Description
PLAAY (Preventing Long-term Anger and Aggression in Youth) is a culturally relevant intervention that relies upon the stress reduction benefits of physical activity and Recast theory (Racial Encounter Coping Appraisal and Socialization Theory) to promote the development of healthy coping skills for Black male youth. Recast theory suggests that the more racial and gender coping socialization (psychoeducational skills and feedback in negotiating stressful racial and non-racial encounters) one receives, the more one is prepared and confident to engage rather than avoid these encounters. As a result, youth make healthier decisions in crisis situations. This training will teach participants how to identify the impact of racial and gender stress, conflict, and literacy on youth who cope daily with rejection from teachers, peers, police, family, and neighbors.
Several evidenced-based cognitive behavioral strategies are embedded in the PLAAY physical activity and group therapy intervention components. PLAAY teaches stress management during face-to-face encounters in basketball, classroom, and peer social activities. Participants will learn to read and resolve racial and gender conflicts and reduce the effects of trauma for youth and parents. A key theme is that racial and gender-related conflicts are resolvable through stress management and can improve youth persistence and achievement in schooling. The more individuals (1) identify their stress reactions to racial and gender conflicts, (2) manage those stressful encounters, and (3) practice the literacy skills, the more confident they will be in engaging racial and gender rejections. Authority figure-youth relationships constitute powerful influences on children’s learning and safety. This training will examine how racial and gender threats undermine many authority-youth relationships and how to resolve conflicts within these relationships to promote healthier outcomes for youth.
Based on a recent book, Promoting Racial Literacy in Schools: Differences that Make a Difference, Dr. Stevenson will use five strategies to teach participants how to work more effectively with Black male youth who are struggling with relationship and life rejection challenges. The five core intervention strategies include the use of storytelling, journaling, relaxation, debating, and role-playing. These five strategies are designed to assist youth in developing skills in racial self-awareness, self-appraisal, self-care, self- control, and self-expression.
Who can participate?
Organizations may propose a team of three to five individuals that includes practitioners and leaders from the organization who have mentoring, counseling, or administrative responsibility for the youth/families. One member must be the team leader. Organizations that would benefit from the training include schools, community-based health agencies, recreation departments, community recreation centers, religious leadership programs, youth development programs, and mentoring programs. Participants should include clinicians, program managers, administrators, and community members. These individuals should be working with youth as counselors, teachers, therapists, or program managers in both face-to-face circumstances (mentoring or therapy) and/or program-level administration positions (referral agents or directors of programs).
Are you ready to implement the PLAAY program?
Prior to filling out an application, please review the Implementation Readiness Checklist (pdf) to learn more about what is required to implement this program.
What is required of training participants?
Recognizing that it takes more than a 3-day virtual intensive training to implement new programs, SAMHSA requests that participating NNED member teams commit to the full NNEDLearn 2023 training model which includes Prepare; Learn; Implement
Due to the NNEDLearn 2023 training being fully virtual, accepted applicants must have access to a stable internet connection in the NNEDLearn 2023 Preventing Long-term Anger and Aggression in Youth (PLAAY) training.
Objectives and expectations for each NNEDLearn stage for PLAAY are as follows:
Prepare
The first stage of NNEDLearn involves preparing the NNED member team for the Learn stage (virtual training), and requires that team members:
- Participate in two pre-meeting webinars (dates listed below).
- Complete assignments as requested by trainer, such as a readiness checklist and pre-meeting training content material.
Learn
From April 25 – 27, 2023, teams will attend a 3-day virtual intensive training via Zoom. Participants will learn:
- How to use in-the-moment stress reduction strategies when working with Black male youth.
- The latest research on culturally relevant interventions with youth and its application to community-based mental health services.
- How to negotiate a racially stressful encounter with youth, families, or peers and colleagues.
- The latest measures that seek to demonstrate racial literacy has been accomplished by staff and students within an intervention model.
- How racial stress influences negative health outcomes for Black youth and families.
- How to apply a theory of racial stress and coping within intervention work with youth and families of color.
Implement
After the Learn stage (virtual training), all PLAAY teams will receive ongoing coaching to help support uptake of the practice. Team members will:
- Participate in four 1-hour group coaching sessions with the trainer (2023 Dates TBD).
- Participate regularly in the online discussion forum.
- Complete implementation reporting assignments.
Digital Story
All teams will also be asked to complete a digital story/video documenting their team’s NNEDLearn experience, community need, and the implementation of the best practice. Please see the 2023 Digital Story (pdf) for additional information which contains important information on developing a digital story.
Sustain
NNEDLearn teams are expected to pursue efforts to sustain the practice and to demonstrate outcome and impact as appropriate. Teams will have the opportunity to provide input on training outcomes and the impact of NNEDLearn 2023.
Trainer
Howard Stevenson, PhD, Professor of Education and Africana Studies, University of Pennsylvania
Co-trainer: Shamm Petros, MS Ed, MPhil
Important Dates
Prepare Webinar One:
- March 21, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm ET OR
- March 21, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET
Prepare Webinar Two:
- April 4, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET
Learn Stage (Virtual Training):
- Tuesday – Thursday, April 25 – 27, 2023 (via Zoom)
Implement Coaching Sessions: Four 1-hour coaching sessions:
- May 23, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET
- June 13, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET
- June 27, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET
- July 18, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET
The application period for NNEDLearn 2023 is now closed.
Thank you to all who applied. If you have any questions, please email NNEDLearn@nnedlearn.net.
Contact
Email NNEDLearn@nnedlearn.net for any questions related to NNEDLearn 2023.