http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Flourishing  at  UTSC April  9,  2015  

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Agenda 9:15  Opening  story  –  I  never  quit    9:20  Shared  Context:  A  Taste  of  Strengths    9:30  Flourish  Program  at  UTSC  

•  UTSC  Flourish  Program  •  UTSC  in  collaboraJon  with  TDSB/RVSC:    

•  Flourish:  A  Strengths-­‐Based  Resilience  (SBR)  Approach    to  Student  Success    

9:50  Closing  video  &  story  –  I  keep  geVng  beWer    

               

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Shared  Context

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

What  are  My  Strengths?

•  IdenJfy  your  top  5  strengths  

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Reflect

•  Think  about  a  situaJon  in  which  you  used  one  or  more  of  your  top  strengths  to  overcome  a  challenge?  

•  Share  with  a  partner.  • Key  quesJon:  How  do  we,  as  educators,  inculcate  these  strengths?  

 

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

The  Flourish  Program  at  UTSC

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

What  does  it  mean  to  Flourish?

To grow intellectually, socially, and emotionally and translate this growth into action, habit and purpose.

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

What  is  the  Flourish  Project  at  UTSC?

• UTSC  collaboraJve  project    •  Supports  first  year  UTSC  students'  transiJon  to  university  life  •  Strengths-­‐based  approach  to  student  persistence  and  success  •  Entering  its  4th  year    

•  2012-­‐present:  Assessment  for  baseline  data,  partner  and  website  development  

•  2014-­‐15:  Establishment  of  peer-­‐to-­‐peer  learning  model  and  grant  proposals  

•  2015-­‐16:  CollaboraJon  with  TDSB  and  RV-­‐SC  

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Flourish  Goals

Help  first-­‐year  students    • Persist  in  studies  • Develop  strong  relaJonships  • Pursue  purpose  and  meaning  

• Explore  saJsfying  career  aspiraJons  

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

The  Theory  of  Well  Being  =  PERMA

P  Posi&ve  emo&on  

•  Feel  Good  

E  Engagement  

•  Flow    

 R  

Rela&onships    

•  Fit  In  

M  Meaning  

• Find  your  Purpose  

A  Accomplishment  

• Do  Good  

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Online  Assessment:  Four  Parts  

 

• Well-­‐being  (PERMA):    (25  quesJons)  • Character  strengths  (72  quesJons)  •  Stress  (Outcome  QuesJonnaire;  45  quesJons)  •  Student  engagement  (24  quesJons)  

• TOTAL:  166  ques&ons  

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

The  Flourish  Model

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Baseline  Data  (n=1025)

36 37

57 60

84 83

112 110 96 96

78 79

2012 (29%) 2013 (28.5%) 2012 (52%) 2013 (52%) 2012 (19%) 2013 (20%)

Flourishing Moderate Languishing

Stress Well-being

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Workshops:  Understanding  the  Balance

  High Stress Essays due Mid-terms Bad food

Little sleep No exercise

Low PERMA Negativity

Disengaged Isolated

What’s the use? Procrastination

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Coping  with  Challenges

 

SymptomaJc  distress  Interpersonal  relaJons  Social  roles  

 

PosiJve  emoJon  (P)  Engagement  (E)  RelaJonship  (R)  Meaning  (M)  Accomplishment  (A)  

   

Decrease stress

Increase well being

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Now  that  you  have  a  bit  of  background

Let’s  play  with  STRENGTHS!  • Exploring  Strengths  • SpoVng  Strengths  • Applying  Strengths  • Building  Strengths  

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Four  Learning  Outcomes  

 Prac&cal  Skills  Development  1.  Goal  seVng  &  prioriJzaJon    Personal  Growth  &  Development  2.  Self  awareness/reflecJve  thinking  3.  IdenJty  awareness  &  development    Knowledge  Development  &  Applica&on  4.  CreaJve  expression  &  applicaJon  to  daily  life                

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Flourish:  A  Strengths-­‐Based  Approach  to  Students’  TransiWon  from  High  School  to  University

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

CollaboraWon:  UTSC,  TDSB  &  RV-­‐SC

• MTCU  Grant:  $225,000  to  collaborate  on  SBR  training  •  18-­‐minute  video  –  developed  by  TDSB  on  SBR  •  Two  schools  in  TDSB  acJve:  

•  RH  King  

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

The  Year  Ahead:  Overall

Spring  2015  

• Planning  • Recruitment  • Website,  apps  &  social  media  development  

• PreparaJon  of  Assessment  

• Development  of  training  

Summer  2015  

• Training  delivery  • Facilitators  • TDSB  &  RVHS  

• Assessment  • OrientaJon  planning  

• CommunicaJons  &  research  

Fall  2015  

• OrientaJon  seminar  

• Focused  intervenJons  

• Facilitator-­‐led  workshops  (with  observers)  

• Ambassador  &  new  student  outreach  

Winter  2016  

• Focused  intervenJons  

• Facilitator  workshops  

• Ambassador  &  student  outreach  

• Review  the  year  

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Closing  Story  –  GraWtude!

• My  graJtude  to  all  of  you  for  everything    •  It  has  taught  me  so  much  about  myself  as  a  whole,  but  more  importantly  how  to  overcome  hardships  and  use  my  strengths  to  FLOURISH!  

• Aqer  compleJng  the  assessment  again  (for  the  third  Jme!)  and  reflecJng  on  my  journey  this  year,  I  would  just  like  to  share  my  results  with  you!  Look  at  how  my  well-­‐being  has  grown  and,  more  importantly,  how  much  my  stress  levels  have  declined!  

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Closing  Story  –  Improved  Well  Being

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Closing  Story  –  Decreased  Stress

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

QuesWons?

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/flourish/

Staying  in  Touch

Send  your  quesJons  to  flourish@utsc.utoronto.ca    OR  

Contact  us  directly:    Tayyab  Rashid    trashid@utsc.utoronto.ca    416-­‐287-­‐7065        Ruth  Louden      louden@utsc.utoronto.ca    416-­‐287-­‐7559