Agenda Overview

• What is a personal safety net (PSN)? 
• Why is a PSN vital to our well-being and our ability to navigate life and PSN its challenges and changes with resiliency and support?
• 8 Pillars of Resilience
• Asking for Help
• Using a Wallet Card 

HANDOUTS/ACTIVITIES

1) A Personal Safety Net Diagram ; 2) Columns of a PSN; 3) A Personal Survey; 4) Things That Get In The Way Of Asking; 5) Steps to Successful Asking; 6) Sample Wallet Cards; 7) Using Your Wallet Card; 8) What To Say To Others About Your Wallet Card.  

Start with a short personal intro – your choice 

1. What is a personal safety net? 

A Personal Safety Nets provides a way of understanding a balance in your life that will make it possible for you to RESPOND, rather than to REACT to the predictably unpredictable changes or challenges that inevitably arise. 

a. Philosophy behind a PSN:

• Replacing fear and isolation with security, connection and community.
• Knowing how you are interconnected helps you work with others - to help them connect!
• Change from “Sitting/Reacting” to “Acting/Responding/Planning” (and Avoiding Denial) 

b. Make up of a PSN – The Definition: (handout: A PSN Diagram)

• You, yourself: your capacities and qualities - for instance: *courage, *tenacity, *organizational skills, *being a good listener, * having the ability to engage others
• Others: Family & Friends
• Community: organizations, businesses, professionals
• Plans 

c. Exercise: Starting Your Own PSN (handout: Columns of a PSN) 

** BETWEEN knowing what supports your PSN – having a team to help is an ASK! 

2. (use: A Personal Survey) – Question #1-4

Imbalance between most who want to help and the smaller number who are willing to ask for & receive help. 

3. Things get in the WAY of reaching out / ASKING

(Handout: Things That Get in the Way) – Teacher can review the list, or if time allows, ask students about what specifically stops them from asking others.  

Know it’s your right to ASK:

• YOU MATTER, and so does everyone else (We need to get others involved – which means asking for help.) We need to get others involved (they need us too)
• You matter to you, as leader in your own life, in others’ lives, in work, in community – You will need to get good at asking! 
• We all have basic needs: 1) to be seen 2) to be heard 3) to matter to someone else 

4.So how do you go about ASKING EFFECTIVELY? 

(Handout: Steps to Successful Asking)

Try to be authentic!

When you ASK

• Set the stage with a SHORT picture of what’s going on
• Give background – set the tone (include them in “your” team)
• Include “the ask” 

Allow for “no” – Ask, don’t demand

• Don’t take the particular answer personally – be grateful for AN answer
• Think about 11 “other” reasons why you received a “no” 
• Think of a time when someone said “no” to a request… 

Accept what happens! 

When you are THE “asked”:

• Listen to the entire request
• Consider your response – if needed, can you think of alternatives & phrasing, ie.
  • You want to help and can’t/won’t (limits?)
  • You don’t want to help this person/ this time/ this request
  • You want to do your part.
  • Respond: Yes or NO – 

Both of you: Say thank you to each other (for a response, or for being asked) 

• Review (Handout: Steps to Successful Asking) 

• Using Your PSN to Organize & Create your first TEAM (a small safety net)

          – “Wallet Cards” – hand out samples to all.

• Review (Handouts: Using Your Wallet Card; What To Say To Others About Your Wallet Card)
  

5. All of PSN is based upon willingness to:

• Believe in abundance
• Value integrity and reputation
• See the power in choice
• Look at the stories we tell ourselves
• Recognize the importance of involving others in our lives 

6. Evaluation & Q & A

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