Support students to value themselves

[School] should be a place where kids can go, even if their home life is bad. The teachers are there to boost their self-esteem, to make them feel good. To tell each and every child how worthy they are. To teach them values like sharing, like peace, how to resolve conflicts. Right from the time when you're in kindergarten to grade 12. (Clara Locey)

Helping students to feel they have worth may be the most crucial factor in supporting learning. As well as schools taking on that role in every way possible, after-school and out-of-school programs can make an enormous difference in students' lives. Students I interviewed through the LOVE afterschool leadership program were inspiring. Although they told horrendous stories of their experiences of violence, they had hope, they believed in their ability to complete their schooling, they were clear about career dreams, and felt confident of their ability to make a difference in the world.

Students spoke of leaving violence, gangs, drugs, and shame behind as they discovered new identities as leaders. One student made it clear why such a program can make such a huge difference:

They [LOVE] made me feel like I had worth. They always treated me with so much respect - they were always so happy to see me and so excited with the work that I did, even the few pieces that I handed in. And they started me on outreaches in September... so I've been doing outreaches now for a year and a half. They were so impressed with the way that I spoke, and presented myself, that it made me feel like I had a real purpose, that I was helping mankind in some way. And that drove me on. I found something that made me as happy as drugs had. And now I don't need drugs anymore. I've got this instead. (Clara Locey)

School activities and after - and out-of-school programs which help students who have experienced violence and mistreatment to value themselves may be fundamental in helping students to develop their own sense of worth and to avoid some of the more dangerous routes they might otherwise take to try to feel better about themselves.