Physical and Psychological Safety Resources

A good overview of the concepts, research, theories, etc. regarding Physical and Psychological Safety can be found in REACH's Positive Youth Development modules.

Why is this important?

Resource 1: Self-Regulation Skills

When youth are unable to control their emotions, it can create tension, conflict, and feelings of insecurity within the group. Big emotional outbursts often undermine the physical and psychological safety of the group. Supporting youth in learning to manage their thoughts and feelings, also known as "self-regulation skills", promotes both group safety and youth positive development. This brief YouTube video provides a rationale for why teaching self-regulation skills is important.

Managers and staff could:

  • Use the video to understand how helping youth regulate their emotions will cultivate a safer environment
  • Incorporate research from the video that shows students with better self-regulation have better outcomes into presentations and staff training

Self-Regulation Skills: Why they are fundamental (Video clip, Committee for Children)

Resource 2: Bullying

Bullying is a prime factor for an environment to feel physically and psychologically unsafe. Youth workers must understand that bullying is a serious concern and that timely interruption can prevent a potentially negative and lasting effect on both the victim and the bully.

Research shows the experience of bullying can cause anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns. This fact sheet from stopbullying.gov outlines the potential for bullying to become an adverse childhood experience (ACE), which places youth at a much higher risk for serious physical health issues.

Managers and staff could:

  • Use the fact sheet to recognize the mental and physical health effects of bullying as an adverse childhood experience
  • Understand the different strategies that could be used to effectively address bullying and foster healthy peer relationships

Bullying as an Adverse Childhood Experience (Fact Sheet, stopbullying.gov)

How can I help my staff in this area?

Resource 1: Practicing Co-regulation

This interactive process of learning self-regulation with a trusted adult is called "co-regulation." Co-regulation is important throughout the lifespan.

The following brief provides a thorough explanation of what co-regulation looks like and how co-regulatory support changes at each stage of development.

Managers could:

  • Ask staff to read about the co-regulation support needed at each developmental stage
  • Discuss the developmental needs of youth in their program and how to best support them
  • Brainstorm with staff activities that could be used to help youth practice self-regulation and mindfulness

Co-Regulation From Birth Through Young Adulthood (Practice Brief, Duke Center for Child and Family Policy for the Administration for Children and Families)

Resource 2: Modeling Self-Regulation

One of the most effective ways adults can support youth in developing self-regulation skills is through modeling. Adults' own ability to manage their emotions plays a vital role in helping youth develop self-regulation skills.

The following video helps illustrate this point, showcasing an elementary teacher modeling emotion identification with her students. While the video shows younger school age children, the concepts equally apply to older children and adolescents as well. The key is to adapt the language to youth participants' developmental level in a way that feels authentic and relatable.

Managers could:

  • Provide staff with appropriate resources and training in self-awareness and emotional regulation skills
  • Discuss the importance of supportive relationships and structured environments for promoting a sense of security for youth to practice emotion regulation
  • Brainstorm with staff ideas for activities that would allow youth to practice self-regulations skills

Teaching Self-Regulation Through Modeling (Video clip, Edutopia)

How can my staff help youth in this area?

Resource 1: Establish Ground Rules

Providing youth with an opportunity to discuss the importance of ground rules creates greater "buy in" from youth group members.

The following resource is a guide for staff in structuring a discussion activity for youth in their program to help establish a safe and respectful learning environment. Creating guidelines as a group will help minimize negative conflict between group members moving forward.

Staff could:

  • Facilitate discussion as youth work collaboratively to establish ground rules
  • Help youth understand the importance of ground rules in creating a safe and respectful environment

"Establishing Ground Rules" (Lesson guide, Anti-Defamation League)

Resource 2: Addressing Bullying

Bullying or other relational aggression is a prime culprit in cultivating an environment that feels physically or psychologically unsafe. Sometimes the best way to address the issue is to tackle it head on and have a direct discussion about it within the group. In fact, research has shown that adults taking intentional time to listen and talk with youth is extremely beneficial to their development and overall wellbeing.

The following videos and discussion prompts were designed to start open conversations about bullying. These resources can be used and adapted by staff to facilitate a conversation with youth group members.

Staff could:

  • Prepare for discussion by structuring the conversation, including prediction and problem-solving around potential barriers or sticking points that may come up
  • Establish guidelines on respectful communication with youth to make for a more productive conversation

Kid videos (Video clips with quiz questions, stopbullying.gov)

Videos & Social Media (Videos clips, stopbullying.gov)

Resource 3: Encouraging "Upstanders"

This video shows youth how to become "upstanders", rather than bystanders to bullying. Youth staff can utilize these resources with youth group members to encourage their participation in helping the group environment feel safe for everyone.

Staff could:

  • Brainstorm with youth potential ways they could be "upstanders" and help a peer that is being bullied
  • Help youth understand the role of an upstander and its importance

Bystanders to bullying (Video clip, stopbullying.gov)

Resource 4: Breathing and Mindfulness Activities

Youth leaders can help youth develop regulation activities by practicing regulation skills as a group when they are calm. Leaders will then be able to recommend these practiced skills when youth are in distress.

This website has short mindfulness and breathing activities designed for teens, which can be completed in under 2-, 5-, or 10- minutes. Leaders may choose one activity to conduct with their teens, perhaps as an introduction or a brief break activity

Staff could:

  • Use the following resource to allow youth to learn and practice strategies for self-regulation
  • Discuss with youth which exercise worked best for them personally and how they can use the exercise in the future

Change to Chill: Chill Breaks (Activity guides, Allina Health)