Benefits of Creativity . . .

The creative process can be a health-enhancing and growth-producing experience. It is seen as an opportunity to express oneself imaginatively, authentically, and spontaneously; an experience that, over time, can lead to personal fulfillment, emotional reparation, and transformation. (Malchiodi 2006)

Creativity helps us explore and look at things from different perspectives. It can be a key to unlock hidden feelings and attitudes and help us find direction and clarity through the relaxing and enjoyable process.
 

Who . . .

Teachers, Welfare team, Chaplains, Counsellors, youth workers, Youth leaders, Pastors, Parents, volunteers, (and more) could all effectively run Esteem Designz Program – ANYONE can empower girls – easy to follow manual.

Number / Length of Sessions . . .

Esteem Designz Program is very flexible and can be adapted to meet your time constraints and group needs. You can run the program stage-by-stage or one-day structures. There are 5 different stages that can be run through different options.

 
The program works best if small groups can be formed with a facilitator/leader in each to guide the discussions and Design Projects.
 
The optimum structures of Esteem Designz Program includes:

• 5 x 2hr Weekly Sessions
• 8-10 x 45min-1hr Weekly Sessions
• Weekend Retreat 5 x 1 hr sessions over the weekend
• Esteem Designz Program can also be extended for as long as it takes, slowly working through each stage and outcome (2 terms ++).

All options work great, as well as other options too. If you have less time, the less you can do. With limited time, the girls may need to complete some of the Design Projects at home (and continue the lessons on).

Within the Facilitator’s Resource Kit (manual), approximate time allowances for each activity have been included to help you plan your structure.

Group Sizes . . .

The optimum group size would be 4-8 girls, however it does still work well with other sizes. With more girls, it would be best with more facilitators (helpers), however can still work in full class groups and one facilitator. It is just easier with more facilitators as the girls can engage better in the group reflections and discussions and you can be more specific with each girl.

Age Suitability . . .

Esteem Designz Program is very expansive in its reach and can impact young ladies in early Primary School through to young adults.

The key age group is girls in grades 5-10 but Esteem Designz Program has been continually proven to work very effectively with younger girls and girls in senior High School and young adults.

The program is easy to use and easily adaptable to meet the needs of each client group.

Program Stages . . .

Esteem Designz aims to help girls discover more about themselves and develop confidence to embrace and celebrate who they are and continue to grow through the Design Projects, Discussions, activities and Reflective Journals.
 
Stage 1 of the program is about discovering who you are and focuses on exploration.
 
Through creative activities and discussions, girls have the opportunity to explore and discover their own identity, strengths, unique characteristics and grow in self-confidence.
 
Developing these foundational issues of self-understanding and awareness, helps girls have more respect, confidence, and security within themselves, having more control of their situations, relationships and feelings, to better face whatever comes their way.
 
Stage 2 is about acknowledging difficulties, struggles, things that pull us down and hold us back and focuses on expressing and sharing.
 
Girls have the opportunity to acknowledge and share challenges they are currently facing, have overcome and those they may encounter. Through creative activities and discussions, girls learn strategies to identify these challenges and take control of them, as well as helping them understand the concept that challenges can make us stronger and help us grow.
 
Stage 3 is about overcoming how to deal and cope with these difficulties and focuses on empowering teens.
 
Through creative activities, girls are empowered to choose how they respond to challenging situations and discuss and develop strategies and coping mechanisms to overcome these issues. The focus is on girls sharing advice and learning from themselves and others as they build a resource of helpful and encouraging notes for when they face hard situations.
 
Stage 4 is about experiencing the joy of giving and focusing on uplifting the self by uplifting others.
 
Girls are given practical, creative activities to experience the joy of giving and encouragement, which helps improve their self-image and outlook on life. Not only are they giving to others, but they are also learning from their own support, advice and encouragement.
 
Stage 5 is about sharing knowledge and experience and focuses once again on exploring themselves.
 
Through reflective, creative activities and discussions, girls are encouraged to share what they have achieved and learnt through the program, their experiences and changes they have made. By accomplishing these goals, the girls learn to believe in themselves, helping them realise that they can achieve anything.

How to Fund . . .

Esteem Designz provides you with ready-to-go, easy-to-use, highly effective resources. These resources/tools are designed to really value the girls. For funding options and support, please click here.
 

Esteem Designz + God . . .

It is YOUR CHOICE to include the Bible Study Element. This is a separate resource that you can CHOOSE to use or not use.
 
Without the Bible Study, Esteem Designz Program can be used in a secular context – without any fear of hidden messages or Christian agendas. Esteem Designz Program has been designed to equip and empower girls in all spheres, helping them discover their own unique identity, value, and strength in whatever context they bring.
 
However, if you would like to make God the focus of the girls identity, value, purpose and worth, then the Bible study is designed for you.
 

Learning Strategies . . .

Esteem Designz Program engages students in experiential discovery based learning, developing knowledge, understanding and skills through the process of creating. Much like how the PDHPE curriculum focuses on learning through movement, Esteem Designz Program gives girls an opportunity for meaningful and interactive student-based learning and exploration through creativity.

This is a gentle and less confronting approach, empowering the girls to learn from themselves and others as they create and participate in group discussions.

As the girls create, their focus is on the Design Project, enabling deeper discussions, as the focus is not on the topic itself, but creating, helping eliminate feelings of threat or defensiveness.

The Design Projects in and of themselves are the lessons of each stage. They represent the key message, a practical tool or coping strategy, provides an expressive and reflective outlet, and enables ongoing learning and development as they continue to use the Design Projects.

The Program Fundamentals . . .

Esteem Designz Program embraces the upcoming trend of resilience, complementing other programs with the unique creative approach, which in and of itself is an activity promoting resilience to try new things, be free to create something original, choose what they do, turn mistakes into triumph and learn from the creative experience.

Esteem Designz Program utilises the concepts of art and expressive therapy, emotional design, choice theory, reality therapy, useability, ergonomics and empathic design to produce the most comprehensive, teen focused, responsible and effective program.

Psychologists, art therapists, councillors, social workers and educators have been consulted throughout the development and design of Esteem Designz Program to ensure the resource responsibly meets and addresses the needs of teenage girls and their associations.

Esteem Designz Program is flexible and easily adaptable to suit different time constraints, age groups, structures and budgets.

Esteem Designz Program aims to reveal the value and worth of each individual and help girls create value, confidence, worth and self-respect.
 

Concepts . . .

One of the main concepts for Esteem Designz is equipping and empowering teenage girls to learn through the process of creativity, as they create tools and coping mechanisms to help them in life. Not telling them what they should think or do, but giving them opportunities to explore these concepts further and discover their unique identity and value through the safe, comfortable, and fun environment. They are learning from themselves and others as they engage in discussions, activities, and design projects.
 
Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I learn.
Benjamin Franklin
 
They are also helping themselves by helping others. Introducing the immense joy of giving, which lifts the spirit, and taking them outside their own worlds, to glimpse the struggles and needs of others, helping them realize they are not alone.
 
This concept is also based on the ripple effect. A small group of teens who have developed skills and knowledge can then impart to those around them, who in turn effect those around them and so on, empowering teens to empower each other, learning from themselves as they encourage others. Creating a culture change, a positive impact in their communities.
 
It will also have a ripple effect within their own lives, through the exploration of self-esteem and identity; other areas within their life have an opportunity to develop and grow as well.

Need more information? Contact us today to discuss how we can help you implement these valuable resources to further equip and empower your girls to flourish in life.