Resources related to the development of social and emotional competencies in young people and the adults who serve them

Most youth development programs, and increasingly schools too, place a great deal of emphasis on building “soft” or “non-cognitive” skills in the young people they serve. We have compiled resources related to the definition and measurement of these skills, to promising strategies for building skills in school and out-of-school time settings, and to building whole child, whole day ecosystems. Please browse the items below!

We’ve also worked to curate a growing list of SEL & Wellness Resources, which includes articles and blog posts, practices and strategies, and resource hubs to help support overall wellness for youth development professionals and the youth they serve.

Motivation, Engagement, and Beliefs Survey Validation Report

Technical report summarizing validation work on YDEKC's Motivation, Engagement, [...]

Social-Emotional Learning Resource List

List of resources related to Social-Emotional Learning

Social-Emotional Learning Programs Brief

Research-to-practice brief describing Social-Emotional Learning programs and curricula

Positive School Climate Brief

Research-to-practice brief describing the impacts of positive school climates [...]

Trauma-Informed Practice Brief

Research-to-practice brief describing trauma-informed approaches in schools and youth [...]

Cultural Responsiveness Brief

Research-to-practice brief describing cultural responsiveness in schools and youth [...]

Youth Survey Workbook

Excel workbook for entering data from YDEKC's youth survey. [...]

YDEKC Skills and Beliefs Survey Parent Consent Template

Adaptable template to notify parents of survey administration

Tip Sheet: Comparing Survey Types

Summary of self-report survey types

High-Quality Practice Brief

Research-to-practice brief describing the Youth Program Quality Assessment, and [...]

Skills and Dispositions, Executive Summary

Summarizes our research on the definition, measurement, and movement [...]

Skills and Dispositions, Part 2: Strategies

Highlights promising practices that build motivation, engagement, and 21st-century [...]

Social & Emotional Learning