Responsible Adult (RA) Engagement by SMOA members & Supportive Adults
SMOA recognizes that each school attending youth has a Responsible Adult (RA), be they biologic, foster, step parent; grandparent, uncle, aunt, older brother or sister, or other adult that is of legal age and legally responsible. These RAs play a critical role in constructing the socio-economic construct and framework wherein youths develop and mature. These Construct & Framework Architects (C & FAs) enable the youth who imbibe SMOA services, to assimilate, process and build on the learned information. The RAs (C & FAs) make or break the post-SMOA-engagement youth experience.
Therefore, in every service endeavor, SMOA first identifies RAs, by way of the school, as all youth need permission to participate from the RAs. Then, these RAs are provided a session wherein the local SMATON Group describes the service objective(s), introduces the Supportive Adults (SAs), and then, importantly, presents the critical need for the RAs to engage with the SAs, and to support the assimilation of the lessons learned within serviced youth. |
In True YTY fashion, RAs will hear first hand from SMATONs the barriers to assimilation, as well as the learning objectives and reinforcement strategies that will foster dynamic, sustained learning and development within the serviced youth.
This element of identifying and engaging Responsible Youth, potentiating engagement with Supportive Adults (SAs), and thereby building a firm foundation to guarantee sustainability, is characteristic of SMOA DNA. |