
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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