Seeds of Success

Contents and Format for “Seeds of Success” Workshops…

Week 1:

Introduce leaders and ask attendees to say hello and introduce themselves to 5 others around them. (this is an icebreaker and may be the beginning of new friendships)
Have all participants trace around their own hand on the blank side of the front cover sheet and write one of the 5 A’s on each finger, starting from the little finger. Attention; Affection; Affirmation; Acceptance; & Attitude. (this becomes a point of reference for participants over following weeks)
Start talking about first 2 “Seeds of Success” from the folder they were given as they came in.
Introduce Guest Speaker by relating their life to these 2 “Seeds” and stating a few background details. Allow 20-30 minutes for them to tell their story about something they have done, the obstacles or difficulties they encountered, and how these were overcome. Allow 5-10 minutes for questions and feedback from workshop participants.
Encourage participants to take a few minutes to study the 2 Seeds of Success spoken of earlier. Have them consider answers to the questions which follow each of the “Seeds” statements. This will become their project in coming days.
Begin next segment by turning to the last 3 pages of their notes, where a condensed version of Dr Garry Chapman’s book “The 5 Love Languages of Teenagers” has been printed. Encourage them to read these, firstly to identify their own primary Love Language. and then to give thought to one new one they might try to practice during the next week. It’s good for them to tell family members or friends they are trying new ways of relating & communicating. State that at next week’s workshop, time will be allotted for several people to tell about how it’s been for them as they chose a new way of relating to people. They will be encouraged to revise their 5 A’s as they become more aware of their feelings and attitude. If they’re not receiving one of the 5 A’s in the measure they need, it’s helpful if they choose to alter their behavior, so by giving they may begin to receive.
Finish off with supper as a time to mingle and network with others.

Week 2:

Review the 5 Love Languages from back of folders. Ask if anyone wants to tell about their experiences as they tried a new skill over the past week. Allow 3-5 testimonies. Give positive affirmation as each person has the courage to speak.
Get participants to go back to the diagram of their hand from week 1. Explain they are to spend 5 minutes to rate their current skills (with 1 being poor & 10 being excellent) for each of the 5 A’s in their present most difficult relationship (whether this is with a friend, family member, teacher or other). Explain that this exercise will be used to empower them in coming weeks, as they change and become more effective in resolving conflict and relating in new ways with all types of people.
Pass out the next 2 Seeds of Success #3 & #4. Discuss these briefly, prefixing the discussion with a warning that this may not be the way they currently behave or what they have experienced. Use positive words to emphasize the potential benefits of new behavior, and state they will be given opportunity next week to speak about changes that may have occurred as they tried these new skills.
Introduce Guest Speaker with a few words of background information. Allow 20-30 minutes for their story followed by 5-10 minutes for questions and discussion.
Supper and time to mingle with new people and meet new Mentors.

Week 3:

Review progress in practicing new love languages. Allow testimony time for several to share.
Check for progress in their 5 A’s on the hand drawing inside cover sheet. Give opportunity for several to speak about what they have experienced as they tried new communicating and relating skills.
Give out next 2 Seeds of Success. #5 & #6 . Discuss these briefly and encourage participants to practice their new relating and communicating skills during the coming week.
Introduce Guest Speaker making positive reference to one of these “seeds”. State brief background information about their life, then allow 20-30 minutes for their story followed by 5-10 minutes for questions and feedback.
Explain briefly the skill of asking “open questions” by examples from those being asked of Guest Speakers, such as those beginning with “Who, what where, when”. Give a few examples, then have participants break into groups of 4-5 (or larger, depending on numbers). Get them to role play a challenging situation for each of them (such as starting a conversation with a person they’ve just met or finding out more about someone they like, so they can assess if they have common interests).
On coming back together, discuss things they found helpful that they would be willing to try during the week.
Supper for more networking in an encouraging atmosphere

Week 4:

Review progress from the previous week. Encourage several to talk about their experiences (whether good or bad).
Pass out next 2 Seeds of Success #7 & # 8 . Discuss these by relating story from the book “Chicken Soup for the Soul”. Ask for feedback and encourage participants to practice these during the week.
Introduce Guest Speaker with brief background information. Allow 20 -30 minutes for them to tell their story followed by 5-10 minutes for questions and discussion.
Break into groups of 4-6. This time there is to be a “statement of strengths ” exercise. They are to form a circle with one person in the middle. Others in the circle begin to speak out positive, affirming words about the “centre” person’s strengths, abilities or character traits. Each person in the group will have the chance to be in the middle and receive words to encourage and affirm them. This is how they practice giving compliments to others, and should be an empowering & encouraging exercise. Often young people think rather negatively about themselves and their abilities. When they hear affirming words from others they like and respect, it helps create more positive self-belief, which is always encouraging.
Regroup and allow time for several people to tell how they felt about this exercise.
Supper with a chance to get to know more people and practice new communication and relating skills.

Week 5:

After opening remarks, allow 5-10 minutes for some to share experiences from previous week. Speak encouragingly and affirm their willingness to try new ways of relating and new communication skills.
Pass out next 2 Seeds of Success #9 & #10. Spend 10-15 minutes teaching and encouraging with stories to illustrate points. (Stories from book “chicken soup for the soul” are excellent for this exercise)
Introduce Guest Speaker who will spend 20-30 minutes sharing their story. Allow 5-10 minutes for questions and feedback.
Check how their 5 A’s are going. Allow several to speak about significant changes to encourage the group. If any timid young people are attending, draw them out with an open question, such as “How have you found these changes?” or “Who have you decided to practice a new skill on?”
State that next week is the last in this series of workshops, and those who have attended all workshops will be given their Certificate of Completion. State there will be a celebration supper afterwards, and let participants know that Mentors will be available to assist them via email or phone in coming weeks. Pass around a sheet containing email and phone details of Mentors who participants may wish to contact.
Speak about opportunities to experience a “farm stay” break, and pass out brochures.

Week 6:

As this is their last week, revise their initial diagram of hand on inside cover, and get them do reassess how their 5 A’s are going now. Ask for several to tell how practicing the 5 love languages, learning new communication skills and ways of relating to their significant people (friends, family, teachers and community) has been for them.
Pass out last 2 “Seeds of Success” #11 & #12 . These are the final 2 seeds which are very personal for each participant. Encourage them with positive reference to the stories of previous Guest Speakers, and inspirational stories from Chicken Soup for the Soul.
Introduce final Guest Speaker and allow 20-30 minutes for their story, then 5-10 minutes for questions and feedback.
As this is the last week, there are no group sessions. Certificates of Completion are issued. Finish with a strong exhortation that this is a new beginning for them. They have been empowered by their choices to change and are now ready to grow and flourish in life.

CONCLUDE with a special celebratory supper. Suggest snack foods of biscuits, chips, dips and drinks, along with a cake be served. Thank all concerned (if possible arrange for Guest Speakers from previous weeks to attend this last evening).

The Foundary