made by Bryan Manzo, school counselor at Sandpoint Elementary School in Seattle
- Sound Discipline’s Resources for Educators & Families – free self-regulation cards (with tips on how to use them) and material on how to do family meetings for problem-solving (in printed and video formats)
- Prime Time’s Seven-Day Self-Care Challenge – virtual modules to help cultivate awareness, self-care and resilience during challenging times, including mindful awareness practices, movement and breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques that promote stress and anxiety reduction
- Space Between’s Mindfulness Practices & Workshops – Join them at 9:00 AM on Facebook Live every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for mindfulness, compassion, and movement practices.
- Downloadable First Aid Arts Mini Toolkit – Try these science-based First Aid Arts activities to address stress, boost your mental and emotional immune system, and build resilience.
- #GetWellWorld – Create Get Well Art, email it, and You Will Rise project will post it and share it with hospital patients battling COVID-19.
- A Care Package curated by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center filled with poems, meditations, films, and other cultural nutrients for times like this.
SEL Resource Hubs — large collections of resources, practices, and strategies:
- A new guidebook to design learning environments that promote well-being from the Resilience Lab at UW
- A list of Community Support and Well-being Resources in King County.
- LessonsforSEL is an online resource developed by Dr. Byron Mcclure. It has free and purchasable resources such as SEL Racial Equity Cards, 6-minute lessons, videos, and blog posts that explicitly connect SEL & Racial Equity. Check out his most recent blog post — Did You Know that SEL Emerged Because of A Black Man?The True History of SEL.
- The Virtual Calming Room, developed by Osseo Area Learning Center in Minnesota, is a worthwhile way to provide space for adults and students to access mindfulness resources. This site provides a range of calming & relaxation, app suggestions, and a resource section.
- Education Northwest has a great collection of resources for educators. Resources for Building Teacher-Student Relationships has articles and videos, including this video on Strengthening Relationships with Students with Diverse Backgrounds.
- Check out this care package for uncertain times — a collection of podcasts, poetry, meditations and reflection for however you’re processing this moment. The On Being Project also has a podcast and other resources that “takes up the great questions of meaning in 21st-century lives and at the intersection of spiritual inquiry, science, social healing, and the arts.”
- New research from America’s Promise features insights from more than 100 young people who describe their experiences with social, emotional, and cognitive development in exemplar learning settings across the country. Their website includes videos with reflection, an info-graphic, and youth engagement guide.
- The Center for Racial Justice in Education has compiled this large collection of resources for talking to kids about race, racism, and racialized violence.
- Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility has resources to foster more caring and equitable schools through restorative practices and brave conversations on race. Lesson plans include this Listening Circle on George Floyd and other lessons on how to talk about racism and police violence.
- Black Emotional And Mental Health Collective (BEAM) has videos and tools committed to fostering the emotional/mental health and healing of Black communities.
- During May, NAMI joins the national movement to raise awareness about mental health. See their collection of stories that shares the lived experience of people affected by mental illness to fight stigma, inspire others, and educate the broader public.
- Check out School’s Out Washington’s new Quick Connections videos. They are available to watch anytime on their Vimeo Channel. SEL-specific topics include Taking SEL Virtual, Creating a Welcoming Atmosphere Virtually, and Emotion Coaching.
- Inside SEL is an online multimedia initiative focused on curating relevant headlines, policy updates, and articles pertaining to social-emotional learning.
- Teaching for Tolerance has a ton of resources, including learning plans built by educators — many of which are specific to SEL, such as SEL must include issues of Cultural Diversity and Equity. Check out their website, which has resources aimed to create civil and inclusive school communities.
- A list of the SEL Standards for our state and various resources can be found on the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction’s (OSPI’s) main SEL page.
- Play is more important than ever. Playworks has a ton of resources to inspire play at home, including a “Play at Home Playbook” which is offered in seven different languages.
- The UW Center for Philosophy for Children is offering free materials to help families broach big questions and feelings that may be surfacing as kids experience the current realities of sickness and isolation.
- Heart-Mind Online is an online collection of evidenced-informed resources that builds capacity in individuals and communities to support the Heart-Mind well-being of children, and it promotes their positive social and emotional development. This website was developed by the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education.
- Child Trends’ collection of resources on ways to support children’s emotional well-being
- CASEL CARES is a new initiative that connects the SEL community with experts to address how SEL can be most helpful in response to today’s circumstances. This includes a variety of SEL resources and weekly webinars with national experts.
- The UW Center for Child and Family Well-Being shares guided practices and helpful resources for both the well-being of children and caregivers.
- The Greater Good Science Center shares gratitude practices for adults such as a gratitude circle with staff or starting a positivity journal. The center also has a guide for practices, resources, and articles for individuals, parents, educators, and health care professionals facing COVID-19.
- Making Caring Common shares a fun activity for children to recognize people to be grateful for and to show that gratitude the best they can. They also provide a resource page for cultivating empathy, practicing gratitude, and strategies for self-care.