Does the youth understand their traits, feelings, motivations and actions, as well as recognize how they're perceived by others?
Self-awareness is about understanding how individuality and life circumstances impact daily living. Individuality covers factors such as disability, culture, language, race, sexual preference, gender identity and religion. Circumstances may include issues such as foster care, homelessness, immigrant or refugee status, young parenting, poverty, or trauma.
My profile page (PDF) from Charting the LifeCourse helps youth describe themselves and figure out who they are. The tool includes three sections:
If youth struggle to identify what people like about them or how to best support them, encourage them to include parents, teachers, siblings or other close contacts in the conversation.
When to use: Introduce this activity early in the transition planning process. The answers can inform the person's thinking and serve as a foundation for future success.
